‘Silence is the most powerful scream.’629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQ62eF2woZ
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“What in Gehenna is that?!” Adian heard Nesami hissed as the creature flew around the catacombs. In the dim light, they could only see flashes of small, white wings.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbYfvV3hp8
“Nux!” Adian reached out, only to grasp at the air. He cursed, stomping his foot on the ground. The grip his fingers had around the axe loosened and it tumbled to the stone at his feet. Marleya was quick to pull a dagger, which she had poised to throw at a moment’s notice.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXDo5NdDni
“Adian, what demon have you brought down here?!” Nesami was screaming now, her throat was tightened as she looked around wildly for the animal. Her white and grey robes billowed out like storm clouds as she paced. Adian caught a glimpse of the airborne creature he’d set loose, but Marleya saw it first. The dagger was soaring through the air long before Adian thought to tell her to stand down. He nearly felt his heart stop as he stretched his hand out, and the room froze.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeLCCcc0Hu
Ice climbed the walls and coated the floors. Twinkling icicles formed in a flash above the prison bars, shaking dangerously. The hostages stopped banging on the bars of the cells to watch the display. The very temperature of the room went from cold to frigid. A spike of ice shot from the floor at the dagger at the astonishing speed of an arrow, the blade of the weapon lodged itself in the ice instead of in Nux’s skull. All this had occurred within a few heartbeats of Adian releasing his power to what he thought would be the full extent. Though he felt withered, Adian allowed himself to breath before sinking to the floor. The small winged fox he’d exerted himself to save landed beside his arm and burrowed into his bag for warmth. 629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD09816PLgF
“You’ve…ruined my dungeons,” Nesami murmured slowly, her arms wrapped around her torso. The royal’s teeth chattered as she glanced around room. Her shock slowly turned to wrath as she realized what Adian had done. Marleya’s brows rose as she drew a hand over her hazelnut skin. Adian just placed the latch of the satchel into place, not daring to move.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2y0YsvCwM
The queen didn’t move either, for fear of tripping on the ice layered floor. Adian could melt his own ice occasionally, when it wasn’t to extreme, but this was beyond anything he’d ever done. As far as the torches stretched, there was ice that glinted back at them to notify them of its presence. If he had done as much as he felt he did, then the whole catacombs were covered in the slippery, cold water.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAn1y5Szccl
“Get an Ashedrise Venefica from the pits to melt this infernal ice and postpone the execution until Adian has recovered.” Nesami ordered Marleya, the Tyzalian just bowed and shuffled off, slipping and sliding every so often. Adian met the gaze of the half-Nytteot girl, and she grinned. He couldn’t comprehend why, more time to spend in the now below freezing dungeons, all thanks to him.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBpEpVKvBz
Nesami summoned another guard to take the girl back to her cell, and in that brief moment when the queen and Adian looked to each other, he knew she was simmering at the edge of fury. He chewed on his lip as Nesami parted her lips to speak.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0lsblcIGu
“You may go back to the castle, give the animal to Narunis when you arrive there.” Nesami sounded irregularly calm, like a shark hidden behind the tranquil surface of the ocean. Inside, Adian scorned himself for even daring to take the hilt of the execution weapon. The queen may have him at her beck and call, but after she’d made him kill Katina, Nesami had crossed the line.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CQA0g2y34
“Yes your highness.” He stood upright, dipping his head slowly as he left Nesami surrounded in ice.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPX91BapKY5
*****629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlSLYLXRNJ
“You need to be more careful with Nux.” Narunis stroked the soft orange and white fur of the young fox, her tone laced with dissatisfaction in Adian. Despite what he’d rather have people believe, she knew her brother had a soft spot for animals, and this wasn’t the only time Nux had caused a commotion. The petite fox twined its tail in her hand as she caressed his fur.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU4qmgzam1
“If I had been more careful, then Nesami would have made me kill those sisters.” Adian spit through his teeth. Narunis sighed and eased further into the velvet armchair, his brother was too sensitive for her liking. The little fox beneath her fingers curled into a small ball of fur.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVXroybfvW
“Why should you care what happens to harlots and traitors?” She’d never tell her brother that she was the one who’d put half of those prisoners in their cells with her power, she’d never tell him how much she enjoyed watching the cell doors close on them either. Narunis may not have been fond of Nesami, but she had her own strict loyalties to the Tyzalian.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTopSbZsrZ0
“It’s called having morals Narunis.” Her brother marched in front of her feverishly, it seemed that he couldn’t fathom the allegiances she’d made. Narunis despised whatever made Adian so pathetic. It’s not like Nesami asked him to murder them in cold-blood, they were traitors, and traitors deserve as much.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxs4ihSLgL
“Your morals almost got you thrown in the dungeons, and almost got Nux killed.” Narunis’ eyebrows raised as Adian turned, his lips parting as if to speak but he just let out a puff of air in frustration. She hoped that someone had gotten Nesami out of the dungeons, if the queen got injured, she’d undeniably blame it on Adian.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngpC7qdTSu
“I swear Narunis, one day I’m going to get away from Nesami and this hideous castle.” He was practically begging for the queen to throw him in the dungeons with that kind of talk. She looked out the window through the corner of her eyes. The sun hadn’t even set but her eyelids were already drooping.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4J47ccoIo
