that if I let on that I’m having such an internal struggle, Morax will realize what I’m doing. Sweat drips down the back of my neck from the strain, and my teeth clench so tightly that my jaw feels like it wants to crack.
“Tick tock,” Morax’s mocking voice floats over us. “Get to work, Toreon. And Sable, make sure you do everything to keep him from dying. You do not want to see what I will do to you and your sisters if you fail me.”
His echoing steps retreat, and I’m able to hold it together until the door slams shut. As soon as we’re alone, a shuddering breath escapes me, my whole body shaking. But I’m not the only one.
“Fuck…” Toreon says, neck tendons straining. “I can’t…I want to keep holding you and make sure you’re okay, but…”
“It’s okay,” I say raggedly as I feel his body jerk, his need to fulfill Morax’s control overwhelming.
Toreon drops his hold on me, but I manage to stay upright, yanking my darkness and wrapping it tightly around my consciousness. Steadier now, I take another deep breath, my eyes focusing on Toreon where he’s crouching down next to the metal cuffs on the floor.
I lower myself next to him, his face a mask of fury. “I’m so sorry, Sable,” he says, sounding like he hates himself.
“Hey.” I reach out, placing my hand on his bare shoulder. The connection immediately sends butterflies through my stomach. “It’s okay. Just do what you have to do. I’m right here to help you.”
Toreon shakes his head, even though he already has one cuff in his hand, readying to do whatever magic Morax requires. “No, Sable. Don’t drain yourself. You can fight the compulsion.”
I sigh through my nose, but I know it’s moot to try to argue with him right now. “Relax, okay?” I tell him, my hand skimming gently over his tense muscles. “Don’t worry about me. Just do the cuffs. Trying to fight it will just drain you faster.”
“Fuck!” he curses scathingly. “I’m going to kill him. I need to kill him,” he declares between clenched teeth, but it sounds more like a plea. I watch angry tears welling in his eyes, and the sight of his pain makes me ache. I can only hope that one day we’ll get to dole out suffering and hurt to the Ophidian for all that he’s done.
“I know,” I soothe. “We’re going to beat him. We just need to play our parts and do what we need to do until my sisters come back. Then we’ll all rip him apart and revel in his screams.”
He nods haltingly at my whispered words, and some of the tension seems to leave him. He reaches up and pulls a link of chains from his shoulder. He lifts it over his head and drops it to the ground, pulling at another and another strand. I reach over and help to free him from the oppressive black metal.
“What are these?” I ask. The chains zing with power that feels like an electric shock when my palm is in contact with it for too long. Does it do that to Toreon the whole time he wears them?
“They keep me from doing what I was made to do,” he answers simply, lifting the last set of links from his skin. “But I was under compulsion not to try to remove them.”
My brow furrows. “But the tool that Vudu gave you…”
Toreon shrugs. “He doesn’t know I can’t use it. But he’s trying to help, and I didn’t want to take that from him.”
I shake my head at him, but I get it, and him wanting Vudu to keep some hope makes me like him even more.
As soon as the chains are gone, I see that he’s bruised in some places from the heavy metal pressing against his skin all the time, and I immediately want to bleed all over every bruise until they’re healed. But I stop myself. I don’t know what making these cuffs will entail, and I should hold off until I do.
“We are going to beat him,” he says, and I nearly choke on my surprise.
“Holy crap, look at you, you found your positive panties,” I tease, dropping my hand so that I can playfully nudge him with my elbow.
The corner of one side of his mouth tips up. “Yeah, I guess you bring it out in me.”
“Your panties?” I teasingly question, and he releases a breathy chuckle.