SAGE (under edit)

Chapter Twenty Six

Raidan was pushed into a steel chair, wrists bound to either armrest. He felt his head loll backward, the pain in his body clouding his mind, but he forced himself into focus and kept his gaze forward, his expression blank.

He had been brought to a small room on the ground floor of the jailhouse that sat tucked away in the city's far corner, hidden behind the Citadel and trees so as to not be an eyesore to the public. But that was how Lion Crest dealt with all its unsavoury aspects; keep it concealed, away from public perception, because Lion Crest had always been a city that prided itself on its image. It was something Raidan had learned as a teen courtesy of his uncle, and despite the many things Raidan hated his uncle for being shown the harsh truths of Lion Crest was not one of them. He had been able to overlook that side of Lion Crest though, if only for Chase, Dean, Sage and Leon.

The jailhouse was more of a holding cell for criminals like him ; if he wasn't sentenced to death by the Renark, he would be transported to the maximum security prison in the harsh, blizzard-bearing mountains outside WhiteSnow Valley where all high-profile criminals went to live out their sentence – or die during their sentence, as was most common.

It didn't matter. He wasn't likely to live long enough to even see a trial.

The Crest Soldiers who had escorted Raidan now stepped back, having finished securing his restraints to the chair. One of them eyed Raidan from head to toe, suddenly confident.

'Not so intimidating now, are you?' he sneered. 'You're all tied up.'

'How perceptive of you,' Raidan drawled. 'I see the intelligence of Crest Soldiers is still a force to be reckoned with.'

'What your tongue, you bastard trait—'

'Don't let him rile you,' Chase cut in from where he leaned by the door, watching Raidan with disdain. 'Wait outside, both of you.'

'Yes, Captain,' the Crest Soldiers replied, filing obediently out of the room.

Chase pushed the door shut behind him, leaving only the two of them together with a table between.

'Captain?' said Raidan, sounding mildly impressed. 'I do hope you have done enough to earn that rank, little brother.'

Chase sneered. 'Do not call me that.'

'Which one, "brother"?' Raidan asked. 'Or "little"?'

'You're not in a position to be antagonising anyone, Raidan,' Chase reminded him. 'You should be pleading.'

'For what, exactly? I'm quite aware what sentence my charges call for.'

'And what are your charges?'

'Far too many to recount, and far too extreme for my little brother to hear about.'

Chase scoffed. 'I know all about them already. Do you think I'm that stupid that I'd voluntarily remain ignorant of your crimes?'

'Do you really want me to answer that question?' Raidan returned.

Chase turned away suddenly, fists clenched at his sides as if he was holding his anger back, but it allowed Raidan a moment to give in to his pain. He doubled over and tightly shut his eyes, bracing himself against the pain that cramped his muscles, twisted his chest, and burned his blood.

'I suggest you be less hostile during interrogation,' said Chase, keeping his back to Raidan. 'I just regret it won't be me asking the questions.'

Raidan didn't say anything, if only because his voice was caught in his throat and his breath hadn't returned. He managed to sit up straight when Chase turned back around expectantly.