“I decide what is important, Aurelius. Not you.” The prince said. “Kataramenos will return. We have his beloved brother,” he sneered, gesturing to a corner. “He won’t go anywhere without him.”
I followed his gesture and saw Luke, arms bound behind him. He was being held in a corner, two men on either side of him. He was panting in pain, and barely able to keep his feet. Both men were concentrating their attention on him, probably Elusian. Despite that, I felt the ground trembling beneath us. It looked as though it were taking several of the Elusians to keep him under control, and even so, their grip was tenuous.
Maalik couldn’t have any idea of the power he was playing with. I had received a demonstration of Luke’s power and I wouldn’t want to ever get on his bad side. I’m not sure even Elex knew what his brother was capable of. The thought of what would happen if he released his power with us so far beneath the earth was terrifying.
To my relief, I saw Betts and Tik near Luke. She was on her feet, but a bruise was already purpling her forehead. She had her own contingent of Elusians focusing on her. As a natural Dual Mageia, Betts had a small amount of immunity to the Suppression ability of the Elusians, but with no Soma to guard her she was still vulnerable to physical attacks.
Tik was at her side, his head down, hands forward in a symbol of supplication. The kid looked terrified, and I couldn’t blame him. This was pretty much his worst nightmare.
The prince moved away from where Aurelius was struggling back to his feet, his cheek a livid red where he had been punched.
The man next to him, the older one with the silver hair paced the prince.
“This is the bitch who killed so many of our men?” demanded Maalik.
“Yes, sir,” the man said. “She is remarkably powerful and seems to wield both Fire and Water magic.”
“Freak,” Maalik sniffed.
“Go fuck yourself,” Betts snapped.
Maalik’s eyes narrowed, and my heart sank.
Betts, just keep your mouth shut! I thought, but my little sister never did what I wanted her to.
“You are a slimy piece of filth. Go drag yourself back to whatever Alexandrian hole you crawled out of,” she spat.
Maalik’s face reddened.
“I’ll teach you the proper use of that mouth, Mageian bitch,” Maalik said, his hand flying forward in a punch to the gut.
Betts doubled over, gasping, her head striking the floor with a sickening thunk, and my sight went red. Without conscious thought, I felt my power begin flowing over me. There was no time to go back and get Elex.
Maalik grabbed her hair, jerking her forward.
“You’ll learn your place, Mageian whore. I’ll show you what it’s like to fuck with a real man,” he said.
He dragged her forward, swinging her forward toward one of the cots.
“Prince Maalik,” the older man at his side slid between them. “Your father gave specific orders that our Mageia were supposed to be returned in… acceptable condition.”
“Well she’s not one of our Mageia, is she now, Allard? She’s a goddamn Illyrian,” he replied sharply, an evil grin spreading across his face. “That makes her fair game.”
The man looked at him, a deep sadness in his gaze.
“Do you know why your father sent me to the Legion to serve with you?” Allard asked as Maalik tried to push past him.
“I really don’t give a fuck, Allard. Get out of my way,” he growled.
“He wanted me to try and turn you into a man. Someone worthy of respect. Someone who might, one day, inherit his throne and help make the world a better place,” Allard continued as if he hadn’t heard Maalik. “I’ve had to admit, though, I can’t do it. I can’t make you something you’re not.”
A blade flashed toward Maalik’s unprotected throat. The prince barely had time to gasp as Allard moved, and I thought it might all be over. Then Allard’s blow froze, as if caught by an invisible hand.
“You dare strike our Prince?” Aurelius demanded as he sucker punched Allard in the kidney. His pet Mageia stood at his side, her power concentrating on Allard.
The older man went down to one knee, but from the blaze of his eyes he was obviously far from out of the fight.
Maalik’s eyes were wide and white, terror clear as he realized how close he had come to having Allard’s blade in his neck.
