20. Elora
20
ELORA
I come to slowly, my head swimming. I attempt to sit up, but a sudden wave of dizziness has me placing a hand against the throbbing side of my face.
It takes a moment to piece together what happened.
I remember Balial waking me up, and then rushing me from my chamber. I had been under the impression that I was going to see Amon, but quickly realized it had been a ploy all along.
Looking around me, I realize I’m no longer in the castle. I’m in a-a…
Cage.
Pulling myself up to a kneeling position, I wrap my hands around the bars that surround me. Fear blooms within me as I realize I’m hanging over a dark pit in the ground.
My stomach roils, and dizziness overcomes me again as I close my eyes and sit back on my rear.
I swallow numerous times, attempting to calm my nauseous stomach.
Don’t panic.
I try to take a few deep breaths, steeling myself as I return to a kneeled position. I try to move gently to keep the cage from swaying and squint my eyes to try to make out what I can in the dim lighting.
Other than the pit below me, it looks as though there’s only one entrance in and out. A few candles give off the barest light, looking as though they will snuff out at any moment.
I begin to tremble, grasping the bars of the cage again.
A slow clicking begins to echo from the corridor leading from the room, and I watch, my stomach knotting nervously.
The demon that struck me enters the room, his gait slow and lumbering.
“Prettyyyyy awake?”
His voice is gravelly and deep, and I lick my lips nervously.
“Please let me out.” I say softly.
I watch him with wide eyes as he regards me quietly.
“Let pretty out...only if good.”
I nod quickly. “Yes, yes-I promise. I will be good.” I watch as the demon pauses a moment longer before moving towards the wall. He grabs the handle of a large lever, pulling on it with a grunt.
The chain jangles above me as the cage moves downward.
It jerks to a stop, and I squeak in trepidation as it sways. I seek purchase on the solid ground of the cage as my stomach threatens to empty itself.
The demon pulls a second lever, and the cage moves in a horizontal direction towards solid ground.
When the cage contacts the stone ground with a clanking thud, I let out a whoosh of air.
The demon fumbles with the lock before the top is pulled open, the metal squeaking in protest. I kneel there, looking up at the large creature, my eyes wide.
What I had seen of him in the dim lighting didn’t do him justice. He was huge. Something about the way he looked reminded me of werewolves I had seen pictured in the many books I’d read on cryptids.
His eyes were a bright green, and the tawny fur that covered him was streaked with grey.
He reaches into the cage with a large, clawed hand, wrapping it around my upper arm. He hoists me up, wrapping his other arm around my waist to gather me into his arms.
I try my hardest not to struggle, even as the creature breathes hot, rank breath into my face.
“Pretty…hungry?” The demon asks, turning to walk into the corridor leading from the room. I shake my head, reaching out to seek purchase against the demon’s fur.
It lets out a low growl, its grip tightening on me.
“No…pretty not hungry.” I say, looking over its shoulder. Thankful to be out of the cage, I let out a soft, shaky breath.
The demon walks me into another room, only slightly larger than the last.
Melted candles stacked on one another burn dimly, and I look around us. The accommodation seems meager, with a pile of furs in one corner and a small wooden shelf in another. A small wooden stove sits in another corner, and a broken wooden door sits open.
I can’t tell what’s on the other side, because it’s too dark.
The demon kneels by the furs, placing me on top of them gently.
“Pretty stay.” He says sharply. I watch him as he moves to the door. He pauses, turning to look at me.
I watch after him curiously.
Once the creature lumbers out of the room, I stand, my eyes on the door. Glancing around me nervously, I look for anything that I can use to defend myself if need be.
There’s nothing that I can readily see, so if this thing tried to harm me, I’m at its mercy.
I sit back down on the furs, pulling my legs up against my chest. I cover my face with my hands, trying not to cry. I swallow down the lump rising in my throat.
“Oh Amon, help.”
The plea comes out as a whisper, and my heart aches as his face enters my mind. I wondered if he even knew I was missing yet.
Creaking startles me, and I gasp, my head popping up to see the demon pulling the door closed as it enters the room again.
He watches me, his green eyes roving over me.
I shrink against the wall of the small space, pulling my knees up to my chest again.
The creature approaches me slowly before lowering himself in front of me. Without a word, he reaches for me, his clawed fingers reaching under the hem of my nightgown to run over my ankle.
I let out a sob, attempting to back up further. With nowhere to go, my heart begins to hammer in my chest, and my fight or flight kicks in.
“Don’t touch me.” I whisper.
The creature pauses, tilting its head before reaching for me again. I shake off its touch as it runs a claw up my shin.
“I said don’t touch me!”
Fear blossoms, and the pitch of my voice rises as well. The demon’s ears twitch in response.
“Pretty…no be afraiiid.” The demon says softly, reaching for me again. He lowers himself to a kneeling position, reaching out to finger a lock of my hair. He lets out a deep growl as he wraps my hair around his finger, thumbing it gently.
“So prettyyyy.” He growls.
I squeeze my eyes shut as hot tears start to fall unbidden.
The demon seems to like that, because he reaches out, brushing one away.
I gasp as he leans forward, inhaling deeply.
My body begins to tremble as clawed fingers wrap around an ankle gently.
“Pretty no cry.” He says as he nuzzles my hair. I let out a sob, and he leans back to look at me, his expression completely unreadable. He pulls on my ankle gently, and I panic, kicking out at him.
The demon snarls, wrapping his hand around my ankle tighter.
“Pretty be nice.” He growls through fanged teeth.
“Don’t touch me!” I scream as he reaches for me again, pulling on my ankle. He yanks me to my back, and I scream again. Unfazed, he chuckles, wrapping a clawed hand around the other ankle.
Panic blooms in my belly, and I kick out, connecting with the creature’s chest. A whoosh of air escapes him, but his grip only tightens.
“Pretty want to scream for me?” He growls again, yanking me towards him a second time.
I let out another scream, and he seems to enjoy that, because he lets out a breathy moan as he tries to settle himself between my legs.
His hands pull at the skirt of my nightgown, and I try my hardest to hold it down.
The demon thrusts a knee between my legs, forcing them open.
“Please, STOP!” I scream again, pummeling at him. He grasps my wrists in one hand, leaning down to look at me. I squint my eyes closed, turning my face to the side in defeat.
Suddenly all the air is pulled from the room, and the beast is yanked away from me by an unseen force.