Roo didn’t hesitate. The moment Fleur vanished, he knew his power burst had worn off completely and utterly.
The smell of strawberries and cream mixed with serpent musk and worse, filth and decay. His body was freezing cold. Colder than before actually. Enough that he struggled to shiver.
That wasn’t right.
Serpents like Fleur weren’t that sensitive to the cold, and his body felt … sticky.
Filthy.
The darkness too dark for a regular prison.
He edged back more. Just in case. His hackles screaming in uncertain fear.
The breeze caught him down there again. Enough to almost make him whimper. Not that area was sensitive. Enough that he wore a protective cup with his dragon scale, that … it shouldn’t of been so easy to remove his outfit. There was magical protection against him being disrobed without his permission woven into it. Not directly, but nothing could get under it too easily, so with the mouth cloth, he was even safe from gassy poisons for a bit.
Usually.
How he got bare naked … how Fleur was … some mind game, of course, but why was he so trusting when … his head … his heart was racing stupid and loud.
“Why …” Fleur said, “I’m still cold. So cold. Please. A little more, no? Jussst a little. If you really vant to … then maybe …”
“Not right now,” Roo said, and grabbed his head, rubbing it and the goo in his hand. the sludge from the floor?
He stumbled back to the wall. Wiped his hand clean on the wall.
“Time to leave,” he said, “Get ready.”
Fleur chuckled. “Leave? But it’s so nissse here. In the dark. I am a darkspawn, no?”
Uh huh.
“But I’m not,” Roo said, and like a releasing another bow’s string, he triggered another power burst.
But like a bow string snapping, the power felt … off, less than it should.
Fleur chuckled sinister. “Come relax with me. Enjoy our time together, no? Zat Peaches is nothing compared to me. Zee pleasure is–”
“Pain?” he said, “Good idea.”
“Vhat?!” she said.
But he nipped his tongue hard. Searched the wall behind him for shackles and …
Found none?
“Zee cold must be confusing you, my Dear,” she said, “Come, let me warm you up.”
That crack-glump, crack-glump of a skeleton walking toward him …
“Stay back,” he said, “Please. Give me some space for now.”
“No no,” she said, “Zee cold vill be the death of you if vee wait any longer. Please. Trussst me.”
Uh huh.
So he did want mother did whenever he went too stupid for words back when he was too small and stupid to understand actual logical explanations.
He pinched his own ass.
Hard.
(Okay, she spanked him, but spanking himself, not practical, so pinching himself there was just as good.)
He didn’t even yelp.
Much.
The pain shocked him enough. Warmed him up enough.
And just in time.
A horrific howl erupted where Fleur had been.
He triggered another power burst.
One hand up, he leapt full strength toward the ceiling.
The moment his hand met resistance he swung his other hand.
Smash through the ceiling.
And into … ack!
The light!