Burning Bridges Never Hold

Ray'ven sighed in relief, she had finally made it to the lower levels where the cells were after encountering way more men than she had hoped, but now was the more difficult part.

Guards patrolled this area more frequently than the above floor and for the simple fact that she wasn't supposed to be there meant that she would have to take them out without drawing too much attention from the others.

Peeking her head around the corner, she spied one guard walking in her direction and she quickly ducked out of sight before he spotted her. She waited until he was just about to round the corner, taking a deep breath she attacked before he had a chance to react, hitting him in the throat to stun him, before wrapping her arm around it in a tight grip, cutting off his airway until his struggle lessened and he fell unconscious. Ray'ven lowered him to the floor quietly before sprinting around off down the corridor.

The next guard she came upon had his back to her, and she sped up her jog into a run. He turned as he heard her footsteps, but before he could call out, she leaped, smashing her knee into his face and he fell backwards, but before he could fall to the floor she caught him by the front of his shirt and lowered him gently.

She moved swiftly, using the shadows to blend and knocking any guard she came upon unconscious as she made her way deeper into the cellar, searching the many cells of her brother. Finally she found him in an isolated cell with his back to her.

"Bynx." She called out in a hushed whisper.

Bynx hadn't said a word, he remained with his back to the bars and his head slumped against his chest. Though moments later, a rough hand curved around Ray'ven's mouth and yanked her around the corner into the darkness of another corridor. When the strong arms turned her around, her gaze would land on Ja'ule.

He pressed his index finger against his lips. "Quiet," He said, evergreen eyes flashing dangerously beneath what little light the sconces permitted. Behind him, Bynx narrowed his eyes. The figure inside the cell had been a guard. "I'm proud you didn't break." The king of D'treroth added.

The plan had been this all along. Bynx would enter, expose himself while his father searched every inch of the tunnels running through the mountain, and then he'd bust him out and find Ray'ven. But of course she'd come for him, probably to see his lowly state.

She would've let him die. Bynx recalled when his father had come for him. The stern glare, hard lips and twisted face. He called him weak, a punk for breaking when Razmyr tortured him.

"As I knew, Ray'ven stayed strong even when your death was on the line. Yet you squealed like a pig being gutted."

"I was being gutted." Bynx had spat. "And you watched."

"Maybe you'll learn we don't have a choice."

His father did have a choice. He could've taken them all. "Now, Bynx. Don't fail me." Ja'ule said. "Again. Take my sword and take Ray'ven as a hostage. If Razmyr doesn't believe you, you cut deep across her collarbone. Don't kill my daughter or I'll kill you. You hear me, boy?"

Bynx glowered. "Yes." Came abruptly.

Ray'ven's eyes widened at the sight of her father standing before her. It was almost surreal. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling. "Father, you're really here?" She whispered. She surged forwards, burying her head in his chest, taking in his familiar warmth. He was there, he was real. Everything would be fine now, she and Strel-

"Strel! Father we have to save Strel." She said frantically. "She is distracting Razmyr for me, but if he finds out what we've done, he will kill her for sure."

There hadn't been any hesitation when she nestled herself against him. His arms immediately closed around her, and Ja'ule tucked his chin near the crook of her neck. He missed her. When her birthday passed without him saying anything, without gifting her anything, or her super stealthy moments, It had pained him. But Ja'ule pulled back from her and gripped her shoulders.

"Now isn't the time. We'll talk later, little Warrior. Do as I say and I'll find Strelitzia." He kissed his daughter's forehead and pushed the family's sword against Bynx's chest until he grabbed it. "I'll come back once I have her."

Ja'ule nodded, then he'd been gone, as though he'd vanished amidst the shadows.

 ***

James smelt smoke and flames, and that's what guided him to the library chambers where flints and burned pieces of books hovered down from the air. Strelitzia stood amidst the horror. "What the...what are you doing?"

She froze when she heard a familiar voice behind her then she turned with her eyes wide with horror. "I..I uh..I wanted to grab a book but it was dark and I tripped and the torch fell and now it's burning!" She flailed her arms at the flames frantically. "Don't just stand there! Help me!"

"But I just walked in when you purposely set those books on fire." Irritation arose in his normally calm voice. These were precious books, and although he couldn't read the lot of them, he respected the history stored on each page. James grabbed her by the arm and steered her through the halls. He halted once, telling a guard to put the fire out, and continued onward.

"Razmyr's going to want an explanation. Hope you come up with a better excuse than what you just gave me."

Strelitzia drug her feet to slow him down and yanked her arm back repeatedly. "Wait, James don't. Please! You should know I'd never burn books of all things without a good reason!" She couldn't help the swell of panic she felt rising in her chest. She was terrified of Razmyr and being the object of his wrath.

