Below the Peak (Sola)(53)
“We came here in peace, and we would like to leave the same way,” the prince said, his words sending off alarm bells in Nara’s head.
The air in the room churned heavily, darker and dangerous as if something horrible was about to happen. The calm before the storm. Perhaps the king had gone too far snapping at him. Who knows what he might do? Nara hoped the king would realize he was trailing in dead waters against the elf. To her dismay, the king lashed and spat again “You are wrong if you thought walking in here with your cronies would scare us, it’d make us tremble and hand over whatever you demand from us! A savage is what you are, just like your brother. It seems death is the only leash for your kind!” Everything stilled in the hall to the point Nara could hear herself breathing. The king blanched, realizing he had crossed over the line. Too late to retract his words, it happened too fast, so fast no one saw it coming.
Chapter Eighteen.
Nara’s mouth dropped with shock as she took everything in. The sentinels sprawled on the floor disarmed and knocked out by Finn. The General pinned on the wall with his feet dangling from the floor as the female elf hand tightly wringed his throat, his features and neck ruddy while the lady elf’s other hand pointed the sharp tip of the blade at the hollow of Barra’s throat, who harshly glowered back at his capture. Nara shifted her eyes to the other two elves, they had disarmed Risa and the three guards who flanked the king. Her gaze moved to the prince who hadn’t moved from where he was standing. The mage stood two feet away from the prince, wedged, the hood hiding soulless eyes staring at the ground lifelessly.
Nara had never seen such violence in anyone eyes as the one she was now seeing on the prince’s; it made her shudder to the core. His skin was taut making his face more sharp and harsh. His green eyes darkly vibrant and sinister. A wringed sob had Nara shifting her gaze to the high end of the table. Real terror kicked in when she beheld the king and queen. The queen held one of the carving forks that was on the table prodding the king’s throat whereas the king had the fillet knife pressed to the center of her left breast inching closer and closer to tear the beautiful garments she wore and pierce her flesh straight to her heart. Tears profusely fell from the queens redden eyes, trailed and run over flushed cheeks. The hand which she held the fork trembled.
What in the gods did he do to them?
Fear gripped her. She searched for her family.
Her father and mother had gone stone cold, clear dread displayed on their features at the same time Ingrid was quietly sobbing with her eyes squeezed shut. She noted they were holding each other's hand, wishing she was not separated by the paled lord who sat between them. She was slightly relieved when she ran her gaze over them for any sign of injury and found none, afraid they had also been harmed. Apart from the king, queen, mage, Risa, the guards, Barra and the General no other person appeared to have been physically hurt in some way. Lest the elves tried to hurt her family or her, she would not allow it. Daring herself even though she was terrified, her fingers reached out for the steak knife she had placed earlier on the silver round plate with meat delicacies. She would fight to her last breath against the elves if it promised and gave her family a chance to leave this room alive. Her steady hand faltered and almost dropped the knife when she heard the prince’s voice.
“Now we are going to do this my way.” The prince said in a matter of fact tone. “Tell your mage here to unveil the well, and we will be on our merry way.” Calemir regarded the distraught king, who had turned deathly pale and was sweating with each passing second as the fork dug and needled deeper into his neck threatening to cut his jugular. Luckily it elicited no drop of blood and his wife’s sobs assaulting his ears were the only things keeping him from fainting.
“Huh…” the king croaked, his face twisted painfully as if he was struggling hard against something before looking at the prince dead in the eye. “No.”
Calemir’s mouth thinned.
“Kill me if you have to, but that won’t change a thing” the king choked, holding his chin high and still as he felt a trickle of blood from the small puncture the sharp inch of the fork just made on his throat.
No one dared to move, guards remained frozen where they stood and did nothing to help the king. Fear had grounded everyone. As if recovering from a trance, the mage’s head snapped up.
“Reveal the well” the prince commanded the mage.
“I cannot” the mage shook his head.
Growling, the prince inched closer to the mage.
“Don’t bother threatening him, the half breed is bounded by oath not to reveal it unless I say so. You know what happens when one goes behind their given word elf?” the king taunted.
Furious, Calemir ripped the hood hiding the mage’s face back and stared at the creature. Half human and half elf. It bared similarities with his kind eerily, features nearly beautiful as the pure ones except for the tip of its ears were much shorter and pointed outward, its form less tall and leaner. Nara watched the prince study the mage. She couldn’t help feeling a tremor of fear for his life. A half breed elf was considered an abomination by the elves. They were not taken kindly by their kin. Instead, the prince scoffed and ignored the mage by returning his attention back to the table. Looking at the king, she felt something she never thought he could make her feel. Admiration. For once in his life, king Lorenz kept his life forward for his people. He had the elf where he wanted him, it didn’t matter if he got killed, the elves couldn’t get to the well. A terrific plan. What he lacked in strength he made up with his diabolical mind.