AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My future son,” the man greeted fondly and wrapped his arms around Valen. “It has begun?” he asked when he released Valen, looking me over slowly.
“Yes. Silas, Father, it has begun.”
“And this girl…Selene Borealis will be willing to negotiate for her?” Silas asked, looking at me like I was something revolting to his senses.
“Most certainly. I’ve seen Selene’s affections for myself, and Clara has testified to Selene’s unusual attachment. I do not doubt that my cousin will do anything to have her returned,” Valen said.
Silas walked towards me, stopping, and walking around me and the guard that held me.
“I can’t believe that this - thisthing, has melted such a ruthless heart as Princess Selene Borealis,” he said, frowning. “Are you sure?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.
“I am,” Valen replied.
“If you are wrong, we will all shortly be dead,” he said calmly, taking one last look at me and walking back to his wife’s side. “Take her to the cells,” he said dismissively, and I was dragged past him into the castle. It was much smaller than the Borealis castle, the ceilings not as high, the décor nowhere near as opulent.
I was dragged to a door that led to a dark stairway, cold and damp. Dim lights dangled on cables above and barely illuminated the steps. The stairs descended deep into the ground, and the further down we travelled, I began to hear disturbing noises. Noises like the sound of a dying animal and shrieks that might have been words and cries for help but, bouncing off the stone walls, sounded more like sad, painful singing.
At the bottom of the stairs was a long stone hallway. It was filled with many large metal barred cell doors. In corners, I could see ghostly figures huddle back as we passed. The stench was of rotting flesh and old blood, and I gagged if I took too deep a breath. The swaying lights above occasionally granted horrific glimpses of what looked like people that might have been torn apart by a wild animal. I trained my eyes on my feet and tried not to look again.
The guard stopped before a cell and yelled at a lone guard to open it.
“Should we chain this one up?” the new guard asked.
“No, only a Flores witch. No risk,” The guard that dragged me down pushed me roughly into the cell.
“Yes, sir.”
The barred door closed quickly behind me, a key loudly locking it in place.
I turned and flinched back; I was not alone. Someone sat against the stone wall and looked up at me without much interest. I couldn’t see or make out much about them, and the cell was so dark my eyes were trying to adjust.
I heard as the guards walked away.
As I looked around the small space, wearily keeping my roommate in my eyesight, I thought I was as close to the underworld as I would get while living.
“Going to stand around all day?” my roommate drawled slowly, and I wasn’t sure if it was an accent I was unfamiliar with or if they simply found it difficult to speak.
“I, I don’t know what to say,” I replied. What did you say when you found yourself, prisoner, in a - a dungeon?
“Could start with what you did to get here,” they said.
“I’m the Princess’s pet,” I answered. I saw their head lift higher.
“Why would that get you thrown down here?” they asked.
I shrugged but then realised they might not have seen it.
“I don’t know,” I said.
I leaned against the opposite wall to my roommate and lowered myself to the floor, which caused a cold shiver to run up my back.
“Don’t you want to know about me?” they asked after a long silence. I was exhausted, but I couldn’t sleep.
“Do you want to tell me?” I asked.
“My name’s Remy. My big crime was being too piss poor to pay off these effing criminals,” he told me.
“You’re locked up because you didn’t pay your taxes?” I asked him.
