Page 93 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
“Claire!” I scream down the hall. “Where are you?”
It’s Blaire,one of the smart-ass beasts in me whispers.
She’s important to Rhianelle,fucker chastises me.Do better.
He is absolutely right. Nel was so worried for her friend’s safety that she was having nightmares. I recall her fragile form, trembling like a leaf in her sleep. It furthers my resolve that this girl, ‘Blaire’ must be recovered as soon as possible.
“Blaire!”
Nothing but the darkness of the tunnel echoes back in answer. My steps are silent and fast as I move down the hall past the empty cells. There is no sign of life in this rotten place. I’ve been fooled by the bastard orc. Perhaps this place is not even a prison. But the nail scrapping marks decorating the walls say otherwise.
I keep on exploring until I find the source of the foul smell in the dungeon. Multiple inmates are nailed to the wooden poles along the wall for torture. Most of the plastered males are orcs, but things are not looking good for Rhianelle’s friend.
“Blaire!” I quicken my pace, secretly wishing I don’t find the girl in this godforsaken jail.
“Wait.”
A deep voice accosts me in the dark.
It belongs to one of the corpses tormented on the pole. I study the orc chained to the wooden shaft, his body is covered in wounds and bandages. I don’t have the ability to commune with the dead the way Han does, but I can sense when a person is standing on death’s door.
This orc is not there yet. He’s close though.
“Blaire… What do you want with her?” he asks weakly, his voice hoarse and parched.
I can tell he wants to kill me as he scrutinizes me through his narrowed eyes. For what? For mentioning the maiden’s name? How peculiar of this near-dead creature.
I don’t know why I bother answering him. “The girl is a friend of my wife.”
It feels good saying that out loud. My wife. Mine. A smile finds its way to my face even in the darkest of places, all because of my darling Nel.
“Are you here to save her?” The orc rasps, crashing my thoughts. The hopeful tone in his voice takes me slightly off guard.
“Yes,” I answer him true.
I almost bestow him the gift of a quick death when he suddenly says, “Release me.”
I quirk an eyebrow at the request.
He grunts from his pain, his face pale and gaunt. “I can help you find her.”
The bastard could be saying anything just to get out of this shithole. I allow myself a shred of pity as I look at the orc. The sight of him in those heavy chains reminds me of my own imprisonment in the labyrinth.
Against my better judgement, I slash the bindings around his limbs. Maybe Rhianelle’s sentimentality is rubbing off on me.
The orc gathers himself from the floor with great difficulty. He wears a brown tabard over a white shirt and black pants tucked into his tall boots. His clothing is no different from the rest of the rowdy bastards I met upstairs. Yet, there is a strange air around him, one I can’t quite place.
“You have my thanks. My name is Vayne.” The cultured male offers me his hand. I don’t bother taking it.
I almost rush him to find the girl despite his injuries, but it appears there won’t be a need to push him when the guy sprints right past me.
“I saw them moving her to the third floor. It’s right this way,” he says, hurrying down the tunnel. This orc seems to have a greater motivation than me to rescue Blaire.
“You saw her?” I clarify.
He nods.
“Alive?”
