Page 68 of Challenged
“Reme?” Felix echoes, his eyes wide with fear. “What does this mean?”
“Is this a warning? A threat?” I whisper, my palms clammy as I try to make sense of the cryptic message.
My heart races, pounding in my chest like a caged animal fighting for its freedom. I know what I need to do. Taking a deep breath, I pull out my phone and dial Adelina’s number.
“Anna?” Adelina’s voice is frantic on the other end of the line. “Why hasn’t anyone called me? I just found out that Aksel was arrested! What the hell is going on?”
“Adelina, please, calm down.” I try to keep my own voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “We’re all just as shocked and worried as you are. We’re trying to figure this out and get Aksel out as soon as possible. I need your help, Adelina. Is there anything you’ve heard or seen that might give us a clue as to who’s behind this?”
There’s a brief pause, and I can almost hear her mind racing.
“Actually…yes,” she admits hesitantly. “I’ve heard whispers that the charge against Aksel was led by the council itself. Specifically the demon leader.”
“Reme?” I echo, my blood running cold at the confirmation of our worst fears. “Are you sure?”
“Positive,” she replies, her voice strained. “I don’t know why they’d target Aksel, but it’s definitely them.”
“Thanks, Adelina,” I say, my voice tight with emotion. “Stay safe and keep your ears open for any more information. We’ll be in touch.”
I clench the phone tightly in my hand, my heart pounding in my chest. This is it, the damning evidence we need to prove Aksel’s arrest is a farce. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what comes next.
“Adelina just confirmed that the demon leader is behind Aksel’s arrest,” I announce, unable to keep the edge from my voice as I relay the information.
“Damn,” Rion mutters, his fists tightening. “We have to get him out of there.”
“Alright,” Blaze says, his voice low and serious. “We need precision and stealth. Our best bet would be to sneak in and avoid detection.”
He’s taken over as leader while Aksel is gone but all the guys have stepped up.
“Leave that to me,” Felix replies, a hint of pride in his tone. “My contact has already provided us with a way in, an old service tunnel that’s no longer used. It’ll be tight and dark, but it should lead us right into the heart of the prison.”
“They’re a supernatural prison so we can’t rely on our powers.” Griffyn makes a good point.
We finalize the details of our plan and we plan to make our move tomorrow night. The thought of Aksel suffering at the hands of these people longer than that makes me sick.
Twenty Seven
Aksel
The damp stone beneath me leeches the warmth from my bones, each shiver a reminder of how far I’ve fallen. My breaths echo off the walls of this forsaken cell. They are siphoning my strength somehow, an invisible chain around my essence that tightens with every attempt I make to tap into my powers.
I’m not one for self-pity, but I can’t help it. I am the dark fae elder and I do not belong here.
Even in death, my father is screwing me over and destroying my life. I was meant to be done with him when Anna took his life.
The thought sobers me. Anna is the one who killed Joka. If I need to be here so she isn’t, then so be it.
A rattling at the bars pulls my gaze up. A guard stands there, a smirk playing across his lips as if he can taste my despair. He leans in closer, his face inches from the barrier between us.
“Enjoying your stay, Councilman Lenoir?” he mocks, and the title has never sounded more like a curse.
“More than you’d enjoy losing your job,” I snap back, though the threat feels hollow even to my ears. “Or have you forgotten who I am?”
“Hard to forget with all the paperwork your arrest is causing.” He chuckles, a sound devoid of genuine amusement. “But protocol seems… flexible when it comes to you.”
“Flexible enough to breach my rights?” My voice is a growl now, laced with anger. “I demand a phone call. A lawyer.”
“Demands?” The guard feigns a pout. “Now, now, we can’t have that sort of attitude.”
