Chasing Blue- The Final Saga (Book 4)

Chapter 29: Stay Alive

"I told you we should have finished him off when we had a chance. He probably has a following with him waiting in the alleyways somewhere." The hooded man took off his hood before stealing a sip of wine. "They will find us," he warned.

"But we do not know that...at least for certain, Sergius," Maximus countered, picking up his goblet. "I need to find out for myself before I make a hasty decision," he added. I could hear him gulp down his wine, before slamming it against the table.

"So you hired me for what again?"

"Shhh," Maximus hushed.

"Let him hear!" his companion mumbled. "If it was up to me I would have cut his throat and been done with this game of chase once and for all." A hollow laugh bellowed from his throat. I gulped down a panicked breath. I waited for the footsteps to grow distant before cracking my eyelids. Where was I? I patted my chest only to feel cold flesh where my garment once concealed. What happened to my tunic? I looked to find my sheath only to find loincloth instead. Another cool mist blowing from the broken shutters left me shivering. If they didn't kill me the elements would.

They retreated off to the corner of the room to speak in hushed tones. They must have known I was still alive. While they sipped on their wine, they discussed the best way to eliminate me. Despite beating me to a pulp I was still a threat. Reduced to nothing but a piece in their game, I was due to be eliminated. My best bet for survival was to play dead. That shouldn't be too hard.

"Troy. You know why you are here?" I recognized Maximus distinct voice as his footsteps neared the table. I remained silent. "Do you know why I didn't kill you?" I remained silent, lying still on the table. I sucked in a breath, hoping to slow my racing heart. "Are you going to keep ignoring me?" he continued in an expressionless tone.

"He is either dead or he is playing deaf, if you ask me," the other fellow grumbled.

"Well that does us no good if he is dead," Maximus replied. His cool hands rested over my bare chest, attempting to detect the slightest pulse from my beating heart. When those cold hands found a pulse my blood turned to ice. Then the sensation of fingernails scratching my skin turned metallic below the neck. I started to shake as the blade broke skin. I gasped, before squirming away from his blade. Wake me up! The words threatened to burst into a scream.

Hot tears stung my eyes, as my fingernails clawed into the fibers of the table. I felt so helpless being chained to the table like a goat ready to be slaughtered. I knew they were staring at me like I was raw meat ready to be devoured. The knife began to tear its way down—

"Stop! Let him alone. He is perfectly responsive now," Maximus said. I opened my eyes to see Maximus motioning for Sergius to put away his blade. I looked at my chest, the sliver now oozing with blood.

He smiled at me as if he was being rewarded for torturing me. "You are in good hands." What? How could I possibly be in good hands?

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice rising in tempo. "Why did you not kill me?"

"Troy I do not want to kill you. I want to spare you. Really I do," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"So you beat me half to death, steal my clothes, and tie me to a table like I am your sacrifice. You spared me only to wake up to a nightmare! What kind of twisted game is this to you?"

"Don't worry, Troy," he emphasized. "I have a feeling you will not be waking up from this dream. The reason I am sparing your soul is because I have questions and you have answers," he said jabbing his finger in my raw wound. "And you are going to help me find whoever else is with you in this city."