Chapter 46 In The Dungeons 2

Chapter 46 In The Dungeons 2
“You forget that you are not in Dragonsbane but in Astaroth, what might be impossible there is very much possible here, and now I ask again,” Ryder said, leaning down closer to the man. “What are you to Lyra and what is she to you?”
Eris didn’t speak, he remained quiet and watched Ryder as they both stared daggers at one another. The man was proving to be stubborn and Ryder was not a very patient person. He hissed.
“Xanth?” He called without turning away or looking away from the man.
“Eris Dumieres, Duke of Deltora, Dragonsbane, and commander of the Deltorian army,” Xanth reported. Eris turned to him in surprise as to how he would be able to get such information about him so quickly. He frowned at the man but Xanth wasn’t quite finished yet. He continued. “Husband to Jenny Wixx, the third princess of Dragonsbane and Lyra’s sister…”
“She is the second princess of Dragonsbane, you moron!” Eris spat at him and then smirked, turning to face Ryder. “And you think that you know it all.”
Ryder smirked back at him and stood upright, he turned away and walked towards the cell gate. “Is that all, Xanth?”
“No my Lord,” Came his reply, he looked at Ryder and then back at the man before he continued, a frown coming to his forehead. “He was set to be married to Lyra thirty-eight years ago before…” He looked at Ryder who had his back towards them. “…before the incident.”
Ryder turned towards them but kept his gaze on the ground and looked like he was pondering on something. “Before the incident?” He knew what “the incident” was, but he wanted to emphasize it more. He looked at Eris with a tight frown.
“On her eighteenth birthday…” Xanth was saying but he stopped when Ryder held a hand up to stop him.
“This isn’t just about rescuing a princess of Dragonsbane from here, or is it, Eris Dumieres of Deltora?” He said, approaching the man one step at a time.
Eris struggled against the ropes restraining him to the chair, what he wanted more than anything was the opportunity to get his hands on this Lord of Astaroth. “I came here to get the princess away from your cruelty and back to her family as it is very clear that you do not value her. What was your reason for taking her?”
Ryder ignored his question because he was in no position to question him. He was his own prisoner now and Ryder would be the one asking the questions. “You still harbor some feelings towards her, despite the fact that you are married to her sister. What do you think that makes you, Eris?”
Eris stiffened in the chair, his breathing hitched and his anger towards Ryder grew. “She is now my niece, and as such, it is my duty to protect her.”
“And you are doing an excellent job at that.” Xanth chipped in. “Protecting her.”
Ryder glanced at Xanth briefly who bowed slightly in apology as he had just spoken out of line.
“Xanth, go fish out the rest of his men and handle the rest of everything else yourself.” He kept his eyes on Eris as he said his new words carefully and clearly enough. “Make sure to keep the yard clean of any Dragonsbane blood, and send their bodies back to where they came from.”
“You devil!” Eris trashed about in the chair. “You bloody devil!”
“And as for you!” Ryder’s voice was louder and drowned in pure rage. His eyes darkened and he took another step towards Eris, sending shivers through the man and rendering him quiet. “The only reason I will not have pieces of you sent back to Dragonsbane is that Lyra doesn’t want it so.”
Xanth looked at Ryder now, he was doing things because of her, it was new and strange because Ryder was used to doing things as he pleased and wanted, and never because he had someone in mind.
He continued. “But I will also not let you go just yet. Until Lyra doesn’t get better, you will remain here in the dungeon as my prisoner and the men you had brought with you will receive the punishment for your insolence.”
“You cannot do that!”
“He already did!” Xanth addressed the insolent man. Ryder had been quite lenient with this one and to think it was all because of Lyra. As much as Xanth was happy that Ryder was beginning to change towards the Dragonsbane princess, he was still cautious. Lyra was the one to fall in love with him and not him fall in love with her. If that happened, things were bound to go wrong later on.
“Get right on it,” Ryder said to Xanth and then turned away, storming out of the dungeon with Eris yelling threats after him. He would stay with Lyra and observe her knowing that he would not be coming down here ever. He trusted that Xanth would handle everything concerning the matter of the Duke of Deltora.