Page 42 of Brighter Than Gold

“Watch your step,” Verosa said as she led us down a rough, stone staircase.

It was dank and damp the lower we went. Small torches flickered on sconces in the walls, and lit the space in an eerie light, creating long stretching shadows as we walked past. A foreboding feeling settled in my gut. Nothing good happened down here. I shot a glance back at Callan. His expression was guarded and alert.

Finally, we reached a heavy iron door. Verosa knocked and the booming sound echoed through the tunnels. We heard the creak and groan of someone opening the door from the inside and were soon following Verosa inside.

What we saw froze us in place.

Chapter9

Callan

“Welcome, my new friends!” Lazio said excitedly, twisting a knife in his hand. “Come in, come in!”

The room we’d entered was sizable, a heavy wooden table was at the back, and I could see various instruments laying on it. Lazio himself was shocking, his face splattered in blood. But nothing was more horrifying that the woman in the center of the room, arms stretched out and chained to either wall. Her head hung low as she knelt from the torture Lazio was delighting in.

Yates.

Reyah seemed frozen staring down at her, that haunted, hollow expression she’d adopted since losing the baby etch over her face. I wasn’t even sure if she realized who this was. I tugged her arm, turning her towards me so she didn’t have to keep looking at the monstrous things Lazio had done.

Blood ran in a steady stream from Yates’ swollen face into a thick puddle that had gathered beneath her. Her short hair was stained red, and I could make out several deep lacerations in her scalp. Her breathing was shallow and quick, and she may very well have been unconscious.

“What have you done?” I asked horror-stricken.

“So many unwanted guests coming down from the palace,” Lazio taunted, “so many people out searching for somegirl… and then this one comes along leading a small band of soldiers!” He pointed the blade of the knife towards Yates and gave a chuckle. “I couldn’t believe my luck!”

“Are you insane, Lazio? You’ve abducted a fucking Princess!” I yelled.Two actually,I thought, but wait…Yateswas the Princess I’d overheard Lazio’s men speaking about, not Reyah. Lazio still didn’t know who Reyah was…

There was a drop of relief in the ocean of panic that I was feeling. How the fuck was I going to get both of these women out?

Lazio sauntered over to a broken Yates. He viciously grabbed her hair and pulled her head up. My stomach turned seeing her like this, one eye swollen shut, cuts, bruises and a deep split in her lip. I know she would have fought hard.

“Wake up, Princess!” Lazio sung with a nasty slap to her cheek. The sound echoed through the stone room. “Reyah, turn to face me, my darling,” he said. “I want the Princess to take a good look at you.”

Reyah shook her head, not wanting to see any more of the horrible injuries Lazio had caused her.

“TURN AROUND!” he screamed.

With a shudder, she complied. She kept her eyes on the floor, unable to look at the woman who was now her sister-in-law, dying at our feet.

“Tell me Princess, is this the woman you’ve all been so busy searching for?”

I couldn’t tell whether Yates could even comprehend the man’s words, she looked far beyond coherent.

Lazio gave her head a rough shake. “Can you see her, or should I slice open your eye lid?”

She tried to speak, but nothing more than a gurgled rasp escaped her throat.

Reyah swayed, unsteady on her feet.

“IS SHE THE GIRL!” he yelled.

Yates’ lips moved and Lazio leaned in closer. “No,” she mouthed.

Lazio let her head drop, took the knife in his hand and slashed a long, slow cut into her forearm.

Yates could only muster a feeble jerk.

“You wouldn’t care then, if I killed her.”

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