Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series

Valeri

Hargis stares leerily at me. “We meet again, Valeri,” he says my name with a sick sweetness. “Ooohhhhh, we shall have greeeaat fun, you and I.”

He dangles a key ring and unlocks the bars. I grip the grimy walls for balance as I scramble to my feet. A growl emits like a volcano deep that travels to the back of my throat. My claws elongate as do my fangs before a zap zips right through my bones. I crumble back to the floor and hold back a whimper.

“Ah, the wonders of white diamonds. They are the purest form of heaven. And your soul, my dear, is by the farthest from it. Do try to be good.”

I gather myself and get to my feet again. Hargis turns the lock and opens the gate slowly. I’m on my knees when he takes his first step inside the cell. I take a deep breath and he creeps closer. I stare up at his smug expression and I gather my torn ball gown to stand. He reaches out to grab me and I dodge out of the way. His back is then exposed to me and I punch him in the middle of his spine.

He yelps in pain and falls to the ground. I kick him in the face and spit on him for good measure. King Broderick stands by taking in the scene with amusement on his face.

He slowly claps his hands. “Bravo, bra-vo! That was quite a show. Alas, that won’t do. I have plenty more pets where that came from.”

King Broderick snaps his fingers. “Unfortunately, you have angered me.”

Two big brutes stomp down the line of cells and walk through the door. I move back and trip over Hargis’ unmoving limbs. Fuck…

They give me big toothy grins while they advance with swords raised. The one on the left arcs over his head and I roll. The other on the right pulls my leg and throws my body to the wall. I groan in pain when I hear a crack. I start to get up but agony flares at my right side.

One of the brutes picks me up by the hair and I try to pull away. It was no use. He pulls back his other fist and pummels my face. Shock washes over me, but he punches me repeatedly. My face becomes numb and he eventually drops me. The wind knocks out of my breath when the bastard kicks me in the stomach. I curl into myself, but they wrench my hands away.

“I’ve seen enough. Give her another dosage of Sereia’s Draft. ” King Broderick ordered.

I weakly look up to see a thick needle bearing down on me. The big brute jabs it at the back of my neck and I’m again engulfed in the gloom.

**********************************

I come to, with a hammering headache. I commanded my body to sit up, move my limbs, but they wouldn’t do my bidding. I was swarmed in darkness.

Clicktickclicktick…

I held my breath as the sound continued. There was a hair-raising presence in here with me. I felt their preternatural orbs leering down at my soul.

Clicktickclicktickclick…

I released my breath and multiple legs entered my mouth. I cough and spit up the unidentifiable being. But another takes its place. My body is soon filled with prickly legs. I tried to calm my pulse until one of the little things bit me. Pain laced my leg like fire. The others repeated the process and I was soon swallowed by concealed flames. It was abnormal to say the least, because I thought my body could resist said fire.

King Broderick’s voice resounds in the room. I couldn’t place where he was. “Behold, my loveliest possession, Scolopendra unum.”

I opened my mouth to scream, but couldn’t. My throat swelled from the poison shooting through my veins.

“I was quite the young adventurer in my prime. I stumbled across two Scolopendra fighting over a mouse in the Amazonian rainforest. I admired the way they curled their bodies and locked in a battle of wills.. Or shall I say forcipules.” he chuckles near the end of his droning monologue.

It was rather boring, but it distracted me from the agony.

“The first phase you are feeling now are the workings of the Unum’s ancestor, the Giant desert centipede. Their venom can cause a great deal of necrosis.”’

My skin was dissolving from the outside in, my bones liquefied, my organs felt electrocuted.

“You’ll feel your insides tearing up inside, your mind melting and coagulating. Your heart will quicken as if you’ve run a mile.” As he lists the symptoms, they happen in quick concession.

“But here. Here is when the real fun begins. It’s such a blessing to be in the grace of blood witches.”

He was right. The fun really did begin.. For Broderick that is. The clicktickclicktick stopped instantly. All was quiet. The poison still coursed through my body like waves. Except, the venom streamed upward towards my head. I shivered at the sudden chilly sensation. I imagined a swarm of deadly wasps soaring to my head. They grasped the sides of my head and pulled.

Blood curdling screams echo around the bleak room. It was as if they were being torn limb from limb by an abhorrent creature. I then realized it was me. I was the prey screeching and crying for the tortue to end. I didn’t find relief.

Instead the venom swarm metaphorically split my skull in quarters. Raw energy gathered closely before skewering my brain.

“No, nononononono! Please! Make it stop!” I howled.

I was immobilized. The drug I injected with hasn’t worn off. I couldn’t curl up to stave the pain away. I lay, staring at a black ceiling.

“I think we have quite a few more sessions before I can “make it stop”, my dear.” King Broderick concluded.

The venom swarm continued its jabbing and stabbing at my mind. The Demon King’s tricks at my trial were child’s play compared to this.

“Do you want this to end?” King Broderick asked with mock kindness.

“Make it stop! Please!” I begged.

“All you have to say is this…..”

“I, Helena Tafari, surrender my mind, body, and soul to you, King Broderick. My will is in your hands.” he says in demon tongue.

I froze because of what he offered. No.

“Then this pain shall last always.”