* * *
Light bloomed ahead in the darkness, ending the trek that the light crystal in my hand only illuminated a few paces ahead of me. The sound of dripping water and scuttering rats was replaced with the occasional shout, strained grunt, and rattle of chains.
"Captain!" Morel shot ramrod straight in greeting, the soldier slouched on the stool beside him following his lead as I turned into the alcove that housed the entrance to the cell holding the problematic prisoner who had been assigned to me alongside his companion once the Queen and General had finished their questions. Since they didn't get their answers, I was to continue them.
I gave them an acknowledging nod while stepping up to the cell door to peer in through the open slit. "Open the door."
Morel moved to do so. "Yes, sir!"
"Is he still making the same demand?"
"Yes," the other soldier answered. "He hasn't stopped trying to break his other arm free. Flames keep flaring with each of his attempts. At this rate, he may just rip it from its joint before he stops."
Seeming to emphasize his point, the fae inside the cell gave another hard grunt as the harsh rattle of chains sounded once again. I caught the tail end of a bright orange flash before darkness enveloped the inside of the cold and musty cell again.
"Stay out here." My order was met with another round of 'yes, sirs' as I stepped into the cell.
The fae inside didn't lift his head further than necessary to take a peek at my face and confirm that I wasn't who he was demanding to see. He dropped his gaze as he gave the one chain holding him to the wall another hard pull. The sound of his efforts was drowned out by the loud clank of the cell door swinging shut behind me. The silence that followed was resounding.
"Where, is, she?" He got out between breaths that displayed his exertion that the blood dripping down his arm only added to.
"As you were told, the human is well-"
"I didn't ask, how she is. I asked, where she is."
I crossed my arms, regarding the man who had managed to do so much damage to himself and the wall behind him when he was barely able to move a finger when he was last left to rest.
"Safe," I answered, not giving him the one he wanted.
"I'll believe that when I see it with my own damn eyes," he snapped, his anger flaring. A snarl pulled at his lips to reveal the point of one of his canines.
"No." I calmly shot back as I adjusted the cuff of my sleeve. "You will believe it because it's what I said."
A muscle jumped in his cheek as he clenched his jaw. The flames in his eyes grew until they physically manifested around his hands with a flicker.
I stepped closer, eyeing the fire as it nearly turned blue, flaring with his emotions before wavering and flickering out. A gentle breeze brushed my cheek, making me look over my shoulder toward the door. It remained closed, the soldiers on the other side silent.
"I would suggest using this time to heal and to get some control over that," I gestured towards his hands that tended to spontaneously combust with his anger. "Meditation does wonders for control-"
The sound of brick crumbling registered moments before it fell to land on the ground. The iron chain that had been bolted into the wall followed along with the men that it held. The fae's knees cracked onto the hard floor but he didn't so much as flinch in response. Maybe the pain didn't register over the rest-
Abrupt movement had me cursing under my breath. Placing a foot onto the ground, the chains hanging from the ends of the fae's arms dragged over the floor as he launched himself at me with an enraged shout. He swung the iron links to wrap them around his hands before curling his finger over the metal. The sizzle that accompanied the meeting of iron and fae flesh didn't turn my stomach like it once would have. Not much could these days. The Queen made sure of that.
