Between Scylla and Charybdis

Chapter 21.

Wishing rarely made for happy endings. Charybdis could wish all he wanted, it wouldn't change the reality of the situation one bit. For a short amount of time, he found peace, happiness even. Buried beneath stone at the bottom of the ocean, where no light could ever reach.

'Release her...' Agathis clutched the entrance to the cavern, her face contorted into a furious scowl. The command distracted him from the little female in his grasp, who hiccuped at the sound of her mothers voice.

It was a fool's hope to think this game could lead to anything but pain. Using the edge of a claw, Charybdis raised Scylla's head, angling it to grant him better access to her throat. She trembled in his grasp, her breathing uneven and shallow. She smelled of fear, sweet and metallic fear. How he wished he could return to moments previous, when things were blissful and warm. Pressing his nose to her neck, he took another whiff of her scent, committing it to memory.

'Once I am clear of the caverns, perhaps.' He growled, forcing a tone of calm confidence into his voice. 'Drop the rib, Matron.' He eyed the sharpened bone clutched in Agathis' claw. The object called to him, all the way through the rock and stone and set his very being on high alert. She came prepared and ready to deal blows. How did she get it? How did she know? His mind raced for answers he did not have.

A bone from his hoard. Sizzling with raw magic. Enchanted, he realized. It only took him one glance to know. An ancient Hecate spell. One strong enough to kill him. Just being near it was enough to turn his stomach in disgust. She must've gone to his nest to get it. Anger unlike anything he'd felt in over a century took hold of him. He let his guard down while frolicking and she outplayed him because of it.

Scylla was the only card he had left now... but it was also the one he was reluctant to play.
'Drop. It.' He growled, louder this time. Mothers instinct outweighed pride and Agathis eventually let go of the rib, lowering her head in defeat. It sank to the cavern floor.
'There you go...' He hissed. 'Now you and your overgrown pup back away so we can leave.'
The golden one, Scylla referred to him as Midas, honed in on his face. His gaze was piercing and hateful. Intelligent. And alarmingly committed to saving his sister from his clutches. It didn't take much to conclude, Agathis wouldn't have brought him otherwise.
Leaning down, Charybdis whispered, making sure only Scylla could hear.
'If he comes at us, I can't guarantee his safety.' She tensed at his words.

'Brother stay put!' Scylla yelped. At her command, Midas snarled in frustration and lowered his head as well.
'Clever female.' He grinned as he pushed his mouth close to her ear once again.

'I meant what I said, darling... Come with me.' Scylla sucked in a breath and turned her head ever so slightly. He allowed her to move, all while keeping a hand firmly on her neck. Wide eyes scanned his face in disbelief. If only he could convince her.
'Come with me.' He tried again, lifting some of the pressure away from her neck. 'Be my queen.' She trusted him once, maybe she could again. 'Please.'
'You...' The hurt and confusion in her eyes shook him.

Charybdis' form wavered for what couldn't have been more than a second, but it was all that gold-faced bastard needed to shoot forward, grab the bone from the cavern floor and collide into the pair of them. Scylla got pried away from his grasp as a sharp pain twisted into his ribcage. Fuck, that bastard was fast. Another sting tore through his body until only a dull cold thrumming remained.

-

Scylla hit another wall. Everything turned blurry for a second, but the next thing she knew, her mother was on top of her, cradling her and whispering soothing words into her ear. The world slowly came into focus, blink by blink. Roars and snarls resounded from further out into the newly cleared tunnels. The sounds were familiar, despite the savagery of their tone.
She jolted upright, almost headbutting her mother in the process.
'Diz!'
It was still him. It had to be. They were wrong. This was all a mistake.
'Shh, it's alright! You're safe. We'll take care of him.'
'No, no, no. You're mistaken! He's just a blood witch.' Scylla struggled free from her mothers grasp and headed down the dark tunnels towards a cacophony of snarls. The tang of iron wafted up into her nose and stung her eyes.
'A blood witch?! Is that what he told you?' Her mother gave chase, pulling at Scylla's arms in an attempt to slow her down. Darkness engulfed Scylla, all that remained was her mothers firm grip and the sound of battle getting further and further away.