“Don’t swear on things that will never come to be Adian.” Narunis warned, her tongue clicking. Her fingernails ran across the arm of the chair as Nux burrowed into her robes. Adian’s lips squeezed together, nearly turning them pale as he crossed his arms.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZt3TwyuR1
“Who are you to say I can’t do it?”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq7RetEmFp
“Learn to control yourself like I have, then maybe you’ll stand a chance.” If Adian insisted on fighting her, she’d give him a fight.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5nhSYMSsw
“Why do I need control?! I saved Nux because I didn’t have to think!”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEv1SZnQ9eB
“And it was that lack of thought that got you in the situation in the first a place,” She half expected him to storm out of the chambers, but instead he just seemed to brood over her acrimonious tone and sour words. A cold wind drafted into the room from the door, Narunis felt herself quiver. Something was off. There were no guards at their posts, which they should have been since the execution was put off. Or was she mistaken and her senses were malfunctioning.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XzXxqiV25
“I’m more powerful then Nesami, and more powerful then you.” Adian jeered under his breath. Narunis held up a hand to silence him. No, she hadn’t been mistaken. There were three Venefica in the room.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHsw1kIeka
“Calysse.” She didn’t have to guess at who was lurking in the corners of the halls, the only other Venefica in the castle were imprisoned underneath. Narunis felt her fingernails digging into her smooth palms as a bead of sweat trailed down her forehead.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MY4B2KoWP
The girl crept out of the hallway, her eyes glinting. Calysse had changed out of the rags she’d been in before, only to replace them with possibly the least tasteful brown robes Narunis had ever seen. The only bit of color on her was a red sash that stretched from her shoulder and wrapped around her waist. Calysse stood in a sheepish façade, as if Narunis would be so foolish as to think it was a mistake that she was eavesdropping.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GZthWbXXF
“What are you doing outside your chambers?” Adian spun around, nostrils flaring. How long had the snoopy newcomer been listening? Calysse’s lips spread into a grin as she twined a lock of her short black hair around her finger. Adian took a step back closer to Narunis.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98KEdUe4Ag
“Outwearing her welcome I suppose.” Narunis snorted, a tuft of Nux’s fur running through her nails.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuabcCxA5d
“I decided that I should familiarize myself with the castle I plan to live in once my business in Indignor is done.” Her voice had an air of a sick confidence, amusement even. Did this girl have no sense of etiquette? Perhaps it wasn’t wise of Adian to leave her without guards, it wasn’t wise at all.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVO3ksWn50
“You have a peculiar way of doing so Calysse.” Narunis carefully scooped up Nux and placed the fox back into the armchair as she stood.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxrOYlqAEM
The Venefica shrugged and leaned against the doorway, her shoulders slumped against the stone. It was Adian who reached her first, Narunis watched as his brother wrenched Calysse away by the arm. It was slightly satisfying to see her brother’s nails in her flesh as he dragged her down the corridor.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDSwERHurg
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*****629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36JWeJ05y8
“Adian stop my arm is red.” Calysse pouted as her heels dug into the floor. It sounded pitiful to whine, but if she couldn’t fight the warrior, then she’d outlast his patience. The walls became darker and darker the deeper into the castle they went. The air had the same icy nip to it as they proceeded to the lower halls. She’d nearly gotten lost on her way up to Narunis’ chambers and now she was being half-pulled like a limp doll.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMEpT3nq3V
“Tell someone who actually cares because I have better things to worry about.” His tone was as cold as the ice he’d undoubtedly frozen the dungeons with. Oh yes, she’d heard everything Narunis and Adian had spoken of, and she wasn’t just about to forget.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuunopvV7sv
“Do you now?” She slanted her head, the muscles in her hand tightened as she prepared to pull away.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJziWuD9aR
“Yes, and so do you, we are leaving in two sunrises for Indignor.”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NSumR4sNe
“That winged-fox and the ice-covered dungeons are more important then my health? Also I’m sure Nesami is just delighted about that.” Adian stopped in his tracks. Calysse had been trying too hard to push him over, but she dreaded that she’d overdone it by mentioning the queen.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHorUea03N
“If I catch you in the upper halls again I’ll have you skinned and mounted on the wall.” How different he sounded, this wasn’t the person that had practically ambushed her in the forest.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjq5RW3UNF
“Oh yes, I’ll also be sure not to talk to strangers.” The corners of her lips tugged upwards in a teasing smirk. Adian frowned and released her arm, only to shove her into the wall. Calysse groaned as her feet rubbed against the shoes she’d swiped from a room next to hers, though they were still better than the ones she’d been given. His lips pulled back and revealed a bit of his teeth as he turned, stomping back up the stairs in a frustrated rage.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKklu4XviTy
Calysse smirked as she wandered down the passage, it had almost been too easy to get her pesky escort to leave her alone, and to find out where the dungeons were. When Adian had been summoned by the servant, she’d trailed him just long enough to know which way he’d gone, where she might find Aislin. Thought the upper halls had been annoyingly occupied by guards, the lower levels were still empty except for the occasional passing visitor. It was foolish to try and rescue the wolf-hybrid, especially with the floors down in the dungeons covered in ice, but it seemed like the animal was the only ally she had within the castle.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGiOKAEHIw
