Now?
It was the only thing she wished for.
Down to her very bones it’s all she wanted.
But she’d be a fool to think wishful thinking would ever be enough.
Chapter 36
Akadian knocked on the thick wooden door to the chamber as he waited for an answer. He had to go deep into the palace to find this place. He wasn’t even entirely sure where he was anymore but had been given strict instructions, and he knew better than to defy them. Casimir opened the door, the weight of it creaking on its hinges as the First King waved him inside with one clawed hand.
“Thank you for coming.” Casimir grinned, his teeth shining with the confidence of a true predator.
“Did I have a choice?” Akadian threw back, knowing the answer.
“Of course not,” Casimir purred in delight. “But, I do still appreciate your cooperation.”
Akadian took in the chamber around him, standing in what he could only assume had been Casimir’s study for the last six months, he walked fully inside. It was a circular room with rough dragonstone finishing that housed a singular desk with a chair on either side. The prince couldn’t imagine who would call on the First King as he placed himself in the chair that was obviously meant for visitors.
“You know I’m at your call.” He would do anything that would get him back to her as soon as possible. “I’m assuming you want a status report?”
Casimir strode around to the other side of the desk and unbuttoned the singular golden piece holding his bright red coat together as he sat upon the cushioned chair. Running his hands over the deep oak desk, his smile grew even wider as he peered at Akadian through those emerald eyes the prince had come to viscerally hate. “Oh, no. No, quite the opposite actually.I’ve already received my report and I knowexactlywhat happened in those woods.”
A cold crept over Akadian, fast and immediate as his muscles froze enough that he couldn’t move as Casimir snapped his fingers and shackles of ice—so cold they burned—wrapped around his wrist, pinning him to his chair. He fought against his restraints but his muscles wouldn’t obey. It was as though all the strength he had was frozen in time, unable to answer to his commands.
“What—” The rest of his sentence died in his throat.
Casimir moved around the desk making a ‘tsk, tsk’ sound, his blond hair parading behind him like a silk cape. “I warned you, didn’t I? I told you there would be consequences, did I not?”
Akadian glared in response, unable to move otherwise. His chest heaved with each breath that grew harder to take, his lungs seizing with the effort.
“Such a shame,” Casimir cooed as he strode over to the walls and instruments that had been hidden from Akadian’s eye suddenly came into view. The prince stared in horror at the tools—no,torture devices—that lined the walls. The little warmth the room carried sizzled out and the entire room encased in ice. “Ididhave such high hopes for you…”
If Akadian could have killed him with his eyes, he would have.
“I wanted to take you to the end, you know? We could’ve been so good together.” Casimir feigned disappointment as he pulled a rod with three spikes on the end from the wall. “We could’ve beengreat.”
Akadian didn’t see him close the distance but he felt everything when Casimir slammed the spiked trident into the prince’s leg and twisted. Black and red spots flashed across his vision and he would’ve screamed had he been able to make a sound. Instead, the noise gurgled and died in his chest.
“All you had to do was listen.” Casimir shook his head as he pulled the trident back and threw it off to the side. He took his time running his fingers over a new device, a dagger unlike one Akadian had ever seen. Its blade was in the shape of a three-sided triangle that twisted. The ice king sauntered back to Akadian who glared at him defiantly. “Why—” Casimir plunged the dagger into Akadian’s shoulder and ripped it back out again.The prince’s flesh tore and he wondered if his arm would function, but he still couldn’t control it through his frozen muscles. “Didn’t you listen to me?”
Akadian’s breaths came short and ragged as he fought the pain back. These were no ordinary weapons. The metal was something else, something he couldn’t heal from. His body, built by the gods with natural healing abilities that for the first time in his life ignored him.
What kind of metal could do such a thing?He thought as he bit down on the pain.
“I’m sure you’re wondering why you can’t heal…” Casimir ran his fingers over a few of the weapons, taking his time before he chose the next one. A curved blade no bigger than his palm that reminded the prince of the knives hunters used to skin their prizes.
Fear ran through his veins like acid and he watched helplessly as Casimir walked over to him and dragged the blade down his chest. His body wanted to convulse but he couldn’t as Casimir’s magick restrained him in place. His screams died before they could leave his throat as Casimir ran it over his skin again, and again, and again.
“These blades are special,” Casimir continued. “They were made for me personally in Sepikara. I had only the best design them for the specific purpose of blocking all Healing Magick on any wound they caused. Even the magick built into your body.” Casimir laughed. “Isn’t it inspiring?”
Akadian forced himself to stay awake as darkness seeped into the edges of his vision. Casimir might have frozen his muscles but he could feel everything as the First King dragged the blade over the prince’s thigh.
“Do you know why I had them made?” Casimir looked at him imploringly. “I’ll give you three guesses.”
Akadian glared back.
Casimir’s grin spread to the corners of his face as he leaned in close and whispered, “I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now, I made them forher. She’sspecial, you know.”
