The Fire Immortal-Book 5

Chapter 28

I'm sorry for the delay in the update, but I have five dance exams in a week (ballet, contemporary and modern jazz). However, I did really well in my violin diploma exam; I got 94/100!!! Yay! So although I didn't update, the delay helped my exams. :) I'll try to update as soon as possible though. :) Please vote and comment for it and I really hope you guys like it! :D :D :D Picture of Troy and Dahlia on the side. ;) 

Chapter 28

                       For the first time in centuries, Varmer felt afraid. He took a deep breath to calm his frayed nerves but when he spoke, it was the voice of the Fire Immortal that emerged, the voice of the cold ruler who showed no emotion.

                       "Alyce, ready our troops for battle," he ordered. "We still outnumber the rebels three to one regardless of their Moon Children allies. I will go and retrieve Dahlia McLean from the hospital wing; Troy Flarehill will undoubtedly go for her."

                        Alyce bowed swiftly to him. "What about the half-an-half monsters, my lord?" she asked. "Should I send someone to release them from their enclosures?"

                        Varmer tilted his head to the side as if he were thinking. "Yes, but do not release them yet. Do not attack unless the rebels attack first. We shall be merciful. Get Leo to prepare to send a message to their camp. He shall be our envoy. Before he leaves, send him to me first."

                        "Yes, my lord," Alyce replied obediently and then rushed off to complete her tasks.

                        Varmer took another deep breath and left his throne room, heading for the hospital wing. He had left Dahlia and Tamarak there, bleeding out, in serious pain, chained up to the beds. But knowing that Troy would come for Dahlia while the Final Battle was on as a distraction was enough to make him want to keep those two prisoners near him at all times.

                         Although the castle was basically a labyrinth to everyone – even some of the guard members still got lost in it – it was like the back of his hand to Varmer. He had deliberately made the layout of the castle confusing using magic; the corridors looped back on themselves, doors were installed that were actually just walls and staircases went nowhere. If any intruder tried to draw a map of the castle, they would have a headache faster than anyone could turn in a circle.

                        When Varmer reached the hospital wing, he grimaced at the smell of blood. It wasn't that he was afraid of it or anything; it was just repulsive in its odour. He shoved open the door to see Dr Lucy scrubbing up bloodstains on the floor with Dahlia and Tamarak equally unconscious and chained to the beds, both looking close to death's door.

                       "Do you need the prisoners?" Dr Lucy asked, shoving the blood-stained rag back into the bucket and gesturing towards Dahlia and Tamarak, neither of whom looked comfortable even in their unconscious states.

                        Dahlia was white and grimacing; her hair and dress were smeared in blood like splotches of paint. Even in sleep, she was constantly wincing and thrashing around, like she was trapped with nightmares in her head.

                        Which was actually what was happening.

                        Tamarak, too, looked terrible. The blood that covered Dahlia was actually mostly his; he had been punched and kicked within an inch of his life and was bleeding out from multiple whip wounds on his back. Although Dahlia's tongue had been cut out, Varmer had not harmed her physically otherwise; Tamarak had borne the brunt of that. There was not an inch of skin on his body that was not cut, bruised or bleeding. In addition to that, torturous images were playing like a movie through his head, all scenes involving Sapphire and Romulus. He was lying still like a limp corpse; it was too much agony for him to move.