RAVENNA POV
I paced the small length of my cell, trying to figure out my next move.
I had to find a way out of here, and soon. Goddess only knows what that monster has planned for me.
So far he hasn't made any attempts to kill me and I haven't seen him since he showed himself yesterday.
After he left I was brought food and water. I had been resistant at first to eat the food, fearing it might be poisoned, but Darius wouldn't just bring me here to kill me with poison. That would be too easy for him.
And I needed my strength. So I ate the food.
I used the remaining water to clean the blood out of my body.
I had tried to talk to the servants when they came to take out the plates but they didn't respond.
And that was yesterday. I hadn't gotten any visitors today. And now all I could do was think.
Why did Darius bring me here? Why didn't he just kill me? What was he playing at?
I had so many questions, and only the man could answer them. I just had to wait. He would come back again.
I didn't know I had fallen asleep until I heard the sound of footsteps. I quickly jolt awake, standing on alert.
It was more than one footstep I was hearing. Two, by the sound of it. And I knew they were coming to my cell.
Darius filled the hall, a towering presence. Beside him stood a man of lesser stature, though not truly small. He was lean, but clearly strong, with short blonde hair. His eyes, though shadowed, seemed to be blue.
And those eyes were watching me. Was that shock in his face? Curiosity? Or amusement? It was hard to tell.
"Hello, Silver Wisp." Darius finally broke the silence.
I finally looked away from the man and turned to Darius. His hair was pulled back from his face and it made his features sharper, more handsome.
Why was I thinking about his face?
"Stop calling me that!" I snapped, hating the name more than the man in front of me.
The idiot of a man just grinned. "Then tell me what I should call you," he said, clearly enjoying my frustration.
I kept quiet, not knowing why I didn't want to give him my name.
Darius shrugged and turned to the man who still hadn't taken his eyes off me. "This is Lucian," he introduced, gesturing towards him.
Lucian stared at me and I stared right back. It wasn't going to be intimidated by these men.
Lucian was the first to look away and he laughed softly as he shook his head. "You did say I would be shocked," he said to Darius, his voice smooth and soft. What was he talking about? Then to me he said, "So you're the one who finally broke through Darius' defense? You gave him a good cut."
Ah. So that was what this was about. It seems it was a pretty good deal to these people. And once again I felt a swell of pride.
I didn't bother to fight back my smile. "Looks like even the mighty can be caught off guard," I replied, a smirk on my lips. "Maybe next time try not to underestimate your opponent."
Darius' expression darkened, but it cleared as soon as it came.
This man was not who I was expecting when I heard about Darius. I had been expecting someone that was quick to anger, to lash out, but this man was cool headed. And tends to smile a lot, even though it was creepy little grins and smirks.
"Oh, trust me, love," Darius said, his voice low enough that it sent chills down my spine. "I won't."
I swallowed but still kept my eyes on him. This man would not see me intimidated.
"What do you want?" I finally ask. "Why are you keeping me here?"
"Like I said before, you intrigue me," he answered coolly.
"That is not an answer, Darius," I snapped, anger rising. "Why are you keeping me here?"
Darius stepped closer to the bars, and I tried not to step back even though we were separated by the bars.
"We're going to play a game," he said.
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "A game?" What was he on about?
Darius nodded. "A game," he repeated. "I have remained unscathed for years. No blade, no claw, no weapon has ever managed to leave a mark on me. And then you came along and carved a gash so deep it seemed to reach my very soul. Do you think I'll simply let you walk away from such a transgression? No. We will play a game, a game of survival, a game of dominance. For a month, we will clash, our wills colliding in a dance of pain and power. Once each week, we will fight, a test of your strength against my unyielding might. If you manage to draw even the faintest of scratches, a mere whisper of a wound, I will grant you anything your heart desires. But if I prevail, you will become my puppet, dancing to my tune. And in the final week, the stakes will rise. If you can inflict a wound that could end my life, a cut so deep it threatens my very existence, I will grant you your freedom, but if I win," he stepped closer and this time I couldn't help it, I took a step back.
"If I win," he went on. "I will finally kill you."
A long and suffocating silence fell in the cell. I couldn't look away from Darius. What madness was this? A game? That didn't sound like a game, it sounded mad.
I looked over to Lucian and he was as shocked as I was. He clearly hadn't been expecting this.
I shook my head, looking back at Darius. I felt a laugh bubbling in my throat and I couldn't suppress it. "You're mad, Darius," I said incredulously.
All traces of humor or any playfulness was gone from Darius's face. And now I could see the man hidden behind all that.
"I am, Silver Wisp," he said, his voice low.
"This is about your ego, isn't it?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "A girl managed to scratch your perfect facade, and now you're throwing a tantrum? You want to prove to yourself that you're still the invincible Darius, the one who can't be touched?" My laughter rang out, sharp and mocking. "But here's the truth, Darius, darling. You're not untouchable. You can be hurt, you can be broken. And I, for one, would love to play your little mad game and show you just how wrong you are."
We held each other's eyes, his rage a living in his eyes. I would play this game and then I would learn all his moves and defense and in the last week I would kill him. Rid the world of him.
Darius stepped back, and just like that his mask slipped back in place. "Wonderful," he said, his voice light. "I will see you soon, Silver Wisp." And he turned and left.
Lucian followed him but not before I saw the look in his eyes. Pity? Shock? I didn't care.
Footsteps sounded in the hall and then someone was opening my cell and I was being dragged out.