Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

CHAOS MAGE Chapter 17: Prisoners of Falnash

A crash of metal on metal made Seiren jump and snap out of her fatigue-induced daze. The bars threw open and hands shot in, grabbing her by her wrist ties and her hair. She yelped, struggling, and someone struck her across the face. Stars exploded across her eyes.

Hannan guards, drowning in heavy armour, dragged her across the stone floor and threw her into a nearby empty room, lit by candles on the walls. Seiren landed on her shoulder and cried out, pain shooting across the joint and jarring up her neck. She curled in a heal and struggled to right herself. Light footsteps entered the room and the barred doors clanged shut. A tall, slender woman with smooth mahogany skin and huge, light brown eyes smiled at her from across the room. She wore a form-fitting dark blue robe, the long sleeves rolled up to show delicate bangles over her wrists and long, thick, dark brown hair tumbled down her back. A Daemonium member. She was about Maura's age, with similar doll-like features.

Seiren tensed, bending her knees up to scuttle back.

"Aw, don't be scared!" Her voice was light, cheerful. She strode across and knelt before Seiren, brushing her matted and dirty hair out of her eyes. "I'm just here to talk!"

Seiren said nothing, keeping a steady gaze on those glamorous curls and elaborate makeup. Her demeanour and appearance reminded Seiren of someone that sent shivers down her spine.

The woman smiled, revealing even, white teeth.

"My name is Cazadia. What's yours?"

Seiren said nothing.

"You're Karman. You and your pasty white skin and that yellow hair... what are you doing in Hanna? You do realise your ilk aren't welcome on our holy lands?"

She pursed her lips when Seiren continued to ignore her by studying the ground instead.

"I gave you a chance to speak. I don't like making people scream — well, that's a lie. It's fun to make people scream and beg for mercy. But Oerse thinks this is a better way, letting people spill the secrets themselves. Won't work, I keep telling her, but no, Oerse makes the rules." Cazadia snorted, shifting her weight so she sat cross-legged opposite Seiren. "Are you a spy for Karma? Or are you one of those wretched rebellion's foot soldiers?"

Cazadia studied her long fingers and elegant nails before glancing up at Seiren through thick, black lashes.

"Ravin said you're the one who brought the bomb in to attack His Holiness... to try and kill him and for a distraction so that little traitor boy could bring his friends in for a second attempt. But I don't buy it." She propped her head on her hand, elbow resting on her knee, studying Seiren through those sharp eyes. "Who sent you? One of those Karman king's mages? We exchanged mail not that long ago and we were perfectly clear about what would happen if one of you scum dare dirty our lands."

"Cazadia..." A small voice came from the door. Seiren recognised the anxious face of the boy who'd hung upside-down in the dining chamber, now peering through the bars. "Soleus said he'd get to interrogating these two..."

"Shut it, Ravin," Cazadia snapped, snapping round to throw him a look Seiren couldn't see. Ravin flinched, dropping his gaze to the ground. "Soleus will get his turn. He didn't say I couldn't speak to them before he's done with that traitor. Now, piss off."

The boy slunk away. Cazadia turned back to Seiren with a radiant smile.

Karis Bonneville. That was who Cazadia reminded Seiren of. Sadistic, emotionally labile, and deadly dangerous. The woman who was obsessed with comparing herself with Seiren in Kristen's eyes and would have done anything to seek Kristen's favour.

"Bring the cripple," she said suddenly. The sound of metal plates clinking together accompanied the soldier's footsteps marching away and back again. The barred door squeaked open and the other girl sharing Seiren's cell was thrown in, landing with a gasp on her bound hands and knees. "Your little friend can watch," Cazadia added with spite. "I find it's quite the motivation to talk when you hear people's screams."