Knox (Monsters of Veridia #1)

Chapter 20

Chapter

Twenty

Daniel’s wrists ached from the metal cuffs digging into his skin, making him a prisoner. The chains clinked softly as he shifted on the bed, trying to find a more comfortable position.

He hadn’t seen Caelen for hours, and he wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or anxious about it.

It was good not to be tempted, but it was also fucking boring just lying here waiting to be rescued.

Someone would come and rescue him, right?

Voices drifted through the walls, the sound of footsteps. Daniel heard them every now and then. People strolling about. Caelen’s followers.

There seemed to be more and more of them.

What was Caelen planning to do with the army he was building?

If the Shadow King deigned to spend more time with him, Daniel was sure he could get the answer out of him. Yes, that was the only reason Daniel wanted the sorcerer to step back into the room.

Oh, who was he kidding?

No one, not even himself.

He just didn’t want to be ignored, damn it.

He clanked the metal on his wrists together, making as much noise as he could, again and again.

He shook his head, feeling the sting of his own idiocy. What was he trying to accomplish, really? Making a racket wasn’t going to free him from these cuffs.

The thought barely had time to settle before a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his head sharply, and there he was—Caelen, standing silently by the closed door. Daniel’s heart skipped a beat. How long had he been standing there?

"Did you miss me?"

Daniel straightened, narrowing his eyes at the sorcerer. "Why would I?"

Caelen stepped closer, the air seeming to chill with his approach. "Because you think I’m hot. I’ve been in your head, I know."

Daniel’s cheeks flushed, a mix of anger and embarrassment heating his face. He clenched his jaw, trying to push down the feelings Caelen’s words stirred up. "What’s in my head is none of your business."

Caelen smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Oh, but it’s so interesting in there," he said, stopping just a foot away from the bed. "All those fantasies and desires. You can’t hide them from me."

Daniel’s mind raced, searching for a retort that would pierce through Caelen’s smug demeanor. "Knox will obliterate you for violating me."

"Oh, is that what you think?" Caelen drew closer still. "You know, I’ve seen other things in your head as well. For one, I know that you are not the one Knox desires. That’s your friend, Adrian, isn’t it?"

Daniel’s breath caught in his throat. Damn it. Caelen knew everything. How did Daniel ever think he wouldn’t be found out?

"If you know that, you know I’m of no use to you," Daniel said, forcing the words past the tightness in his chest. "You don’t have to keep me anymore."

"Ah," Caelen said, his voice dripping with amusement. "That’s where you’re wrong. You’ve been very useful to me. I got so much information from you."

Daniel’s mind spun, grasping at the implications of Caelen’s words. What had he given away without even realizing it?

Could this have been avoided if he’d fought harder when Caelen drew energy from him?

No, he couldn’t blame himself for this. It was all Caelen’s fault.

"You fucking bastard," Daniel spat, trying to mask his fear with anger. "What do you want from me now?"

Caelen’s smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with dark satisfaction. "Oh, I think you’ll find out soon enough. You see, there’s more to this game than just power. There’s influence, control, and the pleasure of watching your enemies crumble."

Daniel felt a shiver run down his spine. He had to get out of here, had to warn the others. But how could he escape this place?

"Don’t look so grim," Caelen said, almost mockingly. "I have no intention of killing you. You’re far too entertaining for that."

Daniel glared at him. He was not a toy.

"You’ll regret this," Daniel said. "Knox and Adrian, they’ll come for me. Whatever you plan to do, they won’t let you get away with it."

"Perhaps," Caelen replied, his tone dismissive. "But thanks to you, I know how to defeat them."

Daniel forced himself to meet Caelen’s gaze, trying to decipher the intent behind those dark eyes. "What do you plan to do when you defeat Knox?" he demanded, his voice steadier than he felt. "What’s your endgame?"

Caelen tilted his head, studying Daniel as if weighing how much to reveal. Silence stretched between them, punctuated only by the distant sounds of footsteps echoing through the corridors outside. Daniel held his breath, refusing to look away.

Finally, Caelen’s lips curled into a half-smile. "You’re a curious one, aren’t you? What do you think I want?"

"Chaos?" Daniel suggested.

"Chaos is a means to an end," Caelen said. "They call me Shadow King, but that’s an insult, not a title. Knox stole my real title from me, stole everything from me, and I intend to make him pay. Does that make me the bad guy?"

"You’re hurting more people than just Knox."

"Means to an end," Caelen repeated.

"You’re insane."

Caelen laughed, a sound that sent shivers down Daniel’s spine. "My followers would disagree."

Daniel’s pulse sped up as Caelen reached out, his fingers brushing against Daniel’s cheek.

"If I’m so insane," Caelen murmured, his eyes glinting with dark mischief, "why do you dream about me?"

Daniel’s breath hitched. The coldness that had permeated the room dissipated, replaced by a heat that seemed to radiate from Caelen himself.

"I don’t," Daniel lied.

Caelen’s smile only widened. "You and I are going to have so much fun when I’m done with Knox."

Daniel’s pulse sped up as Caelen’s hand came to rest on his forehead. He gritted his teeth, preparing for the familiar sensation of energy being drained from him.

It took only a second before he felt the pull. The room dimmed around him as Caelen began to siphon his energy.

Not again.

Daniel gritted his teeth.

He focused on resisting, fighting back with every ounce of strength he had left. His muscles tensed, and his mind sharpened, honing in on the flow of power leaving his body. He could almost see it—shadowy tendrils weaving their way out of him and into Caelen.

He latched on to them, letting a piece of his mind go with them.

Before Daniel could process what was going on, a strange sort of connection formed between them. It pulled him under, showing him something he had never wanted to see as his consciousness followed the flow of Caelen’s magic back to the root of his power.

There, at the core of Caelen’s shadows, Daniel heard the most gut-wrenching scream.

It was raw and pitiful and seemed to emanate from a small figure, hunched over himself. A trapped soul crying out to anyone who would listen.

Daniel’s eyes snapped open as he jerked back in shock. At the same moment, Caelen recoiled too, breaking their connection abruptly. They stared at each other.

"What was that?" Daniel demanded.

Caelen’s expression had shifted from smug satisfaction to confusion. He looked positively rattled. His brows knitted together as he regarded Daniel.

The moment didn’t last, though.

Before Daniel could ask again, Caelen turned on his heel and left the room without another word. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Daniel alone once more in his lavender-colored prison.