Chapter 51 His Demise

• As Dirk slowly regained consciousness, he found himself in a dimly lit room, suffused with Malta's overpowering pheromones. His head throbbed, and his body ached from the brutal attack. He struggled against the restraints that bound him to the chair, but they held fast.
• There was no sign of where he was, though he could hear the sounds of movement around him. Muffled voices, speaking in an unyielding rhythm, were barely audible but distinguishable. He tried to call out for help, but there was nobody present who would be willing to save him. So, he resigned himself to wait as his captors planned their next move. It was clear to him that they intended to torture him, but why? Why would Floridia, his former ally, be in league with Malta, his enemy? He had never wronged her, not even during their time together. The only reason he had recklessly responded to her call was the picture of her son, who bore an uncanny resemblance to the man who had named him heir in Qiemont. How could he abandon the child when he clearly needed him? Once again, Floridia was betraying him.
• She had plotted with his enemy, and now they had captured and trapped him in a room drenched in Malta's pheromones, leaving his body fighting for control over the invasive scent... his weakness.