She was a huntress, they made her the prey. The village of Kapok sits quietly in the conflict-ridden land of Falargimea. However, when Sapphire's life is overturned by The Butcher King's unprecedented march, she finds herself thrown into a world fo...
A sense of satisfaction uncurled in his stomach as he watched the guards lead the bruised and battered man into the throne room and threw him forcefully on the stone floor below. He made no efforts to hide his smirk and watched on with rapt attention and rising pride. This was his doing. He had made this possible.
Behind him, the cloak rustled and he stepped back, hands behind his back. The prisoner looked up and a small shiver went up his spine. He had seen men go mad in their prisons. He had seen them turn to empty husks and become hollow shells, but the prisoner in front of them had a smile that made his skin prickle. It was the smile of someone who promised the worst possible revenge, someone who wouldn't break no matter what happened. The blood from his split swollen lip stained his teeth red.
"Has he spoken up Toluer?"
The king's question made him turn around and he shook his head.
"He refuses to give away anything, Sire."
Harfen Parr turned to the prisoner. "What did you say his name was again?"
"Orion Bones, Sire."
"Ah! Mr. Bones," the sweet respect in the man's voice was a hoax, a bait to lure in the prey and the prisoner knew this and he growled. "Tell me something. Do you know who this is?"
Arcturus knew without looking what the King had thrust in front of Bones. He already knew what it was. He had drawn it hadn't he? Of course, he knew each and every speck of unnatural paint that he had melted across the thick parchment. He kept his eyes on the prisoner and for a mere second saw fear cross the pale bearded face. That'd do.
Harfen Parr smirked, his lip turning up in a sneer. He had noticed the hesitation.
"You know exactly who this is, don't you, Mr Bones? Then I believe you should also know that this woman is being tailed by one of my best men. We have an eye out for her. And if you do not cooperate, there will be no telling what happens to her."
The King let his voice ring in the room for a few minutes. The air became thicker with his repressed fury. He continued, his voice lower this time, almost a guttaral growl.
"A cart here and a push there. A public execution. Who's to stop the law?"
Bones' glare deepened and his jaw set in a sharp line. The King continued.
"We know you tried to sneak out people. They managed to escape once, but, I assure you they will not be given a chance to do so again."
"You'll be able to do that once you get your hands on them," Bones said calmly. "Which is to say... Never."
The king's gaze became the frozen waters of the north. He nodded towards Arcturus. Arcturus' grey eyes flicked over to the other three councillors in the room. They were going to love the proceedings. He twisted his hands and the man's torso snapped forwards as he hunched over himself, exposing the paleness of his back.
He held him in place, and with another flick of his wrists, he was inside the man's mind, not completely merged into his thoughts, just enough to keep him anchored where he was. The scourger stepped forward and raised the leather high above his head. It was brought down moments later, whistling as it descended and slapped across the man's back.
A small fraction of the sting reached him through the connection and he shoved it down. The whip came down again and he had to repress a shiver at the pain shooting up his own back and mind. At the ninth whip, the man yelled out and Arcturus clenched his teeth. A series of images went through his mind, neither of them clear and then came a burn so sharp Arcturus recoiled and almost tripped on thin air. He managed to mask most of his disorientation.
"Stop!"
His voice did not rise when he gave the order and the whip halted its journey halfway through and hung limp in the scourger's hand like a lethal snake. The prisoner smirked up at him and Arcturus' eyes narrowed. He could feel the burning gaze of the Draeked Masters on his back. He turned to face the curious gaze of the King fixed on his head.
"He won't say anything, Sire," he said with a small bow of his head. He then turned his eyes towards the man panting on the ground, eyes dark as the caverns of the Hirook Range. Arcturus sneered. "Give me two days with him, alone. I'll bring you this man's entire brain."
In two days, Orion Bones would die.
.·:*¨༻ ༺¨*:·.
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