Page 45 of Eldritch
“Of course you don’t. I was probably one of many boys you punished.” Kazhimyr ran his finger over the thicker end of the icicle speared through what he estimated to be the soldier’s heart. “I was powerless back then.”
Breath sawed in and out of the man.
“I could offer you a merciful death,” Kazhimyr said coldly. “One cold blast, and you’d easily split like a ruptured blister. Wouldn’t even feel it. Or I can leave you to suffer for however long it takes for you to die.”
“P-P-Pl-Please,” he rasped between shallow breaths. “Make it…quick!”
Kazhimyr drew in a deep breath and sighed. “No.” He chuckled and, sensing the approach of something from behind, turned to see two milky white eyes staring back at him just a few yards away. Squatty build. Flat nose. Boggyr. “Balls of Castero…look what the wind blew in. He looks hungry. Probably hasn’t eaten a decent meal in a while.”
The soldier grunted and coughed, spewing blood onto Kazhimyr’s leathers.
“Where is Prince Dorjan?”
“I don’t…know.”
“I don’t believe that.” A roar echoed through the bog, and Kazhimyr turned to see the Boggyr stalking toward them on all fours.
“Pl-ease!” The soldier’s voice cracked. “Kill…me!”
“Where is Prince Dorjan?”
“I’m…telling…the…tru—!” His words were cut short by a cough that sent a glob of blood spilling down his chin.
“Are you?” Kazhimyr glanced over his shoulder at the Boggyr that drew in closer.
“I…do not…know!”
“That’s a shame. I imagine Boggyrs like to start with the exposed flesh, and he’ll just sort of squeeze his way into the armor, eating you from the inside.”
The soldier let out a whimper. “I swear…no one…told me…about the prince.”
“Then, I’m wasting my time entirely.” Without another word, Kazhimyr strode up the path after Ravezio.
“No…wait! Please!”
Screams echoed through the gorge behind him.
Kazhimyr pushed through the heavy doors, which groaned as they opened in on Eidolon’s dark foyer. A stagnant chill lingered in the air, the thud of his boots bouncing off the cold stones when he entered. While the castle had never been warm and inviting, at least the ordinarily lit candles and chandeliers had always given it some life. Everywhere he looked held nothing but shadows and an eerie silence.
The light from outside illuminated lanterns left out on a console table, and Kazhimyr strode toward them. Using matchescontained inside a small glass vase, he lit them, their soft flicker casting more shadows on the wall.
The ward surrounding the castle that typically sent a soft hum through his muscles could no longer be sensed. And while ordinarily docile toward the two Letalisz, the firedrakes that prowled the outside of the castle had damned near tried to consume them as a result, and might have, if not for Ravezio leading them back to the stables where the food was kept. Clearly, they hadn’t been fed in a few days.
Kazhimyr swept through the first level of the castle, eyes peeled for Magdah, Vendryck or Rykaia, who might’ve been stirring about.
Each room he scoured was empty.
He headed down into the castle’s dungeon in search of Dolion, but found no sign of the mage there. By the time he’d pored through each of the cells, Ravezio had caught up to him, his own lantern in hand.
“No one on the upper levels,” he said. “Checked Zevander’s office—no sign of him there.”
“Where the hell did everyone go?”
A hard thump to the left of them had both Letalisz turning to see the chained door on the floor.
“Rock, paper, scissors?” Ravezio chuckled, tapping his fingers together.
Kazhimyr groaned. “I’ll do it.” He strode toward the small alcove and swiped up the key from the wall. Kneeling beside the door, he unlocked and flipped it open, quickly stepping back for anything that might’ve jumped out at him.