Her feet lightly grazed the ground as she passed the various chambers. With each flight of stairs she passed, it got harder and harder to see. It eventually got so dim that she had to steal a torch from its handle as her only source of light. Calysse knew she’d reached the dungeons when she stepped of the stairs and slid across the room.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvEltaOr9v
The shoes she wore weren’t equipped for walking on ice, but they were all she had. Her heart pounded in her chest as she slowly navigated through the catacombs, it came as a surprise that there were no guards. Ice or no ice, it seemed sensible to always keep warriors on their posts. There was a slight clanging that sounded like a blacksmith’s forge up ahead, which she assumed was the prisoners slamming their chains against the bars.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EUmlzwKfv
Calysse shivered as she thought of how cold it must be for them, to be clothed in only rags, sitting in a room of frozen water. Her torch had grown smaller, as if it was being smothered by the temperature. Above her, the path seemed to fork off in three different directions, but which would animals be kept in?629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2urVYsKb9L
“Who are you?” A small voice from the corner of the row of cells spoke up, Calysse narrowed her eyes as she crossed the room towards the jail cell. When she held her dying flame up, she could see the frail outline of a male prisoner. Even she had to put her hand in front of her mouth to hide her despair as she saw how starved he was, as his whole body looked like a skeleton held together by a thin layer of skin.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1y1Ex9ySM8
“The Tyzalian Champion.” Calysse assumed was going to win the title soon enough, she might as well use it.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9p8jPTsc7
“You don’t look like a Tyzalian.” His voice was rough and hoarse, the man was leaned against the wall of bars and his neck was awkwardly positioned to look at her. Calysse looked over his figure, his hair was chestnut brown and short as if it’d been cut unevenly by a dull knife. 629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1sDEBKYnY
“Who are you to judge that?” Calysse came closer to the bars, so close her nose nearly touched the ice covered metal.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gVUTpzNos
“A Tyzalian noble wouldn’t have spoken to a captive. Nor would they have come down here with all this ice,”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1ogHIYyZW
“Why did you call me over?” She didn’t have time to listen to whatever pleas this man had for her to save him. Her hair fell over her face as she met his gaze.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXhVzS7vnw
“Because you look like you could use some help.”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1fnvXtExm
“What could someone like you do-“Calysse stopped as he reached out his hand to the torch, it seemed as if it was a breeze of wind away from going out and leaving her in the maze of shadows. A warm sensation protruded from his hand and the small flicker of a flame became as lively as it had been up in the halls. She was speechless for a moment before she realized what he was.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWv0q8Dojk
“You’re an Ashedrise.” Being an Ashedrise didn’t mean he could manipulate fire, but it was a gift exclusive to the race, as their skin was the only one thick enough to withstand the heat. The prisoner nodded and withdrew his hand from the now sparkling flare. The heat that now came from the torch warmed the skin on her face and hands.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmetIn4Z3Mh
“Why did you come down here? Do you have a death wish?” His eyes seemed to spark as he turned to face her. Calysse pondered over whether or not she should tell him,629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkQv3fFR60
“I came to find an Indignor wolf they dragged down here.” He had no reason to tell Nesami, or any of the guards for that matter. Just the chance that he might point her down the right path was slim. It was likely a Tyzalian wouldn’t find any other help down here. But why would he assist her?629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxn8JKopFcJ
“I couldn’t see much, but it sounded as if they took some large animal down to the solitary cells, middle passage.” He gestured to the seemingly empty void of black ahead of her. A flash of pity crossed Calysse’s eyes as she looked to the cells. Was it wrong to feel remorse for this person who was clearly in poor health? Yes. Calysse imagined that he must hate pity as much as she did.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQCcWDfBDV
“Why did you help me? If the guards find out what will they-“Calysse began to forget about why she’d even come, now she wanted to free him, to free all the people down here from their anguish.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5n11bD4dN
“I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose down here,” His voice was flat and dull to match his hallowed frame. “Go get your wolf, for whatever reason you want that creature, you came down here, finish what you started.” His speech was broken in fractures of sentences as he looked to the middle passage. If he was lying, Calysse didn’t know what horrors she’d walk in on. She doubted that she’d seen the worst of the Tyzalian prisons. And whatever the worst was, it was much different from Indignor.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphjkoEupvI
“What’s your name?” Calysse could almost feel the eyes of the other captives burning through her conscience. She hadn’t suffered, she’d suffered nothing compared to these people. Her time in Indignor dungeons wasn’t even close. The clanging of chains against the bars had seared into her head, and she feared she’d never forget how unkind her own kin was.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7xP3L0NsJ
“It doesn’t matter.” He snapped and begun to shift further back to the wall. Calysse felt her fingers close around her palm as her eyebrows furrowed.629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjAMAXxn9Q
“Don’t waste my time, what is your name?”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdeTDlv4i5
“Callor.”629Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjX5gkBOaKx
Penana
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