Page 84 of Consumed By Fire

It’s good timing, and it makes me wonder if someone else had eyes in that tunnel. Someone other than Titan, Igor, and his bunch. It’s just too convenient.

“Nothing to say, Draiger?”

“My name is Octane,” I tell him.

“I don’t care. Your name means nothing to me. Your life means even less.”

“You may as well put me to death now, then,” I say, my voice even.

He laughs. “It isn’t going to be that easy. You had a bag of cash with you. There was a substantial sum in it. Why? What were you planning to do with the money?”

“I always carry cash. You never know when it will come in handy.” I give a one-shouldered shrug.

He sighs. “You expect me to believe that?”

I don’t say anything.

“I’ll tell you what I think the money was for.”

I can’t wait to hear it.

He threads his fingers together, steepling them under his chin. “I think you came with the money so that you could pay for information. That’s why you met the Red female. Although she was touching your face.” He narrows his eyes in thought. “Specifically, your mouth. Let me guess: she was telling you to keep quiet about where you got the information from?”

Good! I don’t think they saw us kissing.

“No…that’s not it at all. The female didn’t know I was a Draiger. I followed some of your Red males and found the tunnel. That happened yesterday. I decided to go back today. I followed the tunnel and popped out here on Mistveil. It wasn’t a shock; I suspected where it would lead to, and I was right. I wanted to be sure; that’s why I kept going. Finding the female was a shock, though. I pretended to be a Red. We spoke for a short while. I had only just managed to convince her that I was no threat when you all jumped out. She’s completely innocent. I don’t know who she is.”

“I’m not buying it.” He shakes his head. “Why did you tell the female not to speak to us? Not to tell us anything… I think those were your exact words.”

“I don’t want an innocent bystander getting into trouble. I can see that I was right to be concerned. You’ve already persecuted her.”

“Innocent bystander. You really expect us to believe that?” he snorts.

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe it even for one second.”

“I’m not sure why we’re even having this conversation since you won’t trust anything I have to say,” I tell him.

“I will get you to talk, Draiger, of that you can be sure.” He stands. “Prepare the torture chamber,” he says to no one in particular. It could be the guards standing behind me or someone behind the mirror. Not that it matters. I’m sure his command will be carried out swiftly, regardless.

Torture. Crap!

Then again, I expected no less. It’s what I would have done.

Trinity

I’m lying on the bed – actually, “bed” is a stretch; it’s a mattress covered in a sheet with a scratchy blanket folded up at the end and no pillow – when five guards arrive at my cell door. It clangs open; three enter, and two hang back in the hallway.

I stand.

“Hands behind your back!” one shouts at me.

“Really?” I say. “All of you for one pregnant female? Isn’t it a bit overkill?”

No one says anything.

“Hands behind your back,” the same one repeats in a harsher tone.