Chapter 56: being a sacrfice
The prison tunnels were cold and damp, the air heavy with an eerie silence broken only by the soft drip of water somewhere far off. Then, the quiet was cut by the steady sound of boots on stone, each step slow and deliberate. A low whistle followed, casual but chilling, slicing through the stillness like a knife. It was a simple tune, but there was something about it that felt unnerving—like it was mocking the misery trapped in those walls.
Apollo leaned against the cold iron bars of his cell, instantly on edge. "Who’s there?" he whispered, barely audible. He stopped pacing, gripping the bars tightly, his sharp eyes scanning the dim corridor for any sign of movement.
Amari stayed quiet at first, sitting cross-legged in the corner of his cell, his head down like he was lost in thought. But as the whistle grew louder, closer, he looked up sharply, his heart picking up speed. This wasn’t the steady walk of a guard making their rounds or the heavy stomp of the king’s men. This was something different—someone who moved with the confidence of a hunter.
"It’s not a visit," Amari muttered grimly, standing slowly and moving toward the bars of his cell. "It’s something else... Someone else."
Before Apollo could reply, the shadow of a figure appeared at the end of the corridor. Tobias stepped into the faint torchlight, his hat tilted just enough to hide his eyes in shadow. He moved with lazy ease, a pipe clenched between his teeth, his whistling replaced by the soft thud of his boots. His presence seemed to fill the space like smoke—overwhelming and inescapable.
Tobias’s eyes drifted over the cells with little interest until they stopped on Amari. His lips curved into a faint smirk, his head tilting slightly as he studied the prisoner.
"Well, look at that," Tobias drawled, his voice tinged with amusement. "Amari. Didn’t think I’d find you here."
Amari’s grip tightened on the bars as he held Tobias’s gaze, his expression carefully blank. "Tobias," he said evenly, though there was a subtle edge to his voice. "What are you doing here?"
Tobias took the pipe from his mouth, blowing out a slow cloud of smoke before slipping it into his coat. He stopped right in front of Amari’s cell, leaning against the bars like he had all the time in the world. His sharp eyes flicked briefly to Apollo, sizing him up, before turning back to Amari.
"Same thing I’m always up to, kid," Tobias said with a chuckle. "Lookin’ for trouble—and guess what? I found it. Two boys locked up in a dump like this... Doesn’t sit right with me."