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“As entertaining as that would be, Cerberus, we must think of the bigger picture,” a grin curled upon his lips. “Once we’ve achieved everything that we’ve been charged with, we shall be rewarded pleasantly. Then, you may entertain yourselves in any which way you please. With whatever you please.”
His ochre slits slid to Miss Libby’s form.
“And you may start with this one,” Erebus licked his thin lips. “But first, we play the game.” He turned on his heel and side stepped, lifting his arm to motion for his pack of Demons to head toward the steel door.
They tugged Miss Libby and Derik, chaining them together, binding their ankles and wrists. They switched to Seth and followed suit, however, he remained unattached to the others. The Demons tugged on the chains, dragging each of them. Then trudged across the rug beneath their feet and through the steel doors. I slid in behind them.
The room in front of me was drastically different from the porcelain, clean-cut hall we had been in. Its walls consisted of mortar and stone. Weapons dotted the walls, ribbon strewn between them. A single gaudy throne sat in the center of the far wall. On an elevated platform, nonetheless.
Always with the theatrics.
The clanging of chains caught my attention. I scanned the monstrosity of a medieval impersonation, my eyes pausing upon Miss Erin Snow. She dangled from the ceiling, chained, fruitlessly attempting to yank herself free. As if she were able to break her restraints and run to Seth or the others. The look of pain and panic covered her face, possibly one of the worst things to allow oneself to do in the presence of any Demon. They thrived off of fear.
Worst of all, they lived for the hunt.
Erebus sauntered to where Seth lay in a heap. A little lesser Demon, an inconspicuous Imp, followed him. His minion snapped his fingers, calling forth a small blade. Miss Snow’s mouth moved and a growl erupted from her, making a threat to the two Demons.
Silly girl. They have you backed into a corner. Your words do nothing to them.
Erebus snapped his attention back to the girl. His foot made contact with Seth’s middle before prowling his way to where Miss Snow hung, still restrained.
Perhaps I was wrong. Interesting.
Miss Snow muttered a bout of profanity at Erebus. Then spat at him. I scowled.
You’ve done it now, Miss Snow.
A whip cracked, lashing her thigh.
I heard Seth rouse. He began to wake. Erebus unfortunately noticed as well, taking that moment to make himself scarce.
Odd.
The Imp moved to prop Seth into a kneeling position. His head tilted upward groggily. A moment passed before he registered where he was and what was happening. Another crack sounded, the whip cutting into Miss Snow’s side.
They were waiting.
Seth thrashed in his restraints. The perfect entrance for Erebus. He sauntered into the room once more, his scrutinizing gaze flicked between the two. Soaking in their reactions to one another. Seth rattled off mute threats in Erebus’s direction, giving him the exact reaction Erebus wanted.
Seth had played right into Erebus’s hands. He took his time, further building the fury between them. Using his tongue to make a ghastly point. I wasn’t interested in hearing his taunts. I crept over to where Miss Libby and Derik were lumped together. I released my power, lulling them from their Demon induced slumber, the one power of mine that could be of use to them in this moment.
I pulled an illusion around them, so as to not alert Erebus or his lackeys. Derik shot up. Eyes looking around wildly. Miss Libby, less animalistic, batted her eyelids open.
Derik was first to speak, after attempting to yank himself free, “What the hell happened. What’s going on?” His wild eyes landed on where Miss Snow dangled unconsciously near Erebus’s throne. He froze. Libby surveyed her surroundings, her back to Erin. She glanced over her shoulder, following Derik’s line of sight and let out a gasp.
I made quick work of their shackles. “We need to get out of here. I’m going to unchain you both. Then I need you to get to Seth and free him. I’ll hold the illusion. Once the three of you are up and ready to run, I’ll grab Miss Snow. Erebus should grow bored now that she’s unconscious,” Derik’s anger sizzled to the surface. “Follow my instructions. I will get us out of here alive. I had to wait for the opportunity to reveal itself in order forus to get her out of here,” Miss Libby gave me a wary look. “If the opportunity to wake you all and stop this madness sooner presented itself, I assure you, I would’ve taken it.”
Derik nodded, icily. He pulled Miss Libby behind him, crawling to where Seth knelt, awake, but paralyzed. His jaw slack and in utter shock. They began unshackling him, Derik thwacked the crown of his skull, gaining Seth’s attention and relayed the plan. Seth’s head turned in my direction, nodding, a plea in his moist eyes. I returned the movement and crept toward Miss Snow.
Erebus sauntered to his throne and flung himself into the cushioned seat. He swung his legs over the side, crossing them, feigning boredom. Seth remained sheathed under my illusion, as were Derik and Miss Libby. Erebus, none the wiser. “My, my. Now, look what I’ve had to do, Seth Draven. I’ve lost my entertainment for the night,” Erebus let out a heady laugh. “It was going to be quite the show, as I’m sure you could imagine.” The timbre of his implied threat boomed, his jagged teeth bared as he swept the tip of his tongue across them.
I illusioned for Seth to appear still chained to the floor, thrashing and devoured by rage. While truthfully, his face was fully encompassing his fury and bloodlust. He was now free of his restraints and moving swiftly toward where I was working furtively on the rope and chains from which Miss Snow had been bound. We worked simultaneously, unlatching the chains around her ankles first. Once they were cleared, Seth strained over head to free her from the other restraints. Her body twitched and began convulsing, the shackles stuck.
“Shit,” Seth swore under his breath.
“You must hurry, Draven. I’m unable to hold much longer. And we must get her out of here quickly before whatever power she’s attained unleashes on the two of us and deems this whole rescue completely futile and an absolute waste of our time.” Asthe last bit of what I had uttered reached his brain, Seth, brashly, curled his fist into my shirt, bringing his face less than an inch from my own.
“You get something fucking straight here,Josh,” he sneered, “I get that you think you’re better than the rest of us and honestly I don’t give a flying fuck. But you are undermycommand. And if you so much as even fuckingthinkthat saving Erin is a waste of time, consider yourself dead. That goes foranyof our people. Say that again, and I will end your sorry pretentious ass. Do I make myself clear?” Seth snarled. His chest heaving, blue flame permeating from his eyes.