"And your reason was an accident, right?" James shook his head, disappointed by what she'd done. "Is this to get back at me for what I said? You know," He blankly stared straight ahead, muddy brown eyes distant. "I vowed I'd one day read every book in that room, and you burned half of those books. Another one of my dreams tarnished. Maybe not by the rich, but someone who's too prideful in their old ways."

She shook her head vigorously. "I wouldn't do that to get back at you. I wouldn't sink that low." Strelitzia bit at her lower lip. What could she even say? There was probably nothing that would make it better. "I'm sorry." Flimsy. But at least she meant it.

"You aren't," James lurched backward, scooping Strelitzia into his arms and leaping towards the side when an explosion shook the ground which split into two. They rolled and bounced, his hat flying from his head.

When the smoke cleared, and his eyesight adjusted, James watched a tall figure walk through the debris lingering in the air. Electricity pulsing all around. "You kidnapped my daughter and my niece, and I've come for the price in blood."

Ja'ule. James immediately stood and gathered himself. Another bolt of electricity was aimed towards him, but he'd deflected the attack using the flat of his sword, then another zipped past. By this time, James had dodged and dipped, running forward for an attack.

The king of D'treroth was someone who packed a lot of muscles, and despite it, he moved fast, but James was faster. He slung down onto his knees and slid across the floor, slicing for the skin at the back of his target's calves. The blade struck nothing but air, and he felt someone's shoe make purchase against his jaw.

Crack. Light splintered his vision, and even so, when Ja'ule's other leg rose for the other side of his face, he'd thrown his sword into the air. Whenever he had got struck across the face, the weapon went hilt deep into the King's thigh. He'd got him. That's all that mattered.

Ja'ule growled, though he hardly winced from the pain. "Still have skills from when I groomed, no trained you to be a man instead of a heathen. But I guess," Ja'ule pulled the sword from his thigh. "Once a dog has been owned before, it'll always be a slave to its old master."

James chuckled, eyes closed. "Does that mean you're still a slave to Ragnor then, right? I think-"

Crack. One minute his leg had been straight, then the next, his calve was twisted nearly halfway down against the floor. He'd messed up, badly. James groaned under his breath, the pain too quick for him to even cry out like the mangled dog sounds the second heir had made earlier today. From his hair being gripped, his head had been pulled back. Ja'ule lifted the sword and impaled James through the shoulder, hilt deep, the blade inside his arm, tearing through bone and muscle.

"I couldn't hear you over your cries. Hold my sword while I speak to my niece, heathen." The king turned. "You," he used James' hat to wipe the blood off his thigh, then threw it down into the pirate's lap. "You've disgraced your entire family and spit in my face. Get up and come here."

Strelitzia had watched the whole thing in silent horror. Her face blanched at the accusation but she couldn't deny it. She couldn't seem to find her voice at all. Brushing dirt from her eyes as she obeyed, walking towards her uncle. She made sure to keep her gaze away from James. She couldn't stomach the sight.

The king cracked his neck from side to side, twisting at the waist. When he came back straight ahead, so had his hand, right against Strelitzia's face. He grabbed her by the back of her neck and yanked her into his face. "Do you know what I do to snitches? Traitors?" Ja'ule spoke lowly, as though the gods were listening in. He extended his arm, yanking the sword from James' arm. The sound of bones giving way. He placed the bloodied edge against his niece's throat.

"When you go against me, blood is nothing. You are nothing. But since you're my sister's child and she died such a traumatic death. I'll give you another chance. James, what did I do to your other sister."

James didn't speak at first. His lips twitched as he cut one brown eye towards the king. "Sorry, can't really think at the moment. Perhaps if you make me a cup of tea?"

Ja'ule shrugged and grabbed Strelitzia's wrist, placing the hilt into her hand. "You want redemption? Take his big toe."

Her hands trembled to the point the blade clanged against the floor. She looked from her uncle to where James lay broken on the floor. His leg was broken. His arm had been massacred. She had never even held a sword before, and he expected her to--

"Just do it!" James snapped.

Strelitzia swung and aimed as best she could at his foot. She cringed and turned her head before the blade even made contact. There was only a moment of resistance in her swing when metal met bone before it cut clean through. The sword fell from her hands and she couldn't hold back her gags. Strel doubled over heaving until there was nothing left. "I'm so sorry…" she whispered.

Ja'ule watched as James fell down against the floor. "I said he'd pay in blood. I meant it. Let's go. I have my daughter to save. Someone who actually hasn't disappointed me yet."

He'd gripped James by the hair and dragged his unconscious body through the halls. He could use him as leverage later. That is if he didn't bleed out.