To Ashes

Golden Cage

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Chapter Nine

Golden Cage

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Kadrek's behaviour toward Eric over the next few days was nothing short of alarming. He seemed to need to visit the phoenix at least once a day. The king had a chair brought in and he would sit there for what felt like hours. Sometimes he said nothing at all, just watched Eric until Eric was so uncomfortable, he rolled over so he wouldn't have to look at the man.

Other times Kadrek would read to him, which was its own level of bizarre, especiallysince the man spoke in his native tongue... which meant Eric didn't have a clue what he was saying.

It didn't seem to matter if Eric was receptive or not, the man still visited with the same enthusiasm. Some days Kadrek boasted how his new leadership had caused his people to flourish and how insignificant and unworthy other species were. It didn't take Eric long to learn that Kadrek was utterly dismissive of any species that did not have a lifespan as long as the fae. It was a short list. Eric was beginning to feel like the rare bird Kadrek often praised him for being, something expensive and pretty that was to be fed and looked after. It confused and unnerved him.

At first, he thought Kadrek was just lording it over him, rubbing it in that he had captured something of Arwen's but now Eric wasn't so sure. Honestly, he would have felt safer if Kadrek was just being an ass, but there was something in the man's tone and expression that was so.... hungry and possessive. Maybe he had intended Eric to just be a pawn for his own use in winning this war, but that reasoning was warping.

Eric lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to think about what to do. He hadn't been lucky enough to find another hole in his cage. Who had created the first one and why, Eric still had no idea. He had hoped they would visit again or at least leave a sign but so far, nothing. His eyes slid closed. It might have been one hour or many but eventually, he fell asleep.

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'Alois!' Eric's cry was received with an odd stiffness as the vampire walked toward him. The man didn't even smile. Eric's own fleeting joy upon seeing a familiar face evaporated. 'What's wrong? Did something happen?'

'I believe,' began the vampire silkily. 'That I should be asking that question. Word is a certain bird escaped his cage.'

Eric blinked. 'How did you hear about that?'

'Arwen's allies may be actively useless but they still ordain to pass on a few scraps of news. I wanted to hear the story from your own mouth. You got out of your cage and instead of trying to find a way out you... chased down a wraith? Do I have that right?'

Eric hesitated. There was something unfamiliar and dangerous in Alois' tone. There was an unnatural stiffness to his posture as those black eyes glared unblinkingly into Eric's face. The vampire was angry with him. 'It's not as though I could have left the fae world on my own,' Eric tried to reason.

'No. So, you thought the next best thing would be to kill yourself?' Alois asked bluntly.

Eric stared. 'Okay, that's a little extreme! I wasn't trying to get myself killed.'

'Then what exactly were you doing?' the vampire spat. Eric took an instinctive step back but of course, this was a dream. There wasn't anywhere for him to go. He watched as the vampire strode toward him, his eyes glinting in the inky black. 'I lost one of my children in that place. I am risking much to get you out of the fae realm and the best you can think to do with the situation is to chase a monster when you are as helpless and weak as a human! What were you thinking?'

'I wasn't,' Eric admitted. 'I'm sorry, I just reacted. I wasn't thinking about myself, just... what it could be doing to others.'

Alois closed his eyes as though silently praying for patience. 'It wasn't for nothing. I met one of Arwen's children, Vulen, I think his name was?'