36. Chapter 35
36
Chapter 35
Dacias
Dacias narrowed his eyes at the two men standing guard at the gate in front of Vinculux. He and Klorin held Souzie by the arms, acting as guardians hauling a prisoner to her fate. Souzie tugged away occasionally, creating the appearance of resistance. Their performance was good, but their disguises would have been more convincing had they arrived with the cart as planned. Dacias kept his gaze low and brushed his fingers along his neck, ensuring the uniform covered his claw marks.
Klorin tried to convince Souzie to switch clothes with him. He wanted her to be the guardian, thinking she’d stand a better chance of escaping if anything went awry. Souzie simply raised a brow and said, “Women cannot join the guardian ranks in Lapistra.”
As they drew closer to the entrance, the men flanking the entrance approached, and Dacias assumed the role of cruel Lapistrean Guardian. “Defector sentenced to imprisonment. We have orders to take this Rugirean sympathizer into the complex for processing.”
The guardians eyed Souzie, who averted her gaze. One of them inched towards her and lifted her head by the chin.
“A female?” The guardian let out a low laugh. “We’ll certainly have fun with this one.” He backed away, kicking a plume of soot at her. “Traitorous hag. You’ll rue the day you tried to turn your back on Lapistra.”
Dacias clenched his jaw and could feel the rage emanating from Klorin. They loathed nothing more than men who mistreated women. Dacias’s urge to tie them up and rake his claws over their bodies was overwhelming; their cries for mercy would sound like sweet music to his ears. Later. Focus on getting him out first.
The other guardian asked, “Where’s the prisoner caravan? We usually mark documentation to confirm the prisoner’s successful delivery.”
Dacias swallowed. They had a plan; he just needed to follow it. “Crushed in the rockslide. I’m sure you heard it. There was a tremor, and it caused an avalanche at the volcano row. We barely survived.”
The same guardian spoke again, “You didn’t get the documentation? It should have been on your person.”
Dacias began to reply, but Klorin yelled, “You want us to drag her back to that fucking pile of rubble and dig for the documentation? Do we not get a pass for narrowly escaping with our lives?” Klorin motioned to his injury.
The guardian eyed Klorin, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. He spoke with exaggerated friendliness, “We’re just following protocol, comrade. There’s no need to get so pissy.”
“I was nearly buried alive, so forgive me if I’m pissy ,” Klorin spoke with the aggrieved edge of a military runt forced to run a lowly errand, which caused the two guardians to laugh.
The first one called to whoever operated the gate, “Open up and let the poor bastards in. These two need a drink. And maybe a little roll in the hay with the lady here.” He released a gasping laugh, and Dacias could see Klorin clenching his fists to keep from wringing the man’s neck.
Dacias nodded. “Our thanks, comrades.”
The gates opened, and the two guardians hiked back to their posts. Klorin and Dacias dragged Souzie into the main area, and the smell of decomposition slapped them across the face. As they marched toward the prison entrance, Souzie slipped on the muddy ground, adding effect to her role as a manhandled captive.
Dacias discreetly eyed the prisoners. They walked about like living skeletons—eyes sunken and skin sallow. Not a trace of life in their gaze. They moved robotically, executing their assigned tasks. When a prisoner collapsed, a nearby guardian would beat them with a club. If the prisoner didn’t rise, another set of guardians would check their pulse, fling them onto a cart, and wheel them into the prison proper if the person was alive. If dead, they dragged the body to the base of the wall for disposal. It was revolting.
They entered the prison’s opening, where another guardian met them with a questioning stare.
Dacias answered the wordless question. “New prisoner for processing.”
The guardian drawled out a bored reply. “Labor or research?”
Dacias shot a look at Klorin, who spoke with a confidence that surprised Dacias. “Research.”
The guardian huffed. “Processing for research subjects is two flights down.” He motioned to a staircase leading into the prison’s depths. “When you reach the second level, go straight. The lab assistants will take it from there.”
Dacias nodded. He and Klorin took Souzie to the staircase and made their way down.
The second flight down opened to a long hallway. The prison was gray stone from the ground up, but the walls and floors were rusty orange in its depths. The sulfur smell was nauseating, and the metallic aftertaste was so strong that Dacias thought he might gag.
At this level, the only people present were those in laboratory attire. Souzie feigned collapse, and Dacias and Klorin lowered her down.
Dacias moved close to her, and she whispered, “Carry me the rest of the way as if I’m passed out. When we enter, wait for my signal. You’ll know it when you hear it. Pick me up now.”
Dacias and Klorin picked up Souzie and carried her limp body to the door straight ahead.
The hall was silent except for the piercing cries bellowing behind doors lining the corridor. Those in laboratory attire shuffled in and out of the rooms, holding various blood-stained equipment unfamiliar to Dacias.
They approached the end of the long corridor, and Dacias knocked heavily on the last door. A mousy female with black hair, pale skin, and thick-rimmed glasses appeared. She surveyed the three of them and asked, “Processing?”
Dacias nodded, and she opened the door wider, motioning for them to enter. Several empty stretchers filled the space.
A male orderly stood next to an older female, seemingly of higher rank. She scowled as she looked at Souzie. “We’re lucky you didn’t kill her. How many times have I told you animals to be more gentle with those assigned to research? How can we know the effects of anything if they arrive half-dead?” She tsked and took a breath. “Put her on that one.” She motioned to the stretcher nearest them. Dacias and Klorin walked Souzie’s limp body to the stretcher and set her down.
The younger female began rifling through a cabinet, eventually pulling out some medicine. She jabbed it with a syringe and sucked out its contents. The male checked Souzie’s vitals, and the one in charge surveyed their activity. Dacias carefully watched Souzie, waiting for the sign.
Souzie leaped into a crouching position on the stretcher. She slipped the dagger from the holster hidden beneath her clothes, grabbed the male orderly, and held the dagger to his neck.
“SHIFT NOW!” Souzie screamed.
Dacias and Klorin obeyed immediately. The three medical staff shrieked at the sight of a lion and a cougar. The younger female ran to a bright red button on the wall behind her. Klorin leaped before her, guarding the button while bearing his teeth.
Souzie screamed, “All of you shut your mouths, or his blood will flow like water.”
The man cried out as he gripped Souzie’s arm. He was no match for her. Her muscles bulged as she wrapped her arm around his neck. “Listen to me, and you will survive. Attempt anything, and this lion to my right will rip your entrails from your body and eat them while you watch.”
The room became very silent.
Souzie continued, “You will take us to where Prince Julen is being held captive. You will pretend I am a research subject and these two guardians are escorting me. If you make a sound or try to signal to anyone, they will shift and kill you.”
The older female in charge spoke, “We don’t know where they are keeping the prince.”
Souzie smiled. “Well, unfortunately for you, old hag is my lion’s favorite treat. Dacias, do your worst. Klorin, you take the other female. I’ll have fun with this one.” She eyed up the male that gasped in her clutches.
Dacias and Klorin stalked their prey, growling low. Dacias glared his sharp teeth at the older female. She paled at the sight, but it was the younger one who caved, “Fine! Fine, just g-get it away from me. I’ll show you.”
The old woman bellowed, “You will do no such thing! You will die with honor! The Mother Planet…” Dacias pounced on her and sliced a claw along her throat, ensuring no sound escaped.
The other two shrieked, and Souzie raised her hand to silence them. “You were saying something about taking us to the prince?”
The female spoke, “I’ll take you, but you must swear you won’t kill us when we reach him.”
Souzie lightened her grip on the man ever so slightly. “You have my word. Take us there.”