replacing the steel blue gaze that watched every step I made towards him. The talons on his armour clad hand were tapping impatiently against the horns of his throne, and in that moment, he had never reminded me so much of his maker before.
He was utterly terrifying!
So much so, that I actually found my feet tripping over themselves as if failing to work together at the sight. I would have fallen had it not been for Carn’neau’s quick actions in taking hold of the top of my arm and keeping me upright. Something Lucius only half appreciated, as the second I was securely upright again, he growled out at him, snarling a few words that I didn’t understand,
“Ezebu sinnis!” Although, it didn’t take a nerdy scholar to get the gist of it being let her go or die, seeing as Carn’neau quickly let me go as if he had been stung by my skin.
A few steps later and soon I was left looking up at the raised platform in a way which must have looked like a terrified deer in headlights. Lucius’ crimson gaze narrowed in annoyance before he lifted a heavy looking metal plated hand and jerked two fingers, beckoning me forward. But when I didn’t move, being too stunned by the imposing sight before me, and one I never expected to see Lucius at its centre, Carn’neau decided I needed prompting, so he muttered next to me with clenched teeth,
“Go on human, as I suggest not keeping your Master waiting.” I turned to look at him and frowned in question…my Master?
He motioned his head a little in the direction I should go, and I knew the time had come to face what now looked to be my personal devil. So, I did as instructed, and forced my foot to rise to the first step and basically keep going until reaching the top. Doing all this without being able to take my eyes from my feet, telling my cowardly self that this was so I didn’t trip, not because this side of Lucius was actually making me afraid.
Of course, I was lying to myself.
Because like this, and with each step cut down between us, then I was starting to wonder what my fate would be if the witch had made him this way? The moment I reached the top was when I received my answer, as suddenly he stood and his increased demonic height had him towering over me, making me jerk backwards. However, in doing so I was too close to the edge and felt the heel of my left foot lose the surface beneath it, which made my world start to tilt as I started to fall backwards.
Thankfully, I didn’t get far, as unlike the first time I was pushed off these steps, it wasn’t Trice who saved me, but Lucius. His gauntleted hand snapped out and grabbed me. But then it was as if my life had hit some kind of slow-motion mode as I focused on that dangerous hand coming closer, now wondering if my skin was going to survive this? However, something happened just in time, before he came into contact with me, his talons retracted back enough that when his metal clad hand grasped me, it hurt only slightly. But at the very least, I was happy to report that it didn’t shred my skin.
After he caught me, he hauled me to him, and I found myself looking up at him with trepidation clear in my wide eyes, ones that I could feel filling with tears at just the raw beauty looking down at me. Then his free hand came to my face so he could run the back of one silken soft talon down my cheek, keeping the deadly tip pointed back towards himself. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt the single tear escape from beneath my lowered lashes. Then his name barely made it past my lips, and I swear in that moment, it sounded more like a secret prayer.
“Lucius.” I opened my eyes to find his own now frowning down at my mouth where he had heard it escape from, before his lip curled in a slight snarl. Then, before my senses could fully register, I was spun around to face the large open space and the sea of demons that were all there, each one still on their knees. There were warriors, full of armour and horned bodies. There were winged creatures, more beast than man