The Fairest (Book #1)

7: The Fiisen

 Mageia struggled against the need to faint and the guards carrying her by the underarms. They crudely ignored the piece of arrow digging deeper into her shoulder upon every jerk.

"Ah! Let me go!" she screamed and tried to kick, but her legs throbbed in pain.

After they decided to let her live, someone properly dislodged the arrow from her leg. With the help of two guards, they managed to carry her back to the Taefo. They walked through a guarded entryway of the Mideri Wall and crossed through a side door. Instead of taking her to a cell, they took her downstairs into the dungeons with dark mucky floors and no windows. They entered a room, furnished with only two chairs and a stool, and slammed her into one of the chairs. Sucking up the voltages of pain warping through her body, she jumped onto her feet and tried to dash for the door, to no avail.

"The gods curse you all," she said as they forced her back into the chair and strapped her wrists and body to the chair.

She spat at them and growled, helplessly watching them exit and slam the door close.

"You reliqs! You all are damned souls. You can't be Fairs with such wicked hearts!"

Mageia panted, vision blurring and thick globes of sweat dripping into her eyes. The room possessed no windows, and the only exit was possibly guarded. Images of her mom crying and begging them to have mercy on Mageia flashed before her eyes. The guards had her mother tied to a post on the outdoor dais of the Diviine Temple so she could watch them slice open her daughter's wrists.

I don't want to die. I can't die. I have a family to take care of.

Fear clogged her heart and spewed poison into her veins. She squeezed her eyes closed and urged her mind to either endure the pain or ignore it. Staying awake and keeping a clear mind were the only priorities. Deep down, she prayed Dean could get the children to safety.

About three hours or so drifted by... then, the door eased open. Mageia perked up.

"Let me go! They were just children. They didn't need to die."

Two guards entered and took a stance on opposite sides of the door. They both wore soldier's uniforms of green and black, but their elaborate designs acknowledged higher ranks. Mageia's heart skipped a beat. They were soldiers from the palace. Most soldiers working on palace grounds lived in Hiilaan and rarely appeared in Midlaan and Strana unless for executions or dire situations.

The scolding look they gave her made her skin crawl as the door opened again, but this time, only one man entered. He wore a fancier uniform, without his knight's armor. His cape fluttered behind him as he closed the door. Mageia swallowed her heart and a lung as the man glided across the room, hard bootsteps unnaturally silent. His demeanor calm, yet calculated and egoistic.

But his features made the world spin in circles. She knew exactly who he was as the dimmed lantern lights revealed his scrutinizing red eyes and wavy crimson hair. Old burn marks scaled the right side of his neck, disappearing into his collar. It sent chills up her spine.

People spoke their dislike or fascination about this man. Not even out of his teens, he already made knights crap their pants and babies cry in their mother's arms. He gave a slight grin that did not match the wickedness in his unnatural gaze. The air around them grew hotter as he grabbed the other chair, brought it before her, and sat. He leaned onto his knees and glared into her eyes. Studying and deep in thought.

She held her breath, but the pain forced it out in rattled waves.

"Purple Thief," he said with a deep, husky voice. "We meet, finally."