FOREVER KNIGHTS: #2 Rise of the King of Assassins

Stone Peak, Black Mountains, Battling Border (Radix’s captive for two years)

CHAVIAS

Today Chavias lay on the narrow cot.

Cot is a generous word for it.

The plain metal frame was unkind to the gash trimming his side. He tried not to move. Replenishing the fluid, he’d lost. Fluid I need to heal.

“Calisto!” Radix growled from outside Chavias’ cavernous prison.

Making Chavias’ head whip to the doorway. No. Not her.

Not here.

The barred entrance of his cave chamber was propped open since he’d been too weak to move for days. Okine gets careless.

Tentatively climbing to his feet, he stumbled through.

“No.” He croaked. Staving off the nightmarish thought the woman he once adored may be trapped somewhere in these torture chambers.

Don’t be here. He hoped.

Peering around the stone, he saw Radix in the next chamber talking to a hazy, blurring image. “As long as I have this, you will come back here every time you grow too weak to fight my magic.” He gripped a crumpled dark fabric. “To seek only me who can regenerate you…If I see fit.”

Blind hatred marked her glower. Her image swayed as though a reflection on water.

“Calisto…” Radix coaxed. “If you were to join me, I’d bring you back. You don’t have to be cast from this world. I could return you to form. Here…With me.” His rasping voice tried to purr but it sounded more a rough choke.

“You can rot!” She spat venomously. “I’d rather be locked from the realms of time.”

“And what of your precious mate?” He threw the cape to the corner next to him. “What would he want?”

“You to burn in Hell for what you’ve done!”

“You’re more hateful then I am.” He chuckled. Brushing a caressing finger along her cheek and down her throat.

She reared back but was blocked from retreating by the tentacles of Radix’s magic. Holding her in place.

Radix turned, linking his hands behind his back to stroll another corner of the cave. Staring thoughtfully at the stones.

“Tell me of the stronghold.”

Calisto’s eyes narrowed on his back. “I’d rather die.”

“Careful what you say to me.” He lifted a staying finger. “I can extinguish you with a flick of my fingertips now.”

Chavias saw her throat working as she tried to decide if the demon bluffed.

“If you were to give me that tiny bit” he pinched his fingers to show a small space. “I could bring you back here.” He gestured around. “And if you are right, and that little mate of yours is out there, you could find him…Protect him.” Radix wheedled. “Lay aside him again.”

He’s evil to the core. Chavias recognized. Wanting to leap from the shadows to protect Calisto but knowing he was too weak for anything worthwhile.

I’m useless. The knowledge was incredibly defeating.

Radix could kill her here, in these caverns. Right before my eyes. And Chavias would be unable to do anything to stop him.

Chavias forced a lump in his throat down.

“Just a little information. For your life back.” He offered. “Absent your powers of course…I can’t have those against me in the battles to come…But I could give you mortal coil. Human flesh…”

Calisto was quiet, her chest heaving with indecision.

The longing she must feel at that possibility. His chest tightened in pain for her.

Her eyes skid sideways, and she caught Chavias’ gaze from where he peered back at her. They exchanged a long look and he slowly shook his head.

He mouthed to her. “I will never tell if you don’t.”

Calisto look up, pain written over her face as she gave up her last thought of salvation. Shaking her head slowly caused a long tear to trail down her face but when she met Chavias’ gaze again it was steady. She nodded only once, and her lips tightened.

“I’ll never tell you Radix.” She declared.

The demon spun on her. “Then live in your Hell.” He threw up a hand and it forced her to rear back and vanish from the chamber.

She’s gone. Just like that, Radix had cast her away.

His eyes set on Chavias, whom he immediately spotted. “You think to encourage her defiance?” A slow smirk twisted Radix’s thin lips. “Soon enough I will know all your secrets too.”

Chavias’ stomach sunk when Radix yelled for Okine yet again. Chavias found himself cringing into the shadows like a beaten dog.

Despite knowing the red-orange eyes of Radix and Okine could see him in any dark hole.