Soul Bound

Chapter 23

Darius walked along the table of tools lain out before him, searching for a particular device he used on occasions such as today. Usually, he liked to go big and throw a prisoner on the rack and slowly crank the rollers just to hear their pleas and screams. There was a certain pitch only a tortured man could reach that just tickled Darius the way nothing else could. The power he felt was god-like.

Sometimes it was the only time he truly felt like he had any power. He lived or died under his father’s rule. A grunt to do the ruthless king’s dirty work, while he sat in his throne and drank his wine. Darius was more than that. He would rule Estrus one day. He would be the one with all the power.

But, for now, he savoured his time in Aboria. He was free to do as he willed here. Ruler of this small corner of Aboria. What would it be like to rule a kingdom of this size? So filled with resources and magic? Once he had the storm dragon rider, he would find out. With her, there would be nothing that could stop them. Not even Aboria’s dragons.

Of course, he couldn't turn her into his puppet if he couldn't find her, and the residents here were rather uncooperative in that regard.

Ah! There you are. The thumbscrew was hiding under a bloodied leather strap. He picked it up, holding the sturdy metal contraption between his fingers and turned to the person tied to the chair. Their eyes widened with terror. An expression that always put a smile on his face.

He approached the Dragon Knight, device in hand. The Knight's eyes fixated on the contraption as he neared, eyes growing wider and wider. They mumbled frantically behind the gag.

“Hmm. You're going to have to speak more clearly, my friend. That gag isn't doing you any favours.”

The Knight's eyes narrowed, clearly finding no humour in his joke. Most people didn't.

He set the thumbscrew down on the armrest and adjusted the clamp to ensure the device wouldn't move when the prisoner resisted. He made sure to take his time doing it, letting the Knight sweat. Their breaths came harder, rushing in and out of their nose laboriously.

“I'm sure you know who I am.” It wasn't just by chance his men had shot down a pair of Dragon Knights. They were here to survey him, see how many men he had brought into Aboria and check out the construction of his new fort. The two dragons and one of the Knights died during their acquisition, but this one survived with only a few injuries. “You know who I'm looking for.”

The Knight tore their eyes from the thumbscrew and looked up at Darius. They did well to mask their fear, but they couldn't hide the terrified glint in their eyes. Anyone could train the muscles in their face to take on any shape--but the eyes, they ran much deeper, straight to the soul. No one could mask that.

“Tell me where she is and I might make this quick.” He knew she was with the Dragon Knights--he had gleaned that much from other people he had brought into this very room--but he didn't know where their base was. The map of Aboria in the war room held very little detail. The few volunteers he had earned were illiterate and knew their kingdom as well as he did.

A hard edge took over the Knight's eyes, a look carved by many years of hardship and determination. 

Going to play hard to get, are we?

He liked it better that way.

With well-practised reflexes, Darius caught their wrist and jerked it toward him, for the thumbscrew. He gripped one of their fingers and shoved it in the device, strapping it down. All the while, the Knight kicked and thrashed helplessly against their restraints.

He rotated the screw just enough for them to feel the pressure--but no pain. Not yet. Darius wanted them to imagine it before he inflicted it.

He freed the Knight of their gag. “Tell me where the storm dragon rider is hiding.”