Akiri: The Scepter of Xarbaal by Anderson Brian D. & Savile Steven

Author:Anderson, Brian D. & Savile, Steven [Anderson, Brian D.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Longfire Press
Published: 2016-10-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

When the stirrings of consciousness returned, the first thing Akiri heard was the sound of rats scurrying about. He breathed in cold, dank air filled with the stench of decay and death, and as his sight gradually returned, he could make out that he was inside a room with a single door. The dull gray of the stone, the rusted chains, the desiccated excrement shoved into the corners – everything about the cellar confirmed its true nature as a prison.

He had been chained to the wall with his hands stretched up over his head. The tips of his fingers soon confirmed that he had been secured with Sylfari shackles. Apart from literally ripping off his own hands, there was no possible way to break free from them.

That he still lived suggested that Tuvarius must have plans for him, and considering the situation, those plans included torture. Not that it would serve any purpose. No amount of pain would make him betray his king.

The door opened, and a figure wearing a crimson robe entered. Though the hood was pulled up and hid his visitor’s features, the scent of her perfume told him at once that it was Queen Chelia. She stood in silence just inside the doorway for a full minute before turning away and leaving.

He wondered what thoughts had passed through her mind as she looked upon him. There was no doubt that he felt some regret for the trouble he must surely have caused her. She was a woman of deep passion, and by far the most skilled lover he had ever been with. But ultimately, she had merely been a means to an end. It was important to remember that. He could not allow his emotions to cloud his mind.

Several more hours passed before the door opened again. This time it was Tuvarius. After placing a lantern in the center of the cell, he stood there regarding Akiri closely in the dim light.

“You have the look of your mother,” he eventually remarked. “But the spirit of your father.”

“Whatever you came here to do, just get on with it,” Akiri told him defiantly.

“In time.” Tuvarius shook his head and chuckled. “I have to admit that when my wards told me you had entered the palace, I was most surprised to find you in the company of the queen. Trust me when I say that she was none too pleased to discover who you really are. It has taken no small measure of persuasion on my part to convince her that you should be allowed to keep your cock attached to your body. You must have shown her something very special indeed to have upset her so badly.” He waved a dismissive hand. “Little matter. She has no wish for her dear husband to find out about her secret rendezvous, so she will not trouble us any further.”

He crossed the room, his gaze probing deeply into Akiri’s eyes. “So much damage. I fear you may never regain what you have lost.

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