Chapter

The citadel looked much the same as it had when Aubrey had first arrived there but after her trip to Troy and the revelation about the matriarch, the entire structure appeared to be full of ominous shadows that stood glaringly on their approach. The place which had held so much wonder was now tainted. The young woman was left wondering whether she would ever feel truly comfortable with the Matriarch around. It wasn’t every day that an ex-librarian gained a deadly enemy after all.

Patroklus had finally stopped screaming much to the relief of his travelling companions and Jet had graciously allowed him to ride upon her back rather than dangling between her clawed feet. His own eyes widened as they got closer.

“It’s pretty special isn’t it?” Aubrey whispered more to herself than anything but the Greek nodded his head dumbly from his perch in front of her.

The black scaled dragon circled above the courtyard as she waited for the other dragons to land before she finally made the final descent. And when Aubrey noted the Matriarch watching from one of the upper floors – or more importantly, the expression on the older woman’s face was enough to bring dread to the red head’s stomach.

As soon as the wings flapped and the dragon came to a jarring halt on the concrete, the stable boys and dragon handlers came rushing forth to help get the beast settled into her bed while the passengers recuperated from their long trip. But, Patroklus and Aubrey had barely set foot on the stone floors before robed men were advancing from all sides.

Inhaling sharply, Aubrey felt her fight or flight instincts kick in. She could sense that their intentions were anything but welcoming but she hesitated from sending a roundhouse kick a the closest because the consequences might be more than she was willing to bear.

“Stand down Ms Winters,” a wizened voice barked from under his hood, his identity protected by the shadows covering his face. When she did nothing more than stare at his with fists and jaw clenched, he sighed and turned back towards the doors leading inside the citadel. “Follow me, we have much to discuss.”

Gulping back her nerves, Aubrey fought the urge to flee and reluctantly followed after the ominous looking group inside. The walls felt that much more confining after a long flight in the open air and terror welled within her at the possible outcome of this secretive meeting.

“Where’s Tiberius?” The young red head murmured.

The moping Greek behind her heard and pointed to the corner where Tiberius was in the midst of an intense conversation with a beautiful tall woman. His distraction flicked her gaze momentarily away from the scarred warrior’s face to meet the frantic gaze of Aubrey. Their eyes connected but there was anything but warmth that passed between the two.

The tall beauty whipped her hair back from her face before she laughed heartily at something the Atlantian opposite her has said. It sent shivers down the young spectator’s spine as her eyes narrowed upon their target – not because she was jealous – but because she felt the beauty captivating Tiberius was a purposeful distraction.

“It looks like we are on our own Pat.”  Aubrey murmured and turned her head towards the Greek in search of some comfort before they disappeared into the confines of the building.

But as the red head turned her gaze towards the spot at her shoulder where he had been only moments before, she noted that he had vanished into thin air. She halted and her head whipped around in a frantic attempt to find the young and clueless man but hands wrapped around the tops of her arms in vicelike grips. Aubrey didn’t even have time to protest before a hand clapped over her mouth and she was dragged away from the courtyard.

A roar sounded behind her and the young Atlantian knew without a doubt that it was Jet. Heat rolled down the corridor behind them before there was a whine. Seconds later, the floor beneath her shuddered and a loud whine echoed through the halls before tapering off into a loud huff. Aubrey knew without a doubt that they had somehow managed to subdue her familiar.

The hands wrapped around the tops of her arms, tightened their grip as the red haired Atlantian paused to try and catch a glimpse of her downed dragon. However she could not see a thing, the stone walls were impenetrable to her worried gaze while pain shot down the lengths of her arms as she was tugged forwards. Lurching forwards, the young woman scurried to keep pace but the hooded men would not slow down for anyone.

Aubrey’s limited knowledge of the Atlantian citadel did nothing to help her as the shrouded men took so many twists and turns that she did not know where her head was at.

Then, as quick as the entire ambush had been, Aubrey was yanked to halt before a blank stretch of wall. Her stomach instantly dropped and her cheeks puffed out in an attempt to reign in the nauseous feeling that swirls deep within her. The last time she was brought before a wall, the soul of a man had been trapped within it and the following conversation led her and her mentor into a specialised training room.

But the stretch of wall they had stopped before seemed completely in keeping with the rest. There were no deviations in the brickwork, there were no carvings and definitely no souls stuck in the stone. Thus it was with a heavy heart that Aubrey watched a section if the wall tremble before the rocks drew back. A second or two had barely passed before a small doorway was created in the wall leading to only god knows where.

