A Wild World- A Witcher FanFic

Chapter 10

"Pay what you owe us."  A voice cut through the dark -- taught and upset.  

Cass tried to open her eyes but her lids barely moved.  Everything felt numb.  Only the crackling fire in the small fireplace sent any warmth into her still body.  

Squinting best she could just make out a tall figure across the room.  It was the tall man from the inn, she was sure of it.  Panic suddenly rose in her chest.  

Attempting to push off the floor, Cass tried to move but found she couldn't move an inch.  A heavy weight pushed down on her chest and arms -- she was chained.  Her whole body felt raw.  Broken.  Her racing heartbeat the only thing telling her she was indeed alive.  Her still throbbing ankle telling her that she was indeed awake.

"We brought you the witch," the tall man spat. "Now you expect us to leave without recompense for our trouble." His pale hair flailing with each syllable.

Hands clenched tight in fists, the tall man shook visibly in rage.  The fire from the large fireplace sending flickers of red across his black armor.  

The other person was just out of Cass' sight, behind a large wooden desk.  A flickering candle on the table cast long shadows across the wood paneled walls.  

A slow scratching of what Cass could only imagine was a quill, was all the response the mystery person gave.  Then the tall man slammed his fist down roughly.

"I lost good men dammit!"

A deep sigh emanated from the other man and then a deep velvet voice filled the room.  It had a soft lilt to it, and Cass couldn't help but think it would have been beautiful if not for the situation.

"You truly expect for me to pay after you broke our agreement."  A hint of malice dripped from the man but not completely unnoticed by the tall man.

The tall man shook slightly.

"I-We, that is to say, did nothing of the sort.  The girl is here. "

Cass shifted best she could to see more but her chains held tight.

The mystery man's voice grew cold in an instant sending chills up Cass' spine.

"The terms were clear.  The task simple.  You were to obtain the girl and return her to me.  She was not to be brought half dead.  You were not to make a spectacle of it.  But of course, if your idea of kidnapping includes a town being razed to the ground, then by all means you've succeeded perfectly."  His voice rose up in deep angular jabs.

"We had no choice, they had to be smoked out and split apart.  The girl was very unwilling."

"Your excuses are not welcome here, Phliny.  You were to be professionals," the man spoke with authority but it was dark.  Deep and powerful.  It frightened Cass enough to make her want to curl up and disappear.

"You have now drawn attention from her protector, and to add to your increasing stupidities you also failed to eliminate him."

"That would not have happened if the portal had opened as planned." This Phliny countered sharply.  "Your plan was-"

"Do not question me!" The mystery man had now risen to his feet.  The sound of heavy chair scraping sharply against the floor convinced Cass of that.  

Now Phliny shrunk back slightly.  Was he scared?

A dark shadow seemed to ooze down the walls and outwards from where the mysterious man stood.  An eerie presence sent a sharp shiver up Cass' spine.  There was something evil about this.