Page 8 of Captive Heart

Nindre scoffs again, her voice dripping with disdain. "And how do you propose we extract this information from them?" she asks. "They are weak and frail, hardly capable of withstanding our interrogation methods."

I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to snap back at her. Instead, I focus on the Elder, who still seems to be mulling over my proposal. "We can be... smarter," I say, choosing my words carefully. "There are ways of extracting information without causing unnecessary harm."

The Elder regards me with a thoughtful expression, and for a moment, I think I've won him over. But then he turns to Nindre, his gaze cold and calculating. "What do you think, Nindre?" he asks. "Do you believe these humans could be of use to us?"

Nindre hesitates, her eyes flicking between the Elder and me. I can see the conflict in her expression - she wants to please the Elder, but she also wants to see the humans suffer.

"I think Zoldryn has gone soft," she says, eyes gleaming.

What a strange way to show your affection for someone.

I square my shoulders and meet Nindre's gaze head-on. "I have not gone soft," I say firmly. "I am simply being practical. The Hearthkeeper created us to rid the world of the vrakken, and yet we have been unsuccessful. These creatures have lived out in Protheka and are still alive. They could have valuable information to share on the vrakken and their weaknesses."

Nindre scoffs, but I can see a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "And what makes you think they would willingly share this information with us?" she asks.

"I never said it would have to be willingly," I reply.

The Elder regards me with a thoughtful expression. "This is an interesting proposition, Zoldryn," he says. "But how do we know we can trust these humans? They are not like us."

"We can't know for certain," I admit. "But we can take precautions. We can keep them under guard, and only allow them to speak to certain members of our community. We can also use our magic to detect any lies or deception."

Nindre rolls her eyes. "This is ridiculous," she says. "We are wasting our time on these weak creatures when we could be focusing on more important matters."

I clench my fists, feeling a surge of anger. "And what could be more important than finding a way to defeat the vrakken?" I ask. "They are a threat to all of us, and we cannot afford to ignore any potential advantage."

The Elder nods slowly. "Zoldryn makes a valid point, Nindre," he says. "Bring in the survivors for judgment."

I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that the Elder has at least agreed to see them. My only hope is that he doesn't sense the level of power in the human girl that I do.

The chained survivors are brought forth, and my eyes immediately land on the frail human female. She looks even more fragile than before, her body trembling with fear as she struggles against her restraints. But despite her weak appearance, I can sense an immense power within her. It's like a beacon, drawing me in and making me wonder how such a pathetic creature could possess such strength.

I study her closely, trying to discern the source of her magic. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before, a raw and untamed energy that seems to pulse through her very being. I can't help but feel a sense of awe and fascination, mixed with a healthy dose of caution.

The elf sailor and the boy are brought forward as well, the only other survivor among countless corpses, but I barely spare them a glance. They're not important, not compared to the female. She's the one who could hold the key to my future reign, the one who can put me on the throne.

7

LYRA

Istand before a sea of horned monsters, their eyes burning into me like hot coals. My heart races as I take in their features, each one more terrifying than the last. Well, they would be if not for the fact that many of them are as bare as the day they were born.

It's the creature on the throne that truly terrifies. He's massive, with horns that curl like a ram's and eyes that glow like molten gold. He's magnificent and terrifying all at once, and I can't help but feel like a mouse caught in the gaze of a hawk. I feel like I'm back on that ship, the storm raging around me as I cling to the chest for dear life.

As I scan the room, my eyes land on a figure that sends a chill down my spine. It's the winged beast from my nightmare, its eyes locked on mine with an intensity that makes my knees weak. He is… but he isn't. The beast that carried me was a beast but this… this is a man. Sort of.

His long black hair hangs down, doing nothing to hide the fact that he is as naked as the rest of the room. My cheeks flush with a new kind of heat when my eyes drop below his waist, and I realize that hardly anything would be able to cover something of that size.

The creature on the throne speaks, his voice like thunder rumbling through the room. "Who are you, and why have you come here?"

I swallow hard, trying to find my voice. "I-I'm Lyra. I was on a merchant ship that was caught in a storm. I don't know how I ended up here."

The creature's eyes narrow, and I can feel his anger radiating off of him in waves. "You lie. You are a spy, sent by our enemies to infiltrate our ranks."

I shake my head frantically, trying to deny his accusations. "No, I swear. I don't know anything about your enemies."

The beast from my dream steps forward, its eyes dark as it towers over me. "She speaks the truth," it says, its voice low and menacing. "I can sense it."

I'm starting to understand that it wasn't a dream at all.

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