The Terror Gaze: Book 2 of The Mortal Guard Series

Chapter 1 - Nick: So This Is the Place

PART 1: SEEING WHITE

Chapter 1 - Nick: "So This Is the Place"

"Argh! Quit grabbing my arm!" a male voice snarled, making Boris the otter's ear twitch slightly. "Get off!"

"You don't need to use the spell!" Nick the hyena argued with him, tugging his arm. "He won't forget anything! Same with me!"

"Let . . . go!" the lion huffed, pulling his arm. He broke away, at the cost of Nick's claws scratching along the top of his skin under his fur. "Urgh! Look what you did!"

The hyena stood between his friend and the feline, looking at the other animals in the room. There was a weasel with a clipboard and a black-wooled sheep, who was looking at the scene with wide eyes. The sheep wore a purple armband on her left arm, containing the symbol of a crescent moon.

"He's actually right," the wooly animal spoke up. "Usually, we'd alter his memory but this is a special case."

"What special case?" The lion tilted his head. "I wasn't told about any special case."

"There must be some confusion in the orders because we don't need you erasing this otter's mind," the sheep explained. "And while I may not be your Sect Leader, you still have to do what I say."

The lion sighed. "Yes, Mel. I guess I was wondering why you were here and not someone like Dante. My biggest question is why the hyena's here." He rubbed his arm.

"I was the closest to Boris in the Mortal Realm. They asked me to come so he has someone familiar to talk to. That's why my friend Nora was my nurse when I got here."

Boris's head moved. "N-Nora? Where . . . ?"

Nick looked over at him. "Boris! You're awake!" He sped over. The weasel held their pen to their clipboard.

The otter opened his eyes, seeing Nick's emerald ones looking back at him. "Nick...Where am I?"

"You're in Prostasia," the hyena answered. "The pocket dimension where the Mortal Guard live."

Mel stepped forward. "That's right. You're in an interrogation room in the Medical Sect. Can you tell us what you remember?"

Boris glanced around the room, slowly, at each of the animals inside, blinking. "Wh-where's Tyler?" he asked.

"He's safe," Mel reported. "My name is Mel. I'm the Sect Leader of the Dream Sect here. You don't need to worry about your friend. After you were picked up from the witch's ritual, you were all brought here."

Boris's eyes widened. "Where's my sister, Leah?! Did you bastards kill her just because she's a witch?!"

Nick shook his head. "She's in the Hold. I heard them talking about it when we were bringing you back here. She's alive."

"You better not do anything to her," Boris warned.

"We won't," Mel nodded. "Now, back to the original question. What do you remember?"

Boris shook his head. "I don't have to tell you anything."

"Boris," Nick sighed. "I'm not exactly on their side, but just answer the questions. If you wanna see Tyler or Leah again, it's better to just play along."

"Play along?! What? Like some sort of puppet?! I don't think so, Nicholas." He wiggled a bit, unable to move due to the hand and ankle cuffs. "You're going to kill me! I know it!"

"No, we don't plan on killing you," Mel told him, walking forward to stand in front of him. "We plan on helping you."

"Helping me?"