Shadow Warriors

Chapter twenty-two

"Take her downstairs!" Fasia demanded. Two large men, sporting black outfits and mean looks moved towards Sarah. They grabbed her by the arms and dragged her deeper into the charred remains of the woods.

Axin! Oh God, please find me!

She was led to a dilapidated wooden home, no bigger than a single room. The man holding her left side went to open the door, and she was pulled in by the other brute gripping her arm in a bruising hold. Once inside, the space changed. It was nothing like what she expected. Instead of old wood paneling, she was met with high concrete walls, metal beams in the ceiling, and a damp stone floor at her feet. The vast, empty space held nothing but cold air and the stench of mold.

They dragged her to a side door. One of the men swung it open and she almost stumbled down the stairs leading deep into the ground.

"Where are you taking me?"

They didn't say anything as they pushed her along, forcing her to hold the railing to not fall.

They descended at least three floors, as far as Sarah could tell, and left the stairwell through another door. This one led to a long passage, made of the same dull grey concrete as the top level.

The hallway stood lined with doors. Each one made of thick, solid steel, and only a tiny window at the top. It brought to mind an old mental institute she'd seen in a movie. A short way away from the door leading to the stairs, one of the men swung open a door, and she was shoved in hard. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees and the door slammed closed behind her.

Sarah stayed on the ground, her heart beating out of control at where she was, and what was about to happen to her.

"Axin, please hear me down here. Please." Her whispers echoed lightly on the bare walls. A tiny stream of light came from the window above the door, but there was nothing else in the room. No bed, no toilet, nothing.

She moved to the wall, sitting with her back against it, and curled her knees up to her chest. Sobs came next. There was no way she could get out of there on her own. Not just getting past the muscle that escorted her down here, but Fasia would never let her go. Sarah had no idea just how much trouble she was in at this point, but one thing she was sure of was that if she tried to run, Fasia could make her life a whole new kind of hell.

Hours passed. Sarah paced the cell, sat on the floor, even fell asleep for a short time. All the while, she called for Axin. It was clear he couldn't hear her or feel her. He'd told her that Fasia cloaked herself with a spell, and there was no doubt that magic had to be involved in a place like this. Distant screams drifted to her from under the door when other residents of this nightmare prison were dragged past her cell.

The lock turned and her door was swung open. Fasia stood in the entrance with the same two assholes that shoved her into the room. Sarah stood, brushing off her pants.

"Are you going to behave?" Fasia asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

Sarah eyed the two men at her side before she nodded.

Fasia stepped out of the doorway, waiting for her.

Sarah moved on uneasy legs, keeping a close eye on the two men. Fasia spun on her heel and marched towards the doors leading to the stairs. They went up to the massive open space she saw first and was led out into the burnt forest.

Fasia finally turned to face her. "Where is my son?"

Sarah swallowed. "I don't know-"

A hard hand slapped her through the face, almost knocking Sarah to the ground. Fasia stepped closer and glared at her. "Where is he? Don't play games with me. I know you were the last one with him. Tell me."