Eros

Death's Embrace - 60

James led her down to the castle's dungeon. It wasn't an actual jail, but where those who awaited the king's verdict were detained.

Alora regretted she didn't change out of the sleek dress she wore for the feast. The prisoners rattled the bars of their cells as she passed, shouting lewd compliments and suggestions after her.

Fucking humans. She tensed her jaw and dug the nails in her palms, as the jeering and the ogling blazed her nerves. James came to a sudden halt.

"The next one to make a sound shall receive his verdict," He shouted, and whipped out his sword, Ebonsteel hissing like a viper as it slid clear of the scabbard. "Right here and now."

The silence echoed through the dungeon like a thunderclap. She had heard the blood taint of Ebonsteel was the most painful of deaths. The men must've heard so too.

James surveyed the cells, and every prisoner that met his eyes retreated from the bars. He kept his black blade out in the torchlight as he resumed his stride.

"Thanks for that." Alora said, though the urge to punch someone still ached in her knuckles.

"Don't mention it." James replied. "I saw what you did to that guard at the gate. I silenced these thugs for their own good."

They crossed the hall without a sound but their footfalls, and James stopped, facing the cell at its end. There were four bunks inside, but three of them were stripped to bare wood. All of the coarse woolen blankets were piled up atop of one bunk, shaped loosely into an armchair. Kaido sat slumped within it.

"I see you made yourself comfortable." James said, then glanced to the other side of the cell. Three prisoners, their faces bust with bloody bruises, sat as far away from Kaido as possible. They eyed him with constant worry. "At the expanse of the other prisoners."

"They tried to steal my brand new boots." Kaido said, and pointed with a thumb at the cured leather pair that rested by his bunk. "An education session was required."

"Fuck you!" One of the prisoners snarled. Kaido glanced at him, and dropped his bare foot on the stone floor, body lurching forward. The man flinched into his bunk in fright, but Kaido didn't even rise from his. Satisfied, he settled back in his improvised armchair.

James frowned, but Alora couldn't help her amusement. Kaido looked at her, catching her smile.

"Still in the dress? It's a shame my lordling clothes got ruined, we made a dazzling couple."

Next time, don't run off to another girl and kill her in them. She thought, but was wise enough to restrain her tongue.

Perhaps he could fool himself with his laid back act, but he couldn't fool her. She had seen the look on his face when he walked out with the corpse. She knew that girl mattered to him. She just didn't know how much.

"You look content in your cage. Perhaps we should come back in a day or two?" She asked.

"I would leave at this very moment, alas, I fear my new friends will miss me too badly." Kaido glanced at the huddle of prisoners cowering in one bunk.

One of them looked to James, pleading. "Please take him away."

James sighed, rustled a keychain out of his belt, and unlocked the barred door with a metallic click. Kaido pulled on his boots, and stepped out of the cell, winking at his cellmates for the last time.

They ascended from the dungeon, departed from James, and headed back to her room. Kaido peeled off his bloody shirt, and walked to the pedestal holding a water bowl.