A King's Seduction ✔️

THIRTY FIVE

Word Count: 1876

I go to follow Tai and the guards downstairs, where I know they are going to take Marek, but with one look down my body, I realise I need to change.

Shuddering with all the adrenaline pumping through my body, I shove some leggings onto my legs, and tear off my night dress, replacing it with a normal shirt. A million thoughts are flowing through my mind, questions that have no answers driving me nearly mad. Marek just handed himself in, giving himself over to Tai and Kailor like it means nothing to him. He has to have another plan...

All of the lights are dim, the hour of night stretching into very early morning. I stride down the stairs, circling around and around, heading toward the cells. There are only two cells total down there, and the condition of them is repulsive. My stomach twists as a tangy smell wafts up the stairwell as I walk.

Tai and Kailor's voices drift up the stairs as I get closer.

"All of those who have been feeding intel to him have been killed." That's Kailor's voice. My heart jumps into my throat, knowing their next intention will be to kill Marek. I would much rather Marek stay locked up here for as long as it takes for Vaia to be taken down, rather than for him to be killed.

Tai's voice is tense. "Was killing them really necessary?"

"What do you think it's going to happen to this bastard?" Kailor laughs gruffly. IN my mind, I can see him gesturing to Marek, who by now, should be waking up from the injection. Tai promised me they would administer another drug that would rouse him as soon as he was apprehended and put behind bars.

I come to the bottom of the stairs, the lights flicker. Down here, the air is dense and stuff, but ice cold, my bare arms aching. Tai and Kailor stand at the entrance of the room, which beyond, contains the cell Marek will be being held in.

Tai doesn't flinch at the sight of me, suspecting I would want to witness this, a grim sense of irritation settling over him. "Akara, you shouldn't be down here."

"I want to watch the interrogation," I breathe, my hand bracing on the icy cold concrete wall next to me.

"I can hear you," a voice calls out from around the corner. Marek. "Not so subtle, huh?"

Tai meets my gaze, shaking his head slowly. He's upset I'm down here, but he expected nothing less, and isn't about to tell me to walk back up the stairs, knowing I'll just refuse. And with Marek sitting in his cell, a smirk likely plastered across his face, risking arguing wouldn't help any of us right now.

"Don't give him the satisfaction," Tai murmurs under his breath, emerald eyes blazing.

I nod mutely, exchanging a glance with Kailor. He rolls his eyes, brushing past me and into the jail room. I follow, Tai behind me. My eyes fall immediately on Marek, who stands at the end of the cell, leaning his back against the concrete wall, arms crossed over his chest. He recovered from the serum he administered to himself very quickly.

"If you think I'm going to say a single word to you, Kailor, you're really as old as you look," he mutters sourly, nothing but contempt in his eyes as he stares down the King. I'm not sure how familiar they are with each other, if they have ever met before.

Kailor glowers at him, but for once, remains silent.

"I'll question him," I voice. Marek isn't going to say a word to Kailor of Tai, not unless he gets something out of them. "You know how much I hate him, he won't be getting away with anything."

Kailor reads Tai's face, convinced he is going to let me question Marek, so he turns on his heel and walks up the stairs, not looking back. I frown. He's not intimidated by Marek, is he? He seems perfectly okay leaving us to deal with him.