Untouchable by Marii Solaria

hapter 77 Choice

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“You make choices that are good and sound, but the gods have other plans for you.” – Lisa See

Neron

un with

Oxygen forced itself into my lungs in a successful attempt to arouse me from unconsciousness. I woke up a startled gasp, along with the throbbing pain in the back of my head. My vision swirled with dark, indescribable colors as I rubbed the tender spot, aching for relief. Scrunching up my nose at the foul stench of death and blood assaulted my nostrils, the frigid air billowing around my form nipped at my naked flesh. It wasn’t natural to go from burning under the torrid sun to shivering under the ruthless cold.

The last thing I remembered was Lady Sanguine tackling me and falling backward into a shadowy mass that knocked me into oblivion. However, once my vision cleared, I took in the surroundings that had the power to make the strongest men quiver in the knees.

in a cell. A dirtied, fetid cell with rusted chains hanging from the walls with no windows for the sweet solace of the light. The air carried the essence of past prisoners, their haunting spirits wailing before falling into a deafening silence. Ghosts of the past were warning me to proceed with caution, for things aren’t what they seem here.

Lady Sanguine brought me here. This meant that I was far from my teammates and alone in an unknown place that could end up as my grave. I couldn’t ignore the heavy chills barreling down my spine as I rose on my feet, groaning at the tender back and muscle aches pulsating around me. The prison bars stood in front of me, posing as either my escape or my seal. Walking toward it, I grasped a bar simply to retract when audible sizzling echoed, my hand screaming in pain.

“Fuck!” I cursed, gripping my wrist. “Silver!” Lady Sanguine went the extra mile to ensure I wouldn’t get the chance to make an escape. The pain subsided after a minute, but my anger didn’t. She won’t keep me in here like a caged dog! I raised the hem of my shirt to my teeth and tore some fabric out to act as my shield for the

bars.

It isn’t much, but it’ll do.

Wrapping the torn fabric around the bars, I grasped it again and gave it a good shake. Clicking and clanking from the lock alerted me that the bars were unlocked this entire time. Part of me was elated, but the other

was suspicious. My eyes narrowed when I slid the bars open with ease, my heart picking up pace. One foot over the threshold and I’m out.

This was too easy. There is no way in hell Lady Sanguine would forget to lock the gates. I grew uneasy at the prospect of this becoming another trap. But trap or not, I need to find the woman in black.

“Be careful, Neron.”

Onyx warned. “Thone:

no telling what is lurking in the shadows.”

I slipped out of my prison into the echoing hallway, illuminated by flickering torches hanging on the walls. Prisons stood on either side of me, separated by a thick brick wall coated in muck and grime. The dark ambience added to the deathly mystery and darkness, obscuring its horrors in a haze of black. To think that Kiya was roaming these halls made me sick to my stomach.

Her bright and beautiful soul didn’t belong here.

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Walking through the dungeon halls brought back repressed memories of when I’d go down to the prisons

Slams of the prison doors bombarded my cars in real time as

reminded me of the monster I previously was. But what if that monster was still alive? What if it is just waiting for its moment to come out? My eyes welled up in tears

stayed. Because I needed to find Kiya buried

of spilled blood with hastened speed, I came

were carved up like

over her dark eyes as she sobbed. “Neron.

them unlocked. Slipping in, I ran to Ashley to check the chains imprisoning her to the wall only to have her shake her head. “Don’t touch them! They’re made of silver.” From her raw and

pool of blood. “Can you tell me who

you?”

sigh escaped her lips as tears fell from her eyes. “My baby girl, S–She came here to “vent‘ out her frustrations and started cutting me up with her knife. She did the same to Steven. Goddess,

that could describe the torture marred on Ashley’s brown skin. Every cut, deep and superficial, told a story of how much fury

Ashley whimpered. “Run for your life. K–Kiya has gone insane. She attacked our land, and this is what she did to us. There is no telling what she could do to you

narrowed my eyes, frowning. “Are you telling me

spontaneous pain. “Nothing we say will make her see reason. I’m her mother and

shameful that you’re just going to give up on Kiya like this. That got us into this mess. You need to face the facts that

man has on her is absolute, Neron!” She winced and later started coughing. More

Chapter 77 Choice

of her wounds, soaking her clothes in crimson. “What else do you think we should do? Because, from the looks of it,

darkness because she isn’t lost. I saw her true

She may

I snarled at the woman who flinched. “Giving up on your daughter means you’re surrendering her to Osiris and I rather die than

fell into a fit of coughs once again, her breathing laboring. Fuck! Both she and Steven needed medical attention, but there is no way to get them the help they need. We’re trapped in the dungeons

to check

scratching a to–do off the list. “When Kiya and Osiris brought us here, they took your father further ahead. If, by the grace of our Moon Goddess, that they

prerogative, but it isn’t mine. Once this craziness settles and I get Kiya back, I’ll work

the dungeons, so I walked down that path. My nostrils flared, desperatel to track his scent of cardamon and cinnamon. The prisons darkened significantly the further I ran down, the light of the torches snuffed out with only a wisp of smoke to commemorate its memory. Shadows lurking in the corners watched me with heavy eyes, tracking my every move. After about a minute of searching,

torches inside his cell, flickering like a lightbulb but illuminating his face enough to expose his unhealed injuries and clothes stained with blood.

The s

scent. Once his eyes found mine, his pale blues widened with shock as I stepped

worse for wear, perhaps in worse shape than Steven and Ashley. They had guts and gashes, but Dad had literal chunks

here to

hell out of here, son!” Dad shouted with the miniscule strength he had left in his body that wasn’t zapped from his festering wounds. “You walked

a fierce blow to the back of my head knocked me straight to the ground.

3/5

Chapter 3) – Chrice

strawberries and vanilla, instead of lulling me into peace, burned my nose. It

deafening silence of the prison cell as clacking of heels resounded next to me. It made my skin crawl. “It is a pleasure for you to join us, Neron. It wouldn’t be a party without

to see Lady Sanguine leaning against the wall by the hip with her knife in one hand and a teddy bear

eyes.

the one you both tortured me in. It has all come full circle, hasn’t