The Crystal Trials

63 Callion

I stared up at my cell hopelessly. The golden lioness on my arm was screaming violently and I could feel her pain. She was in danger and there was nothing I could do. Ameer promised me he would ensure her safety. I touched the distraught lion as she trashed and growled the quick movements making her shimmer. Suddenly, she dropped, asleep before she hit the surface. I bolted upright. She had been knocked out. I could feel it. I waited and watched the tattooed promise.

I saw her jerk awake an hour later looking around and bared her teeth. The manacles on my wrists itched as I watched her struggle against someone. Her head jerked letting me know she had been punched. I roared in my cell, the guards calling for order. She was being hit over and over. Screaming and crying in pain. I couldn't handle it. I yanked on my iron chains the bolt creaking in the wall. Her arm snapped, and she limped. I raged. Magic, I had been saving shot to my fingers and I yanked the chain out of the wall. Rock splintering everywhere. Some cutting my face. The fat guard I hated came into view and called for support when he saw my outrage. Guard poured into my cell trying to incapacitate me. I fought them off and killed two by strangling them with the chains. I took a blow to the temple and went down.

Two hours later, sounds of chains and whimpering woke me.

"Faolan, I'm sorry!" A girl screamed.

"We will get out, Nik. We have to,'" a man's voice permeated the air. I stood up.

They put me in a new cell. My sixth one. I had destroyed the others. Chains of iron and bone now held me. Guards appeared at me door unlocking it. They threw the broken girl in with me, and the man was shoved into the cell beside me with a fellow cell mate.

A guard looked to the girl and said, "Good luck with that one. He just ripped a cell to shreds. Welcome to the first level of Hells girl." He stalked off and the girl cowered when she saw me.

I inched towards her and froze. Oh gods. No. Anyone but her. On her arm was the tattoo I had put there so many months ago with a promise. Ameer promised. Betrayal engulfed my mind and I sought him out.

What in the Hells happened? I shouted to his Aether. He appeared a moment later, his form barely visible from the curse.

Erix. Keep her safe Cal. We can't lose her. Ameer disappeared.

I crouched down to look her in the eyes. She met mine, her spirit on fire despite her heavy sadness. I reached forward and healed her like she healed me when I needed it most. She sobbed at my feet, so I sat down in front of her. When she got past her devastation enough to look up, she stated in wonder, "I know you."

"You do."

"You're the prince."

"Yes, angel. I am."