No one will ever find us, Aubrey thought as fresh terror coursed through her veins. Almost instantly she chastised herself for being so bitter but the way that she had been segregated from Patroklus and Tiberius led the young woman to believe that this entire plot was definitely not to her benefit.

The corridor sloped down and down, taking more twists and turns that the dim light could help her make sense of but the general downward gradient led the petite woman to believe that they were deep under the citadel and well within the bowels of the mountain.

Finally their progression halted and the group paused outside. A bright glow shone around an ageing door, splinters of light coming before the grooves of the handmade structure. The hooded figure closest to the front and one who did not have Aubrey’s arms between their painful grasp, knocked with sharp precise movements causing the wooden structure to rattle on its hinges.

Silence ensued and each individual waited with baited breaths.

“Come in,” the voice called regally from behind the door, sounding somewhat muffled but Aubrey would recognise it anywhere.

“Oh SHI-”

“Language Ms Winters,” A sharp voice cut into her just as the door swung inwards revealing the last person Aubrey wanted to see.

“Oh Ship.” Aubrey finished lamely before gulping back the bile that had risen into her throat.

“That’s enough boys,” The matriarch set her gaze upon the figures acting as sentinels on either side of the rookie Atlantian. “I can take it from here.”

The saccharine smile she gaze the nameless and faceless men did nothing to abate the fear being pumped around the red head’s body by her traitorous heart. But there was nt much that could be done except pull back her shoulders and let her gaze meet the matriarch’s in a silent. The intensity between the two was like show of dominance, neither wavering from their pursuit. The spell between the pair was only broken when silence descended after the sound of shuffling feet had disappeared into the distance. The two of them were well and truly alone.

It was then that the matriarch did the most startling thing of all – she laughed.

Head thrown back, as her hand clutched her stomach, Aubrey stared wide eyed at the woman with a rapid pulse throbbing in her ears. Backing away a step, the young woman hoped to put a few steps between herself and the crazy cow who tried to kill her. No not tried, she reminded herself, the crazy cow actually succeeded.

“Oh it’s too funny. Someone as clueless and plain like you could thwart my gift.” The matriarch finally spoke as her laughter tapered off. “Tell me Ms Winters, how did you live?”

Stepping forwards, the matriarch flicked her hair over her shoulder so none of her luscious tresses could block her view of the smaller woman. Her finger reached out and stroked over the pasty skin of Aubrey’s cheek.

“You should have died. No one can resist my command.”

The younger woman closed her eyes as she felt warm honeyed breaths puffing over her skin.

“I thought the book was insane, foretelling your coming. How could someone as insignificant as you ever replace me, threaten my status and existence?”

The voice that barked at down at the red head sent chills down her spine but she refused to acknowledge the words. She just kept her eyes closed and prayed for it all to be over.

“No matter, I shall have to resolve the matter myself.”

The air around the young red head moved, a moment before warm hands wrapped around her throat, effectively cutting off her air supply. Eyes snapping open, she stared up into the crazed eyes of the matriarch while her body’s natural instincts started to kick in.

First Aubrey’s petite calloused hands slapped at the smooth overly soft ones wrapped around her neck. They tightened in response causing the girls legs to buckle as she struggled to regain her breath. Idly, Aubrey wondered if she could die again and live to tell the tale.

“Let go.” She begged through strangled gasps that were doing nothing to stop the spots appearing in her vision.

A soft laugh met her ears as the psychopath tightened her fingers around her.

“I can’t do that. You see, there were rumours about what the next Atlantian would be like. That she would hold a power not seen before – and then you appear. All bookish and red haired -- nothing to compete with me and yet you, single handed, have the power to destroy everything I am.”

Trying not to all any offense distract her from her mission, Aubrey’s short bitten nails dug into the pliable flesh beneath them, causing blood to well up in the wounds. It quickly coated the young woman’s fingers but it was too late. With one last jerk, she fell limp in the Matriarch’s grasp.

Squeezing a little tighter, the older woman gave the body one last shake, to ensure that the deed was done before she dropped her unceremoniously onto the floor. For a moment she merely eyed her work before giving Aubrey’s vacant eyes a sneer.

“You should have just stayed away.”

With less drama than she was known for, the Matriarch exited the small boxed room and left the body behind to rot and decompose.