For Him

16. Lingering Terror

Maxi's eyes hurt painfully as she stared at the burning flames that crackled before her, despite the dangerous man several feet from her, uncaring if she was awake but she was bound with her hands in front of her, obviously so he could make sure she wouldn't try and undo them herself and she wasn't stupid enough to wander into the woods in the dead of the night, especially with her mana low from not having eaten or drank in anything the last few days. Travel had been slow and she had a feeling he was dragging her along slowly to drain her down for his own risk.

Clever.

But if Maxi had to, she'd defend herself at any point and she was in the vicinity of a viper. He'd kill her even if there was better prize awaiting him with her being brought alive. And Maxi had no plans on dying anytime soon. She just had to bare with what was going to happen...

Play the game.

She just had to be patient no matter what and hope everything would be alright.

Unless...

"I've played this game many times."

She closed her eyes, swallowing tightly at his slow words creeping towards her and she shivered, wishing she had a coat with her but she wouldn't dare ask for anything. Asking for anything just felt wrong now. She was stronger afterall.

"But I must say, your both a first pair in the game that turned the odds around and I must say I'm always invested in changes in the game."

"I don't know w-what you m-mean." Maxi kept her voice low and calm, keeping her knees to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them.

"Your fathers political games have gotten more callous, even I wonder if he is sane but I guess when that husband of yours drove him mad with fury and terror, something must've snapped in him. Poor souls having to bargain away and they'd readily sell others for their own gain."

Maxi didn't say anything, keeping her eyes on him and the fire and he stood up, throwing a stick in the flames as he wandered around the fire casually and slowly.

"And your husband is a first." He grinned in the flames, his dead eyes coming alight with fire and Maxi felt sick. "Please save her, he said. He doesn't strike me as a man to beg or plead but he would for you. That's new." Her palm stung as her nails dug in deeply in her skin as she kept herself still. "Would you have done the same thing for him-"

"Yes." Maxi answered without hesitation, not needing a moment to deliberate. She'd fight for him like he would do for. How many times in their time together had he suffered, fought for her? She'd do the same over and over because he was her everything.

"I'd doubt it usually but for once, I don't doubt it. Loyalty, I admire. But it's wishy-washy at best. Finding true loyalty is sparse. I even trusted those who stood with me and died at the hands of your husband. I can admire that."

Maxi blinked slowly, staring at the flames blankly before turning her head to look at him vaguely before her eyes narrowed as she gave him cold expression, almost sneering at him.

"And y-yet it is y-you who does n-not have...l-loyalty. You d-didn't fight, p-preferring to h-hide like a-a-a coward in the woods. Those w-who gave their...loyalty to you and my father, was f-foolish. You p-planned it out w-with Rob M-Midahas, but he f-failed-"

"Yes. He failed. But it was amusement for me. Either way, it allowed me to see what I was getting into." He sneered in disgust but as he leaned in, Maxi grew tense at the approaching viper and the sickening stench that followed him. "I must admit, you tricking the men and the werewolves was clever. Taking a numbing agent at your own risk was...well, I'm usually quick to catch on but for once you caught me off guard. I was quite impressed at your risk but it was unfounded. Either way, this ends bad for both of you."