The Seasonal Debt

The morning after the extraction felt like waking up inside a block of ice. My muscles were stiff and my palms were a map of raw red welts from the frozen iron of the Forge. I lay in the massive bed and watched the grey light struggle to penetrate the heavy glass of the windows. There was no birdsong here. There was only the low hum of the Spire and the distant sound of the city waking up in a state of permanent twilight. Mina entered the room without a sound. She carried a jar of translucent green salve and a dress that looked like it had been spun from liquid gold. She saw me staring at the gown and offered a small sympathetic smile. "The King requested you wear this for the gala tonight." Mina said. She set the dress on the foot of the bed and walked over to me. She took my hands in hers with a gentle touch. She began to apply the salve to my burned palms. The cooling sensation was immediate and I felt a shudder of relief ripple through my body. "He wants me to look like a sun." I said. My voice was raspy and dry. I pulled my hands back as soon as she was finished. "He wants everyone to see that the Summer Court has paid its debt in full." Mina replied. She began to move about the room and gathered the things for my bath. She poured a vial of scented oil into the steaming water. The smell of jasmine and sandalwood filled the air. It was a cruel reminder of the gardens I had left behind. "Is he always this cruel Mina?" I asked. I stepped into the tub and let the hot water soak into my aching joints. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the feeling of the real sun on my face. "Cruelty is a luxury for those who have a choice Elara." Mina said. She began to scrub my back with a soft cloth. Her movements were practiced and efficient. "The King does not believe in luxury." Mina continued. "He believes in the machine. He believes in the walls that keep the frost out. To him you are a part of that machine now." "I am a person who can feel pain." I snapped. I splashed the water in frustration. The steam around the tub grew thicker as my temper flared. "He knows you feel pain." Mina whispered. "He just thinks it is a small price to pay for the survival of millions." I spent the rest of the day in a state of quiet dread. I watched the grey light turn back into the deep violet of the evening. The city below began to sparkle with the new light I had provided. I could see the streetlamps glowing with a steady amber pulse. It was a beautiful sight but it felt like I was looking at my own blood spilled across the pavement. When it was time to dress I stood before the tall mirror. The golden gown was strapless and clung to my curves like a second skin. It was woven with tiny enchanted filaments that captured the natural heat of my body and turned it into a soft radiance. I looked like a goddess of the harvest trapped in a world of bone and ash. "You look breathtaking Lady Elara." Mina said. She fastened a collar of white gold around my neck. It was heavy and cold. It felt like a leash. "I look like a trophy." I said. I touched the metal of the collar. It was cold against my skin. "Then be a trophy that bites." Mina suggested. A knock sounded at the door. One of the guards entered and bowed low. "The King is waiting for you in the ballroom." The guard said. I took a deep breath and followed him out of the room. We descended the central staircase of the Spire. The halls were no longer empty. They were filled with vampires dressed in the height of gothic fashion. They wore silks and velvets in shades of midnight blue and blood red. They stopped and stared as I passed. I could hear their whispers following me like the rustle of dead leaves. "Is that the Fae girl?" "She looks so warm." "Look at her skin. It is actually glowing." I ignored them and kept my eyes forward. We reached the massive double doors of the ballroom. They swung open to reveal a space of staggering opulence. The ceiling was a dome of black glass that reflected the flickering light of a thousand candles. An orchestra was playing a slow haunting melody that seemed to hang in the air like smoke. Silas stood at the far end of the room. He was surrounded by a group of older vampires who looked like they were made of stone and spite. He wore a black suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly. He looked up as I entered. His silver eyes locked onto mine and I felt a jolt of electricity run down my spine. He broke away from the group and walked toward me. The crowd parted like water before a shark. He stopped in front of me and reached for my hand. He bowed over it but he did not kiss my knuckles. He simply held my hand in his freezing grip. "You are late Elara." Silas said. His voice was low and smooth. It carried a warning that only I could hear. "I had to wait for the burns to stop stinging." I replied. I pulled my hand back and tucked it behind my waist. I wanted him to see the defiance in my eyes. "The price of progress is often discomfort." Silas said. He offered his arm to me. I hesitated for a moment and then I took it. I did not want to cause a scene in front of his subjects but I made sure to keep as much distance between us as the arm would allow. "Smile for the Council Elara." Silas whispered as we began to walk through the crowd. "They need to believe that you are happy to be here. They need to believe that the alliance is strong." "I am not a very good liar Silas." I said. I looked at the vampires we passed. They were all watching us with a mixture of envy and hunger. I saw a woman with skin as white as snow staring at my throat. She looked like she wanted to taste the heat in my veins. "Then pretend you are an actress." Silas said. "The survival of your people depends on how well you play this part tonight." He led me toward a raised platform where the Council sat. These were the oldest and most powerful vampires in the city. They looked at me with cold calculating eyes. "So this is the Summer tithe." One of the councilmen said. He was a withered man with a voice like dry parchment. "She is smaller than I expected." The man added. "She is powerful enough to light the Heart Vane." Silas said. He tightened his grip on my arm. "That is all that matters." Silas concluded. "Is she stable?" Another woman asked. She leaned forward and sniffed the air. "She smells like she is burning from the inside out." The woman noted. "She is under control." Silas said. He turned me away from the Council before I could respond. He led me toward a balcony that overlooked the city. The cold air hit my face and I felt a moment of clarity. "You talk about me like I am a dangerous animal." I said. I stepped away from him and leaned against the stone railing. "In this city you are a dangerous animal." Silas said. He stood beside me and looked out at the lights. "You are a creature of fire in a house of ice." Silas continued. "If you lost control you could melt the foundations of this tower in an hour. I cannot afford for you to be anything other than a tool." "Is that why you wear the ice Silas?" I asked. I looked at him. The moonlight caught the silver in his eyes. "Because you are afraid of what happens if you feel a little warmth?" I questioned. Silas turned to me. His expression was unreadable. He reached out and touched the gold collar around my neck. His fingers were so cold they felt like they were burning my skin. "I am not afraid of anything Elara." Silas whispered. He leaned in closer until our faces were inches apart. "I have been dead for a thousand years." Silas said. "There is nothing left to melt." "Then why are you holding your breath?" I asked. I could feel the heat rising from my chest. I could feel the golden threads of the dress beginning to glow brighter. Silas did not pull away. He stayed in the heat of my aura. He looked at my lips and for a second I thought he was going to kiss me. I thought he was going to try and steal the breath right out of my lungs. Suddenly a loud crash echoed from the ballroom. The music stopped. A woman screamed. Silas was moving before I could blink. He pushed me behind him and drew a silver blade from the small of his back. "Stay here." Silas commanded. A group of vampires in grey cloaks had burst through the main doors. They carried jagged iron rods and their faces were twisted in a feral rage. These were not the aristocrats of the Spire. These were the rebels from the lower districts. "The False King must fall!" One of the rebels shouted. "No more taxes for the dead sun!" Another screamed. They began to swing their iron rods at the guests. The ballroom turned into a scene of chaos. The aristocrats scrambled for the exits while the guards tried to fight back. Silas turned back to me. His silver eyes were glowing with a predatory light. "It seems my people are losing their patience." Silas said. He looked at the rebels and then he looked at me. "Show them what they are fighting for Elara." Silas commanded. "Give them a reason to be afraid of the light." I looked at the chaos and then I looked at my hands. The heat was bubbling just beneath the surface of my skin. I didn't want to fight for Silas but I didn't want to die in this dark ballroom either. I stepped forward and let the fire go.