The Underworld (Part III)

"She's pretty smart you know." resting his arms on the doors of the cage, Moros smirked in Theo's direction with a secretive glint in his eyes.

Eva wondered what he was pointing at and when she turned to glance at his face, it was as pale as a ghost. Did they know something that she didn't?

"I don't lie little girl," he assured and Eva scrutinized his expression as best as she could. It didn't seem like he was going to break his word and so taking a small risk, she decided to trust this instinct of hers.

And anyways, Theo wasn't butting in to stop her, was he?

"Then you better start talking before I enter that cell to teach you some manners." he threatened like the King he was and Eva only nodded in Moros' direction as a signal that he should open his mouth before Theo actually proved that he wasn't lying either.

"To be honest, I don't understand whatever you are," he commented and Theo took a menacing step forward but Eva stopped him with her hand.

"What do you mean by that?"

He scrunched his brows together and Eva knew that he wasn't fooling them this time. Moros looked bewildered himself and if he didn't know what she was, then she was clueless about who to go next to.

"Your heritage. A part of you has to be Fae or you would be dead when you stepped inside here. The problem is that I can't figure out what the second part of you is." he explained and then asked, "Was your mother Fae?"

Eva nodded instantly, and Theo could see the desperation in her features clearly enough. And hell, he wanted to hand over everything to her. Whatever she wanted and desired. He wished he could give the whole world to her and make her laugh just once. How long was it since she had smiled the way that made him forget everything else that existed?

"Then we need to find what your father was."

"Can you?" Eva asked, or begged considering the tone of her voice.

Moros's eyes unconsciously softened at seeing the despair on the half-humans face. He tapped his foot on the floor and finally decided.

"Pass me your hand," he spoke, sliding his hand out from one of the rods. Eva's eyes widened at his words.

Moros almost laughed at her reaction and Theo unwillingly grinned. "Do you really think I want you to cut your hand off and then hand it over to me?" he questioned, his eyes twinkling and it might have been a thousand millennia since he smiled this widely. Genuinely at that.

Eva rolled her eyes at both of them, but stepped forward, slipping her hand hesitantly into his grip. Her brows narrowed. Moros felt... cold. She got reminded of the times she had touched Theo and felt that he was colder than normal creatures were.

Moros directed his focus toward the bony yet creamy hand that he was currently touching. How long had it been since he felt somebody's touch? He couldn't remember no matter how hard he tried.

The second he put his abilities to use, something happened. Heat traveled through his whole body, warmth unlike any he had ever felt. And then it was cold. Shivers ran through his body. Something blew his hair away from his forehead and the temperature seemed to have dropped. The rocks cluttered around his cage trembled due to some unknown power and he pushed her hand away as if it had electrified him.

Eva bumped into Theo's back, gasping at the warmth that her skin met with. He straightened her, scanning her with worry visible in his glowing orbs, and then his eyes traveled to Moros. Eva gazed at the man who still looked shaken as if a thousand people were murdered in front of him and he was unable to do anything about it.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Theo asked, the second question directed toward Moros who suddenly raised his head to look at both of them. His pupils were quivering uncontrollably and it was when Eva noticed that her hands had resumed their trembling too.

"She's dangerous. Species of one of the most feared creatures out there. A descendant of the High Creatures." he spoke out with much difficulty and Eva gulped. The small glimmer of suspicion and awe in his eyes was what made her feel nauseated once again. She hated that look.

She feared to now look at him. Would the same apprehension be reflected in his gaze?

"How powerful is she?" Theo questioned and Eva couldn't detect anything in his voice. Maybe he was hiding something or she was too nervous to figure out anything anymore.

"If you're asking the echelon of her powers, I'd say she's just a few levels below your rank and mine," he answered, and right at that moment, a loud thunderclap echoed through the whole place.

Moros furrowed his brows but then abruptly smirked in their direction. "I'm finally going to see some action after all these eons." he commented.

"Fuck..." Theo muttered but she heard him loud and clear from how close she stood.

"Did something happen—" Theo grabbed her hand, his eyes darting around as if he was searching for a hiding spot or an escape hole.

The ground on which they were standing shook as if an earthquake was occurring. Eva ignored Moros, who looked happier than ever at the interruption. Her eyes were glued to the man standing beside her who seemed worried as hell.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted dark shadows arriving in the location in which they were currently standing. Her survival instincts instantly alerted her other senses and she turned around to look toward the tunnel.

Pale-looking creatures reached her vision and Eva scanned each one of them. They looked like warriors, armed to the tooth with all sorts of weapons and arsenals. Some had short hair while others had a longer length. Their eyes were what made her a little cautious. They were blood-red similar to how Theo's were back in Xandria. Realization sparked the bulb in her head.

Her eyes shifted to Theo who was glaring bombs at the man who seemed to be the leader of all the men. He was taller and more muscular than the rest of them. His hair was shorter than Theodore's and silver in shade. He looked like the type who people would approach without any sort of trepidation. While on one hand, Theo appeared perilously breathtaking for people to go near, this man seemed more amicable at first sight.

Something in his features told Eva that this friendly façade was deceiving to the bone. He detected them from afar and the look on his face was filled with curiosity and anxiety as he glanced toward his soldiers and then back at them.

Was he afraid that they weren't enough to protect him from Theo, Eva silently wondered as she looked back up at his face.

"Theodore." the man greeted with a sinister smirk.

"Asher."