The return of the King

Lux’s body tingles as she awaits her fate – whatever it may be. There is no fear. Athisz is in control now, and everything is as it should be. Whether she will end up a ****, a brood mare, or a snack – she embraces it. Even the venom burning in her veins feels good now; a gift from her new deity, deserved punishment for her many sins.

Heavy footsteps echo in the vastness of the stone hall. Coming closer. Lux feels Athisz’s grip on her shift slightly.

“Ah, you are here, my King.” The snake-goddess’s voice is a hiss of self-satisfaction. “Perhaps you can help me decide what to do with – ”

Through the haze of delirium, Lux can’t see what happens next. There’s a violent jerk, a horrible crunch – and the pressure around her body suddenly eases.

And in the same moment, another pressure lifts from her mind – something she hadn’t been aware of until it was gone. A stinging flash of light behind her eyes, a sudden shift in her reality. Like waking from a dream, complete with a sensation of falling…

She is falling. Enough time for a strangled squeak of alarm, before strong hands catch her and ease her down to the floor. The cold touch of the bare stone against her burning skin is oddly refreshing. She can hear nothing over the ringing in her ears.

Blurry double images of Sylvia’s face hover over her. The Hamadryad is speaking hurriedly, but Lux can’t make out any of her words. Then, an odd tingling sensation – a sudden rush of blessed coolness, finally quenching that horrible heat. A long sigh of relief breaks from her lips, leaving her breathless and shivering.

Is it really over…?