Angels Born of Hell and Fire

[Chapter twelve: Jasper’s point of view]

“Empress, you need to eat.”

The words feel on deft ears as I continued to stare blankly at the window.

Peter sighed.

“How long are you going to keep doing this, Jasper?” He asked in a low voice.

I did not grace him with my attention. Traitors didn’t deserve the acknowledgement of the Empress. In fact, if I had the power that Adam told me that I would have, Peter would be sentenced to share Megan’s punishment. His betrayal had torn my heart and my trust from him.

It had been three days since I had last seen Megan. How I missed her. Peter told me where he had taken her. A place of horror.

Deep sense of despair washed over me as tears threatened to break through the mask. It was my fault. It was my idea. And yet…Megan was the one to be punished.

This was bull shit.

“Jasper…”

Anger set fire to my veins.

“Get out, Peter.”

There was a moment of silence before I heard heavy footsteps leading to a door shutting. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to be free. Free in the world. Free to be a teenager; to laugh and have fun and worry about school, not taking over the world. But all of that had been taken away from me, and I had been shoved into the role I know play. Although, there was a part of me, I recently noticed emerging, that wanted this life of greatness; that wanted to be a legend; that wanted to change the world; a part of me that wanted to see the corrupt men of this world burn; that wanted to rule.

I craved power. I craved to create a new nation. I craved to produce a civilization from the ashes of the tainted government.

I craved to be Calamity, Empress of the New World. She was waiting for me.

In order to save Megan, I knew what I had to do.

Clenching my jaw tight, I opened my door to find Savannah and Gabriel standing at attention.
“Summon ShadowWalker to me.”

I ignored the salute that the two had given me before I had retreated back into my room.
I didn’t know the soldier very well, but I was aware of his loyalty to Adam. Hurriedly, I pulled a thick volume out down from the bookshelf and placed it on the desk before me. I glanced at the mirror hanging on the opposite wall.

I was paler than usual—which seemed almost impossible—and there were dark circles around my eyes. I looked tired. In fact, I wasn’t sure when the last time I washed my hair. I twisted the red locks into a messy bun and straightened the black stripes on my dress. I felt that if I appeared as Empress Calamity, he would believe that I was someone to follow.

I flipped opened the book: translated battle tactics and siege methods from the Middle Ages. I had read it before, but a page contained information that I needed to confirm.
There was a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

I didn’t lift my head as ShadowWalker saluted before me. He waited silently until I addressed him.

I sat back and looked at the man.

“How long have you served Adam, ShadowWalker?” I asked.

“All my life, Empress.”

“Are you loyal to Adam?” I stood, looking him dead in the eye.

“Yes, Empress.” He replied without missing a beat.

“So that means you’re loyal to me, his daughter?” I didn’t want see myself as Adam’s offspring, but for this conversation, it was necessary.

“Of course, Empress.”

“So that means you will carry out my orders?”

“Yes, Empress.”

“Free my sister.”

There was hesitation. Hesitation was never good.

“Forgive me, Empress….But Adam is the only one that can give that order.” He said, dipping his head.

My heart sank.

“Do you know what they do to prisoners, ShadowWalker?” I asked, approaching him. “They throw them into one of their contraptions called an iron maiden. It’s a coffin that’s made to bleed you dry as slow as possible,” I paused and looked away, trying to control the panic that had come into my voice. “My sister has been imprisoned three days, ShadowWalker. She may be dead, for all we know.”

“I highly doubt that, my Empress.”

I laughed with malice. “And why is that? Because she is also Adam’s daughter?” I met his eyes. “He will throw us away like yesterday’s trash without a second thought if we do not do as he tells us.” I could see that he wanted to deny it, but he knew that there was truth in my words.

“It’s been 3 days!” I was letting my emotions get to me, I knew, and I wasn’t acting like royalty should, but I had to do something. He was my last hope. “She is still human!”

ShadowWalker’s grey eyes looked away from me, as if he couldn’t bare to see my face.

“Adam is the only one to give that order, Empress. It is not within my power to grant your request,” He repeated, this time the words seemed hard to say.

“Then you are to visit the pit and tell me of my sister’s well being.”

