Adonis Tariel was pressing the bottom of his boot against a neck. His face was as pale and serene as marble. His black eyes, however, held all his silent and violent fury.
When he lifted his foot, the woman that was underneath it gasped for air and dug her nails into the floor, trying to pull herself away. But it was no use. There were others around. Other dark-cloaked mercenaries that were paid enough to do everything Adonis commanded. And they stepped forward, letting the tips of their own boots be the boundary that she could never cross.
"I said," Adonis turned away, his voice calm and smooth, like unspooling satin ribbon, "what exactly did you see?"
Adonis was just polishing a small, silver dagger as he turned away. The woman on the ground did not immediately answer. And when a moment passed, Adonis turned his head and simply nodded to one of his men. Suddenly, there was a scramble, but it was swiftly resolved, and several hands had locked the woman into a chair. A hand reached out and yanked her mouth open. Adonis knelt and gazed at the woman. This was the first time she had seen him clearly and fully-- Adonis was a paradox. His skin was snow-white, but his hair and eyes were as black as night. And while his features were angelic, he was very thing of nightmares. It was his calm, almost loving expression that frightened her the most. Why should he look this way while torturing her?
"I'll pluck out each tooth," he let the tip of his knife glint in the firelight, "until you tell me."
"Not fill my mouth with molten gold? Getting soft, Adonis?" The woman spat.
Adonis just sighed and leaned back.
"The gold was becoming..." he considered his words, "gimmicky." He shook his head slightly at her. "Besides, I need you alive for a little longer."
"Teeth plucking is even more of a cliche." She snarled.
"Well, let's see if that's the case when I start with your molars," he rose and loomed over her.
"I know what I saw!"
"I'm aware," Adonis sighed, rolling his eyes, "and now I want to hear from your mouth that you saw something different. You didn't see anything or anyone, for that matter."
"But that won't keep you from killing me!" She tried to fight against the hands that gripped her.
Adonis opened his mouth to retort, but she wailed over him-- "He's not dead! You've been lying to us! He's not dead, he's not dead!"
Adonis' nostrils flared.
"He's going to destroy us all!"