Continuation of "Dark Magic". Celeste's perspective.
Chapter One: The King of Nycene
My cell was dark and damp, hidden below the earth under the tower the state mages had taken me to after tying me up with magic and dragging me unceremoniously out of the Great Library.
I didn't know if Brian was alive or dead, or what had become of the Summoned, Maverick. One moment I was enjoying more orgasms than I had ever had at one time, the next, strange men had broken into the librarian, Gene's apartment and caught us completely unawares. I assumed they took The Source, maybe even killed Gene. But I didn't know. They had moved so quickly I barely had time to register that I had been captured until I was locked up.
Now I was chained by my ankle to a small wooden cot with a single, thin blanket which made up the entirety of the cell's furniture. A torch burned dimly in one corner, barely out of my reach, the only other light slanted in through the barred window of the locked door that led out of my prison.
Some guard stood just on the other side of this door. I could hear him shuffle his feet every once in a while, or clear his throat. I was a prisoner; a nymph's worst nightmare.
But at least I was clean. A mage had taken it upon himself to clear me of the evidence of Brian, Maverick, and I's lovemaking. For that one small kindness I was grudgingly grateful. Being in this cell, sticky with cum, while I waited for whatever came next would have been unbearable.
It was only after I had sat alone for hours, or what I assumed was hours, that I finally heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall of cells toward my own. There were at least three sets, all stepping out of rhythm with each other, drawing closer, until they stopped right outside my door. One male voice spoke to my guard, who grunted and unlocked the cell, his shadow obscuring the light through the bars momentarily.
When the door swung inward, three people entered. The first stood in the middle. He was tall and muscular, his elaborately designed green tunic with gold embroidery clung nicely to his sculpted frame, which I would have admired if he was not my captor. He had neatly trimmed, long brown hair and a thick, equally well groomed beard that covered his strong jaw. His eyes were sky blue and twinkled handsomely in the firelight cast by the torch. Clearly he was in charge.
The other two with him were mages judging by their lack of weapons. They wore plain green tunics with pale yellow breeches. Their faces were nondescript, and they stood back near the door while the taller man looked me over with an amused expression. I stood from the ground and stared back at him, trying to look taller even though his frame easily dwarfed my own.
"Do you know who I am?" the man asked in a deep, sexy baritone, the bass traveling straight to the area between my thighs.
"Should I?" I asked.
The man shrugged his broad shoulders nonchalantly, "I suppose not. Even my subjects would be hard pressed to recognize me in a crowd. I like to keep my distance. So it's no surprise that a little wood elf like yourself would have no idea who I was. I take no offense."
"Subjects?" I inquired, a sinking realization settling in the pit of my tummy.
"That's right," the man put his hands on his hips with arrogant pride, "My name is Alexander, King of Nycene and the Eastern Kingdom of the Feudal Continent. Soon the whole damn Continent if my troops would get their acts together."
"Pleased to meet you, your highness," I said with what I hoped was scathing distaste. Judging by the attitude Brian had toward the King of Nycene, I already had a predisposition to dislike him. He sounded like a royal fuck, and his arrogance was already chafing me the wrong way. Even though he was much more handsome than I had imagined.
"Check that attitude, elf," Alexander scolded, "Or you'll find that I am not very forgiving."
"I already knew that, thank you," I responded.
"Ah, right," the King nodded, "You've been traveling around with that anarchist, Brian. I'm sure he's told you all about the cruel Alexander. But did he tell you anything about he and his master? How they almost destroyed this entire city with their actions? I doubt it. A dark mage like him would never own up to his own mistakes. Blame the others. But I doubt that surprises you, he did leave you all alone to save his own skin after all."
Brian had certainly been keeping a secret from me, that was clear from our conversations, but he had never made any indication of what that secret was other than it involved his master and the King. I trusted Brian, though. And if he was an anarchist like the King claimed, then I was sure he had good reason for being so. As far as him abandoning me...
"He didn't tell me anything," I returned, "So whatever feud exists between you two is no concern of mine."
"Right, well, here's the thing," the King took a step toward me, and it was all I could do not to retreat backward, "Brian managed to escape and take that Summoned with him, leaving you behind. Now we want that dark mage alive, but have no clue where to find him," he took another step forward, his body now inches from mine, "And that's where you come in. And why I've made such lavish arraignments for you."
Alexander held up two fingers, and I was immediately seized at the upper arms by the two mages that had been standing at the doorway. They dragged me roughly backward to the far wall of the cell before yanking my arms up over my head. Cool metal clicked over each of my wrists before I was released, leaving me dangling from the wall by two heavy chains, the soles of my feet barely touching the ground. I did not like being in this vulnerable position, and was especially uncomfortable when the King approached me with a hungry grin split across his lips.
"I don't expect you to give up any information on Brian easily," he said, trailing the back of his fingers lightly across my cheek, "But I have ways to get it out of you. Ways that a nymph like you should enjoy very much."
I turned my face away, trying not to think about what he had in mind. He was right, though, I would not give up what little information on Brian I had easily. He was a friend, more than that, and it would take more than a little unwanted attention to get me to talk.
I hoped.
