Every muscle in Nerio's body strained. That was Kypho. His voice was coming from somewhere far, but was audible. A woman laughed along with him.
"I didn't know that they would also catch you..." Kypho said.
"Shut up!" the woman shouted. "Jaka will wake up!"
But Kypho continued, "You deserve it, Menkar. I was hoping that you were caught sooner. Though if you still had me, you would have been safe..."
Rage bubbled inside his chest. "Did you give away the secrets? You are bound by dark spells not to give them away."
After a momentary silence, Kypho laughed. "I didn't have to give away anything. They just took it from me..."
Nerio struggled against his chains. "Tell me more! I demand it."
"Why should I tell you anything?" Kypho replied. "I am not under you any longer. You are just as much a prisoner over here as I am."
"You bloody bastard!" Nerio shouted. "You were with me for centuries. I took care of you, and this is how you pay me back?"
A loud clank was heard as if someone threw a boulder at the iron bars.
"Stay quiet, you whore!" Kypho yelled. "I am here because of you."
"You stay quiet dimwit. Jaka is sleeping!" the woman shouted back.
"Where is she?" Sirrah shouted at him.
"She is in the kingdom of Hydra," Nerio replied to dismiss her, his focus on Gordon.
Sirrah fell down on the floor, her body going listless. "Hydra?" she whispered. "How did she reach Hydra?"
Gordon came to Nerios's dungeon and said, "The king will be meeting you tomorrow."
A smile spread on his lips. Nerio looked smugly at the jailor and then sat back quietly on the damp ground. He was going to trade with the king. Tania's soul for his freedom.
When he didn't answer her back, Sirrah grew impatient. "How did she reach Hydra?" she screeched. "She was imprisoned with me!" Sirrah couldn't believe that Morava was free while she was still rotting in the Draka dungeons.
Nerio gritted his teeth. "How do I know? Ask the king when he comes here tomorrow."
"You will rot in hell!" Sirrah spat.
Nerio narrowed his eyes. "And you too."
Nerio couldn't sleep for the whole day and night. He waited for Eltanin. He had rehearsed his speech with him a hundred times. He was going to first ask them to free him and send him to Hydra borders where he would free her soul from the stone. And if he was lucky, then Felis would come and rescue him. He wouldn't even have to release Tania. And if that happened, then he would win.
He couldn't help laughing at the thought. The thought was so exciting that he felt on top of the world.
He waited for the whole morning but the king didn't come. Then he waited for the afternoon, but Eltanin didn't come then either. He grew restless. It was almost at midnight when he had closed his eyes to go off to sleep when Gordon came with a dozen guards. "The king has called you to the meeting chambers of the palace," he informed.
Nerio's excitement went a notch higher. Finally his demands would be met with. "Then what are you waiting for?" he said. "Take me up there!"
The guards opened his shackles and took him upstairs to the meeting room. The palace was absolutely quiet at this hour of the night. As soon as Nerio reached the meeting room, he saw Eltanin and Lusitania and a pair of golden eyes.