Thirteen Rings

Chapter Twelve

A cool breeze roused him from sleep and he became aware of the clanking of some guards boots. Pulling himself into an upright position, he blearily rubbed his eyes. They came into focus as the guards dragged a limp, female body past his cell.

"Lyria?" He mumbled, stumbling toward the bars. "Lyria!"

"Shut up." Growled one of the guards, rapping his steel glove against the iron bars.

"Hey!" He continued, blatantly ignoring the man. "Are you ok?"

Looking up at him with a dazed expression, she gave him a weak smile.

"What have you bastards been doing to her?" He growled, clenching his teeth.

"Our jobs." The guard spat in response. "Now get back and shut up."

"Why don't you come in here and make me?" Spitting in his face, he smirked at the guard.

"You want to play this game?" Slapping Darius' hands from the bars, he fiddled with the keys at his belt.

"For fucks sake, Geod, he's only trying to rile you up." The other guard groaned, taking the full weight of Lydia upon her. "Let's just put this one back and come back for him later."

"No." He argued, selecting the key for Darius' cell before jamming it into the lock. "This ends today. I'll show this clown I should be treated with respect. Make an example out of him."

"Because you're such a tough guy." Visibly rolling her eyes.

Wrenching the door open, he pulled his blade from its scabbard, grinning menacingly at Darius before advancing towards him.

"You know, over the past week, I've grown pretty tired of your shit." Snarling at him, he raised his sword and brought it down in an arc, aimed at Darius' arm.

Jumping to action, the prisoner lurched forward, getting inside the arc and giving the armoured man a hard shove with his shoulder while grabbing hold of the weapon.

"Shit." Releasing his grip on the blade, the guard reached out, attempting to grab hold of something to help keep his balance. Catching the falling weapon, the prisoner dug it into the gap between the guards helmet and chest piece.

"Check mate." He grinned down at the man.

"Drop the weapon and back away from the door." His companion commanded, dropping Lyria and pulling her own sword free.

"Or what?" He chuckled, distracting her from the woman pulling herself to her feet by putting more pressure behind his weapon. "I think I have the advantage in this situation."

"For fuck sake, do what he wants." The terrified man begged.

"Funny how a little bit of force can teach respect, isn't hit." He grinned down at him.

Pulling a dagger from the female woman's waist, Lyria plunged it into the woman's armpit. Screaming in agony, the guard dropped her own weapon, clutching her arm as blood began to seep down her shiny armour.

"Why did you stab her?" Rage plain on Darius' face.

"Do you have any idea what these assholes have done to me over the past week?" Lyria fixed him with an unapologetic look. "I have been beat, starved, drowned, deprived of sleep and burned. They deserve no less."

"So you're going to kill them?"

"She's not going to die."

"You stabbed her in the fucking armpit! Damn straight she's going to die!"

"What?" The guard asked stunned from below him. "You just killed my partner?"

"Yes, I'm sorry." He breathed, apologetically looking into the woman's eyes.