Elemental Thief Part I : Child of Calamity

The Enemy

Valencia had only paused long enough at her sister's bedside to reassure herself that Darya was still breathing normally before she told Cali to stay with her and left the room.

She was contemplative as she followed the Rulin Prince as they were both guided down the hallways, into the subterranean levels of the palace, and under the city itself by Sir Reynald.

With them followed several guards, Rulin and Clairvalan alike, though even the differences between winged and unwinged didn't account for the variety of uniforms and warriors that were walking with them into the depths of the prison. Val couldn't imagine the winged ones were very comfortable so far underground, where their wings were so useless, though they looked calmer than she felt.

She could feel the weight of the rock, the silence of the grave so far below the surface, and had to hold her thoughts in tight control to prevent them from wandering and causing her panic to rise.

Val tried to remember the layout of the city, placing herself on the map, and how they were headed to the prison, though she was off on her judgements by the time they reached the first ascent.

They went through a locked gate, guarded by two Royal Guard, and up a steep set of steps, ending in another gate and another two guards, positioned so that anyone attacking from below would fight at a very steep incline, one at a time. There was a short hallway, followed by another set of steps, and finally another hallway, this one with windows lined along the very top of the tall walls, though the minimal fresh air was a relief to her nerves.

And just like that, they were stopped in front of a heavy wood and metal door, Reynald turning to look at the Prince, and then her. "One of them's awake now, though he's not saying a word."

When Davanos nodded, the door was unbolted, and they were led into a room full of iron bars, dividing everything into cells large enough for one or two people. Val had half expected to see Corvin, or Kethan here, though after the initial surprise, she realized it would have been very unlikely. They would have been kept separate from their attempted rescuers, if only to prevent an unseen exchange.

As it was, there was one man, dressed in rough black clothing, hands chained together, looking as if he had seen better, friendlier days. He was watching them with a stubborn expression, though he kept looking toward another cell that contained his conspirator, who was sprawled on a cot, still unconscious.

Davanos didn't say a word, merely nodded to the guard, who opened the conscious one's cell door, stepping into it with him.

Before Davanos said a word, the Prince bolted forward, far quicker than was possible for Val's eyes to keep up, grabbing the man's jaw roughly, adding force to the hinge point and forcing it open with one hand, the other hand snatching something out of the now open mouth.

Before anyone had time to react, Davanos dropped the human and looked down at the grey tablet in his hand, making an expression of disgust. "Poison. I would check the other one for it while he's unconscious."

"Fuck you, you pompous, self-righteous prick. You don't belong here. Doesn't matter how many of you get to stick it in the slut of a queen." The man fell back on anger, insults, to mask the surprise and fear that was obviously been running through him after being so easily thwarted.

Davanos' speed had surprised Val and out of the corner of her eye she could see Reynald watching the Prince's back with barely controlled surprise.

"So that's the best you have? Someone out manoeuvres your master, and you can only think to insult their sexual activity?" Davanos snorted, giving the man a disgusted look. "I know you're afraid. And I know you're more afraid of what I'm going to find out than of the painful death that poison would have given you. Oh. You thought it would be quick and painless? No, I recognise the smell of it. That would suffocate you slowly from the inside, while making you feel like your bones were being dissolved by acid."