“I cannot, My Empress. I have other orders from Adam tonight.” I turned my back to him, rage and sorrow causing me to dig my nails into my palms.

“Then you are no use to me. Leave me.”

“Empress,” was his last word before the door shut firmly behind him.

Was there no one that was going to help me…help Megan? Hot tears rolled down my face. Was there no one I could trust? The one time I thought there was someone to trust he betrayed me. Now Megan is all alone, suffering only God knows what because of my own stupidity, and I was powerless to help her. I could do nothing. The title of ‘Empress’ may have been shoved in front of my name but it was meaningless. Adam still ruled over my life, if something did not fit into his plan then it would not happen. I was nothing but a pawn to him.

I collapsed onto the floor next to my bed, unable to contain the sobs that wracked my chest. It was pathetic; I was not supposed to be the emotional one. I was supposed to be strong, I had to keep myself in check, be smart and figure everything out. That’s how it went, I couldn’t cry, not while Megan was enduring any level of torture. I couldn’t cry.

Yet I was unable to stop myself. For the first time since our capture, I cried in the most selfish way.

“Jasper…” a soft voice rumbled next to me. I hadn’t heard him come in.

I turned on him angrily, my fist pounding against Peter’s chest.

“This is all your fault! Why did you have to take her there? Why did you tell Adam it was her fault, she didn’t do anything! It’s my fault, mine! I should be the one down there damnit, it’s all my fault…”

“I’m sorry…” Peter’s strong arms wrapped around my shaking shoulders, pulling me against his warmth. “I know it was selfish of me, but… I wouldn’t have been able to follow that order, had it been you.”

“What’s going to happen to her?” I asked, telling myself not to trust the sentimental tone of his words.

“I don’t know… but she’ll be okay. Adam wouldn’t do anything too… too horrible. Not to his own daughter.”

I pulled back to glare into those beautiful pale colored eyes.

“Adam won’t hold back just because of that. He’s heartless.”

“Jasper…” he frowned, this being an old argument.

“He had you beaten Peter!” Immediately after locking Megan away, Peter himself had been imprisoned and beaten mercilessly for allowing us to be able to escape. It had been his job to lock us in that night, a duty he had neglected at my own request. Even now ugly bruises marred his face, and I could see him wince in pain as he moved. Yet another person punished for something that was my own idea.

“I’m fine, it’s nothing serious,” he said, ignoring my hostile expression.

“It is not fine… you put far too much trust in that man,” I muttered but I knew there was no point, Peter wouldn’t listen to a single word against Adam.

“Are you planning to starve yourself until the General is released?” Peter asked, nodding to my completely untouched food tray.

The thought had crossed my mind. Even if it was slight, any rebellion still felt like a victory.

Reading my expression Peter sighed.

“If I can find a way to make sure she’s alive, will you eat?”

Hope bloomed in my heart.

“Can you?” I asked.

“Probably… but I won’t be able to talk to her or anything.”

“Anything is fine! Please I just need to know she’s alright,” I hated myself for sounding so pleading.

Peter smiled sadly, lifting a hand to brush against the side of my cheek.

“Will you forgive me then?”

I looked away, ignoring the heat that had risen to blemish my pale skin.
“Maybe, but she has to be okay,”

“Alright, sounds fair,” Peter rose, reaching down a hand to help me climb to my feet. “Come on, you better get to your lessons, they won’t be pleased if you’re late.”

“Right,” I said, wiping the remaining moisture from my eyes.

I had to do as I was told.

Adam had made it painfully clear to me, the way he planned to “tame” me. For every time I misbehaved he would punish someone else for it. Never me, I could not be punished directly because it would be unsightly for an ‘Empress’. So I would do as I was told, before anyone else I cared about was harmed because of me.

I had to be strong, so when Megan came back - I had to believe that she would indeed be alright- I could be there for her. I knew that upon returning she would never be the same. I wasn’t sure how I knew this with such certainty, but it was true. After being in such a hellish place, I’m not sure anyone would be the same.

Then after she returned we would find a way to deal with this strange life that had been presented to us. We would survive.

[End Chapter Twelve]