There was a sound rising up from the ground beneath him. It was like the beat of loud music and of many voices, filtered through feet of solid stone until it was barely audible. But, in the deathly silence of the prison, it could not be missed.

Flux huddled in the corner of his small cell. His dark eyes sparked as he watched the weak torch outside his cell flicker back and forth. His fair face, disguised by dust and shaggy, russet-colored hair, rested on the tops of his knees. A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

He had the appearance of a boy who was being stretched to fit the body of a man. The gray wool trousers he wore, although several sizes too large for him, only helped to accent his small, wiry build. His bare arms, sandwiched between his chest and legs to keep them warm, were equally slim.

His breath was beginning to cloud as the cold of the autumn night set in. Shivering, he drew himself closer together. He was tempted to try breaking from the cell, although he knew that it would be a futile attempt. He could stand the cold a little longer.

By the dim light of the torch, the cell bars shone like silver. They were so beautiful. Sometimes, he didn’t even remember why he wanted to leave when he looked at them.

The ocean roared below.

Frowning to himself, Flux breathed another sigh. Although it was late at night, he felt wide awake. His heart echoed the pounding of the ocean as it fluttered with anticipation. And yet, despite his excitement, he knew that he had to wait.

His dearest was coming. He would be freed soon enough.

One of the prisoners on the other end of the hallway coughed. The sound shattered the fragile silence and made Flux start. His eyes automatically shot into the shadows, but he was disappointed when there was no one there. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he settled back against the stone wall.

He wasn’t made to be alone in the cold. But waiting was his only choice.

The ringing of the cough in his ears had long dissipated when the pounding of the ocean was joined by the sound of soft feet in the hallway. Flux’s heart jumped into his throat. Suppressing his enthusiasm, he slowly got to feet, careful that his leather shoes wouldn’t squeak, and padded up to the silver bars.

In the unsteady light of the dying torch, the man outside the cell was nearly invisible. But the long loose hair and the stormy eyes were unmistakable.

“S-” Flux began, unable to hold himself back any longer. He couldn’t even finish the short word before the tall man had pressed his finger to his lips to quiet him. The gray eyes looked through the bars into the brown ones. Flux could tell that he was smiling.