Page 11 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse
I waited, holding my breath. A few seconds passed before I felt a gentle pressure on my hands. Very slowly, the pressure increased, guiding the blade downward. When the Queller was an inch from touching the manacles, I tensed, fear bubbling in my chest. What if I cut him? What if he died?
The force guiding my arms increased, canceling whatever opposition I’d mustered. My strength was nothing compared to that of the demon. The blade came into contact with the hellcuffs. The metal sizzled with light, illuminating Drevan’s wan features. His eyes were transfixed as he watched the Queller slowly cut through his restraints like a hot knife slicing through butter.
A mere instant after the blade touched the hellcuffs, my arms jerked back up, taking the sword away from Drevan. Holding our breaths, we both stared as the slash in the manacles widened, the metal melting with residual heat until both cuffs fell to the floor with a clank that echoed with finality.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he slumped back down, closed his eyes, and threw his head back as if offering thanks to the heavens. Though I doubted that was the case. He gingerly held his mangled wrists away from his body. The surrounding skin was red and bubbling with blisters. I turned away from the sight, occupying myself with sheathing the sword and examining the fragmented cuffs.
“I hope those are out of commission for good,” I said, pointing at the manacles with my high-tops.
“They will be once Phenog takes them and throws them in a pit of hellfire.”
In the next instant, the cuffs disappeared, and the air around us grew lighter, which I figured meant Phenog had left.
I paced in front of Drevan, scanning our surroundings. In the middle, where Drevan was reclining, there was a big box with an ornate lid. A vase full of withered flowers sat on top of it. Taking a step closer to the wall, I read a couple of plaques with names and dates.
“Is this a… tomb?” I asked.
“Possibly,” he said, without opening his eyes.
“Well, that’s creepy. Couldn’t she have taken us some place nicer? Like to that penthouse at The Mark Hotel, for instance?”
He chuckled. “She probably figured this place would be safe.”
I walked toward the arched door to my left. “Are we gonna be able to get out of here?”
“Don’t worry, once I’ve healed and gotten my strength back, I’ll be able to open any door.”
Facing him again, I examined his wrists once more and was surprised to discover the blisters were gone. They still looked red and horribly painful but better.
He peered up at me from his sitting position. A beam of light illuminated his angular face, making his dark hair shine blue-black. My heart ached just to look at his beauty. How could anyone be so perfect? His golden eyes searched my face. He appeared conflicted, confused.
After a long silence, he whispered a question I barely heard. “Why did you come?”
I shrugged. “Phenog gave me no choice.”
“That’s not true. She didn’t possess you, which means you were perfectly capable of exercising your free will. So let me ask you again, why did you come?”
Staring at the floor, I slowly unstrapped the sword’s scabbard from my back and deposited it next to Drevan. “She said I was the only one who could help you.”
“And why were you willing to help me… this time?” He had asked for my help before, and said I was meant to be the one to save the world with him. I’d refused him, and it seemed he was holding a grudge.
“Because she said your life was in danger, so…”
“And since when do you care about my life?”
I threw my hands up in the air. “What is this? An interrogation? Can’t you just be grateful I saved your ass?”
He scrubbed at his face and let out a heavy sigh. Slowly, he climbed to his feet, a hand on the tomb behind him. He seemed unsteady for a bit but quickly gained his stability. I was surprised to find that the red welts that had marked his torso had almost disappeared.
Eyes drilling into mine, he approached and stopped a mere inch away from me. I almost retreated against the wall but managed to hold my ground. I would not let him intimidate me, not with his fiery eyes, his otherworldly allure, or the sexy way he’d just licked his lips.
“I thought I would never see you again,” he said. ”I even got used to the idea.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble. You should train your minions better. She obviously disobeyed your orders. I’m sure there is someone else out there she could’ve recruited, some charming person who can wield a special weapon that also cuts through hellcuffs.”
“No one who would want to save me,” he said bitterly.
He raised a hand toward my face. Surprised by the sudden movement, I cringed. His hand froze in place for an instant, then moved closer. The back of his fingers caressed my cheek.
