Under the Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 61

Silas struggled against the chains that bound his wrists and ankles. They were made out of the same tempered steel as the bars in the dungeon, inhibiting his ability to use his flames.

Elijah shoved him hard in the back, kicking his stomach when he fell. Silas dragged himself to his feet, standing shakily. Elijah laughed, pushing him again.

Silas stumbled, but caught himself this time. The back and forth continued until they reached a room on the ground floor, where The Eye stood at the end. The room was dark with no windows. There was another door to his left, besides the door Elijah led Silas through. The room was otherwise empty, not a single thing sitting on the carpeted floor. The room was small, enough to fit a few people a reasonable distance away from one another.

Skye stood to the side of Marcus Contreras, a smug look on her face. He flicked up his wrist, and the door slammed. The other opened, a man in black shoving Will and Euen into the room, stepping in behind them and shutting the door. Silas shook with rage when he saw them. Malnourished, scared, and bloody. Both boys were trembling, their lips split and bruises across every visible inch of skin. Euen had a nasty black eye and Will's brow and cheekbone were purple. Their hands were zip tied, the ties cutting deep into their skin.

"Let them go." Silas growled, struggling against Elijah and the chains. A second man entered the room in case Elijah couldn't hold him back on his own.

The Eye laughed mirthlessly. Silas set his jaw in response.

Skye's malicious smile widened. She placed her hands around the boys' shoulders and knelt down behind them. "You mean these two cuties? I don't think so." She said the last part with a superficial giggle, patting their cheeks. Will winced as she patted the fresh bruise.

She straightened, marching over to Silas and Elijah, her steps heavy. She grasped his jaw, forcing him to look her in the eyes. Elijah strengthened his grip on Silas' shoulders.

"Tell me where she is!" Skye demanded, short pauses between each of her words.

"I don't know where she is." Silas lied through his teeth, Skye's grip tightening.

"You and I both know that's not true." She flicked up her other hand, and the guard shoved the two boys into the middle of the room.

The Eye stood by, amused. Silas barely recognized his old friends. Skye pointed a gun at Will and Euen, Elijah placing his own to Silas' temple. "Where. is. she?" Again with the ridiculous pauses.

"I, don't, know." Silas made his own pauses.

"You see, I find that very hard to believe." Elijah laughed mockingly. "Maybe, she's crouching around with that worm, Cleo. Or maybe... she's still screw—"

"Don't talk about them that way." Silas interrupted as Elijah walked in front of him, the guard grasping Silas' shoulders in his place.

"So it is true?" Elijah's tone was still mocking.

Silas only glared in response.

"Alright," Skye shrugged, loading the gun. "You had your chance."

☆★☆

Colin gasped, his hand wrapping around Razaia's arm as his eyes focused.

"Colin? Are you okay?" She cupped his face, studying him.

He nodded. "I saw the Shadow Realm, and there were these thrones, and these people and it was so loud..."

"I had the same dream the night we were brought here... I wonder if the others had it to—"

They were interrupted by doors slamming.

This time Talya came into the dungeons without Elijah, tailed by two guards. Her presence demanded attention and the cowering of her foes, though she couldn't have been older than twelve. She stood in front of the bars, holding her chin in the air.

"Talya," Razaia said through clenched teeth, getting to her feet. "What the hell do you want?"

Talya smiled with a mocking sweetness. "Well, Luna has to fall somehow." Her tone was dark when she spoke, although it squeaked every few syllables. "The Eye figures she's too loyal to her friends and—"

"The Eye," Colin scoffed. "You can say his name you know. We know it's Marcus Contreras."

Talya's expression changed. "We don't say his name," she glowered.

"Don't leer at me," Colin spat from the floor, sliding himself up the wall and clutching his ribs.

Talya's sick smile returned as she moved closer to the bars, leaning down to his level. "Don't talk to me from down there, I can't hear you up here."

With her final words, she left the room, the metal door slamming and beeping behind the two guards.

"She's such a child!" Colin screamed out in anger. "Where is Marcus Contreras getting all these kids to fight his battles? What about those damn soldiers he has tailing all these children!"

"Colin, please..." Razaia said softly. "Please calm down." She put her arms on his shoulders, sliding down in front of him. "Don't think about that, just look at me. Just focus on me." Her tone was so soft, nothing like the loud and carefree tone she always used that he had grown to love. He didn't hate this side of her, but he missed the Razaia that wasn't always terrified for her life. He missed her dramatic antics and wild personality. It made him miss the part of himself he had left behind.

He finally rested his gaze on her grey eyes, seeming to glow against the dark of the cell and the dark umber of her skin. "God," he breathed. "You're so beautiful."

She looked away from him sheepishly, her eyes darting around the yellowing stone wall. A smile rose to her lips, and she couldn't bear to look at him.

His smile was back, his hands finding her waist with a wince. He held her chin with a feathery touch, turning her gaze back to his. "I'm serious," he said, staring deep into her eyes, the color of soft mist washing over an ocean. Different greys and silvers swirled through her eyes, looking like shards of glass each tipped in the slightest of blue coming together to form her gaze. He felt weak under her eyes, like the longer he stared into them, the further into him they would cut. He dropped his gaze to her lips instead.

She put her hand on his cheek, pressing their lips together. "We will make it out," she whispered. "We will."

The door slammed open, startling them.

Two men came into the dungeons, throwing Silas back into his cell and locking the door. They left without a single word, Silas left sprawled on the stone crying and bruised.

"Silas!" Razaia scrambled up to the bars. "What happened?"

"He didn't hurt them," Silas spat. "Just threatened the life out of them. God, how was I so stupid?" He stood, trying to hide the pain as he did. Flames had started to drip from him again. They licked the floors, spreading through the cell until he was fully engulfed in flames. Violent sobbing came from the center, along with cries of emotional anguish.

When the flames dulled down, Silas was curled up on the floor muttering to himself. "I wasn't good enough... I couldn't protect them..."

"Silas... it isn't your fault," Colin said.

Silas looked up. "But it is. They've been my responsibility since they were both very young. I've failed them."

"No, you haven't," Razaia said. "We'll get them out, we'll all get out. But you can't blame yourself."

Silas looked away, tears of fire running down his face.