Chapter 17 The Deal #2
From what I understood, immortals couldn’t die easily. That was all I gathered from the few weeks I lived in Morotis, yet I’d happily spill more of his blood tonight just for the fun of it if he didn’t cooperate.
His throat worked again, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t want the blade to nick his flawless skin. Rolling my eyes, I eased my grip and pulled the blade slightly off his skin.
“I apologize.” He croaked.
“For?” I mockingly cocked my head, causing him to purse his lips.
“I apologize for putting my hands on you.”
“And?” I cooed, the dagger hovering mere inches from his throat.
The king looked like he wanted to protest, but his eyes dipped to my blade, then back to me.
“And for treating you like a possession I could own.” His jaw ticked.
It was apparent the Serpent King most definitely never apologized for anything in his life, and he was not happy to be doing so right now—and to me of all people.
The Seera he once knew would never demand an apology, but the girl he knew died long ago.
The corners of my lips twitched into a smug smile, and I nodded at him in a silent command to proceed. He scoffed—well, at least tried to—but the motion was halted when I pressed my blade against his throat.
“What else do you want to apologize for?” I pulled the blade back, allowing him a chance to speak.
He grumbled his next words, but my heightened senses heard every beautiful word spilling from the Serpent King’s vile lips.
“I’m sorry for trying to take advantage of your predicament,” He muttered.
I sniffed the air to see if his apology was sincere, and not said simply because I had a dagger against his throat. However, the spicy pepper scent associated with lies did not hang in the air. Instead, it smelt like smoke for the second time tonight.
The Serpent King reeked of regret.
I lowered my dagger, slowly sheathing it into the holster around my thigh. Now that my blade no longer threatened to nick his perfect skin, the king sucked in a greedy breath.
“I don’t recall you knowing how to fight at such a high caliber.” He arched a brow while rubbing his chest, right where I kicked him seconds ago.
“My bodyguard taught me,” I said, looking down my nose at him.
He let out a distasteful huff at the mention of Landon, his hand drifting down to his nose. Even though it was perfectly aligned once more, he winced upon touching it. The pain of having his nose broken not once but twice, must be lingering within his bones, though he had no scars to show for it.
I smiled victoriously at the sight of the Serpent King in agony from my own actions.
It was about time he had a taste of his own medicine.
He shook his head in disbelief, making his hair shift between black and dark green.
“Your fighting reminded me of . . .” A pained look flashed across his face, but he quickly shook it off. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
I arched a brow, a seed of curiosity firmly rooting itself inside my chest.
He shook his head again, as if to erase the thought. “I have a theory of why your emotions are returning, but it would be easier if I showed you something first.”
I narrowed my eyes, but, before I could ask what he meant, he turned and approached the black stone wall closest to us. When he lightly pressed his hand against it, I staggered forward in awe as the wall stretched open, almost like it was yawning and awakening from a deep slumber.
Now, a tall archway stood above the king, revealing a secret passageway.
“How did you do that?” I marveled at the opening while peering into the tunnel.
He backed away from the entrance, his smug smile quickly returning.“These caves answer to me, remember? My magic built these lands, so I can shape them into whatever I please.”
I knew the Serpent King was powerful, but this was beyond what I could imagine. I only had an inkling of his power. If he could shape an entire mountain of stone into a vast network of ever-changing tunnels, that meant he had more power to share with me.
Perhaps, I could kill the rebel movement for good if I made another deal with the menace.
The king cleared his throat, tearing my power-hungry thoughts back to the green eyes staring at me. “Do you still want those answers?”
I glanced at the daunting archway, then gave him a pointed look as I waved my hand to the passage and tossed back his words from earlier.“After you.”
He rolled his eyes but casually strolled through the entrance and into whatever laid on the other side.
Hesitantly, I crept forward, stopping at the threshold.
An endless darkness stared back at me, making me pause before following a man I didn’t trust into what looked like the entrance to the land of the wicked.
Then again, this is what I came here for.
If I had to follow the menace I loathed into the darkness in order to gain the answers I sought, I’d do it.
I was ready to rid myself of these horrid feelings, once and for all.
I wanted to never feel again.
So, I stepped into the passage and followed the Serpent King, letting the darkness embrace me like an old friend.