Page 66 of Over the Emerald Valley
Temaj cringed. Neku squeezed his hand.
Blood trickled from the wound. Abasi dangled it over Solon’s mouth. With his other hand, he pried Solon’s jaws apart.
Either Solon couldn’t resist, or he’d chosen not to because, as the crimson droplets fell onto his tongue, he swallowed.
Temaj resisted the urge to go to him. To stop this madness. He forced himself to stay put and bear witness to the atrocity. So this was the work of demons?Please let it be successful.Otherwise, Solon would surely die. His skin was ghostly white, his lips nearly pale as his flesh—both now splattered with red.
Somewhere in the distance, theplunk plunk plunkof water created a sickening echo to the silentdrip drip dripof Abasi’s wrist. In the sinister quiet, Temaj heard Solon’s throat as he swallowed. He watched his Adam’s apple bob with each gulp of burgundy fluid.
Neku recoiled. Then, as if possessed by some new strength, Solon’s fists raised from where they’d lain and clenched Abasi’s wrist with abandon. He held the viceroy’s arm against his mouth, wrapped his lips around the wound, and sucked.
Temaj stood frozen at the site.
Was this still his Solon? Or was this some new creature? A demon? Part of him was afraid to find out.
Abasi grimaced. It must hurt. Good. That was the least he deserved.
Would this be Temaj’s job now? Feeding Solon. Straight from a bed slave to a blood slave? How badly would it hurt when Solon bit him?
Fear fizzled up his spine, tightened his throat, and constricted his breathing. He grew lightheaded and leaned on Neku for support as questions and fears multiplied in his mind.
The stone walls felt too close, the earth over their heads too heavy, and the room too dark. Temaj’s heart pounded ever faster as his panic rose. Though it was cool beneath the ground, he grew warm. Sweat beaded on his forehead.
Solon’s lids flashed open, revealing brown irises that sparkled like jewels. His fingernails dug circles into Abasi’s arm as he drank. The longer the moment stretched, the more the horror intensified.
And yet Temaj longed to go to him. To kneel at Solon’s side and make sure he was still the man he’d come to know. But with Abasi hovering, fangs bared, expression full of triumphant zeal, Temaj remained huddled close to Neku, terrified to move.
“Stop now.” Abasi tried to pull his arm away, but Solon clung tight, refusing to release it. “You’ve had enough. Stop.”
Solon growled, the sound hurtling from his throat like the roar of an animal fighting for its life. The mad swallowing continued, growing loud, a sucking squelch that made Temaj want to vomit.
Blood leaked from the side of Solon’s mouth down his face.
Abasi struggled, using his free hand to pry Solon’s fingers off him. “Enough!”
Solon refused to let go, and somehow, he was now strong enough to give Abasi proper resistance.
Neku squeezed Temaj’s hand, snagging his attention, and mouthed. “We attack while he’s weak. On three. Ready?”
Fear spiraled, churning his guts, but Temaj ignored it. He wouldn’t give up what might be their best opportunity to defeat the viceroy. He nodded and released Neku’s hand.
Neku mouthed, “One, two, three.”
They sprang to action—Neku with the dagger and Temaj lunging for Abasi’s free arm. If he held tight to it with his whole body, Abasi would be vulnerable.
Temaj grabbed the meaty biceps and clung, using his entire weight to keep it pinned.
A howling screech pierced the air. Abasi struggled, wrenching away but unable to get far with the three of them on him at once.
Temaj was dashed against the stones, but he didn’t let go of Abasi’s arm. Solon’s face flashed into his line of sight, feral, covered in blood, sharp teeth just like Abasi’s gleaming from his open mouth as he snarled.
Frightened, Temaj squinted his eyes shut, but he couldn’t close his ears.
Sounds that would haunt him forever erupted, Abasi’s wail of agony, the ripping and tearing of flesh, the grunts of Neku, and the slashing of the dagger.
Temaj lost his grip on Abasi in the struggle and was flung aside. His head slammed to the stones.
Silence.
