We’re in a whorehouse, after all.
But it wasn’t the Madame of the house or another one of her pleasure girls coming to check on us. Instead, a uniformed Mage stood at attention in the doorway, his eyes trained on the back wall of the room, refusing to look at the three of us. He wore the traditional black of Mages but had the Warlord’s personal insignia on his right shoulder.
“Lord d’Refan requests the presence of you and your Vessels, Mage d’Talionis,” he clipped.
I sighed deeply before pushing to my feet, Ilyas and Sasori following suit.
“Now?” I asked and he nodded. “I was given a week off by General d’Alvey. Go talk to him if you need someone that badly.”
“I was told you would say that. And I was also told that I was to bring you back to the manor by any means necessary. Apparently, Lord d’Refan has need of your particular . . . gifts.” I froze at the last part of his sentence.
Fuck me in the ass.
“He can’t find anyone else? Hasn’t Lex done enough lately?” Ilyas growled, prowling toward the Mage. He was always intimidating—maybe even more so with that monster cock on full display, swinging between his legs. The Mage didn’t even blink.
“No. He expects you there within the hour.” With that, he turned on his heel and left the room, the door swinging shut behind him.
I ran my hands through my hair, thoroughly messing it up before I cracked my neck and looked at Sasori and Ilyas. Sasori had started putting her blacks back on, but Ilyas was waiting for my command.
I blew out a heavy breath before motioning for my clothes. Sasori gave me my pile and we all dressed in silence.
“I guess we’re back on duty,” I said as I turned for the door once my clothes and boots were secure once more.
Ilyas caught my wrist before I could exit, and I turned to see the worried looks on both their faces. “I’ll be fine, honestly. Let’s just get this done so we can move on with our lives.”
“You should really talk to someone, Lex, please,” Sasori’s plea was soft and broken. I hated making her feel like this.Hatedit. But I couldn’t talk to anyone, there was no point—I didn’t deserve to have the feelings and memories dulled. These demons and burdens were my own to bear.
The torture and pain those people experienced was my idea, after all, which was something that not even my Bonded, my two closest companions, knew. That information was between me, the Warlord, and whatever gods damned me to this fate.
I gave Sasori a grim smile before gently wrenching my wrist from Ilyas’ grip and striding from the room, the soft steps of my Bonded close behind.
Chapter 51
Rohak
The cells beneath the Academy were dark and small, the smell of mold, blood, and bodily fluids permeated the air, infusing into the prisoners’ very psyche. Even if they were released, which most weren’t, the smell of the cells would stick with them for the rest of their lives. We designed it that way, Alois and I. The more you remembered about your stay in the cells, the less likely you would be to commit another crime.
At least that was our psychology behind it.
Alois, Lex, Sasori, Ilyas, and I were accompanied by two Air Mages as we made our way deep into the tunnels beneath the Academy. The steps and hallways were wet—again, a purposeful design—and our boots splashed in random puddles of water. Inevitably, the Earth Mage currently kept in the cells would have to avoid large puddles of noxious water and dry patches filled with maggots and other creatures just to find a semi-comfortable spot to sit. The cells weren’t tall enough to stand in, and they weren’t quite long enough to allow a prisoner to lie down, both designs which caused muscle cramping and pain if kept in one position for too long.
A big man like the Earth Mage would have even more trouble finding a comfortable position while down here.
As we approached the door that led directly to the row of cells, one of the Air Mages cast a cloud of fresh air around the five of us,ultimately filtering the smells that permeated the air. It was generally a waste of magic, but not one I was willing to sacrifice at the moment.
Lex and his Vessels had met us at the Academy, all smelling and looking like sex. Alois had simply regarded him with a slight edge of disdain before disappearing through the door that led to the tunnels. I had tried to make eye contact with Lex, but he avoided me completely. Neither Ilyas nor Sasori were willing to spill Lex’s secrets, but I could see the worry for him etched on their faces as well.
What would tonight do for his already abused psyche?
I worried about Lex, and his role tonight would inevitably set him back even further. I just hoped it didn’t permanently destroy his normally happy-go-lucky demeanor.
I shook myself from my thoughts as we opened the door into the tunnel. There were a few other prisoners down here, both Mages and Vessels, for a variety of crimes. Separated from their crystals or Vessels, we weren’t worried about their ability to channel against us or the guards. As we walked past the cells, they shrank back from the bars as far as they could, hoping that we weren’t here for them.
The Earth Mage was kept in the farthest cell from the door, isolated from the rest of the prisoners. The cell was blanketed in darkness, the scuttling of rats and other vermin echoed off the walls as we passed a cluster of empty cells. As we approached, I noticed that his knees were partially drawn to his chest, his head ducked into the crook he created. There was nowhere for him to move in his cell, and, consequently, half of his ass was in the middle of a puddle while the other half was situated on some moldy, maggot-ridden straw. I squinted against the darkness and could just make out a few of the creatures that had crawled onto the seat of his pants.
I wrinkled my nose in disgust, thankful no one could see my expression in the dark.
I hated maggots. And the way they were crawling over him looked like they just might eat his manhood at some point.
