“Emptywords from oneIalready know to be a liar.Butit is easy to instill loyalty in someone as pathetic as you.”Hesnatched my brother’s arm then, dragging him across the floor, eliciting a few weak moans from him, my only signal that he was still alive.Mymother clawed and reached for him, trying to hold on, but the emperor pushed her away as she wept.
Hedeposited my brother roughly on the stairs of the dais before retaking his seat. “Yourson shall join me as a ward in my court.”Heslid his hand through my brother’s hair softly, a devious grin crossing his face. “Andshould you behave well, your son will beverywell taken care of.”Heflicked his thumb over my brother’s lips before letting his head drop to the floor again.Iheard my father emit a small growl, but there was no weight behind it.
“Andyour daughter,” he flicked his hand to me without looking, as ifIwere less important than the rubble gathered around him, “will be going to theDragonKingdom, where hopefully they can teach her some better uses for her dirty mouth.”Thepit in the bottom of my stomach completely dropped out, but beforeIhad a chance to react,Iwas being dragged away by my guard.Ittook all of my coordination to keep my feet from sliding across the floor.
Isaw my mother crawl across the floor, reaching for my brother.Shepulled on the hem of theEmperor’scape, andIheard her beg, “Please,YourEminence, please…”Hadeonlooked at her like a bug that needed to be squashed. “You’repathetic, don’t touch me.”Butshe reached for him again, andIsaw anything reasonable leaveHadeonas he held out his hand and sent a lightning bolt straight through my mother’s heart.
“Letthat be a reminder, should you forget my generosity again.”
Icould smell the sizzle of burnt flesh as my mother’s blood pooled around her on the white marble floor.Theonly soundIcould hear was my own screaming asIwas pulled from the room.
Chapter3
Tori
Iwas dragged down into my own dungeon, my voice hoarse asIscreamed, my nails bloody asIscratched at the face of the guard carrying me.Anotherhad joined him in an attempt to contain me.
“Damnhellcat.”Hetossed me roughly onto the stone floor of a cell, my arm and cheek abraded against the rough tiles.Theguard’s eyes were filled with malice as he stared down at me.Thesecond guard stepped out from behind him, and the air in the cell seemed to grow thick and choke me.
“Haveyou ever had a princess before?”Thesecond asked, licking his lips in a way that drove bile to rise in my throat.
“No,Ibet she tastes expensive.Betterget my piece of that pussy now before the wholeDragonKingdomhas its way with her.”
“Whosays you get to go first?”
Theycontinued to bicker whileItried to plan my escape.Isaw the first shift to unlace his trousers with one hand, still holding his sword out towards me.Hewas larger than me and full fae, soIhad no strength advantage.Hewas also fully armored, aside from the piece he now let fall away in front of his crotch.Thesecond was the same.Iwas no fool,there was no wayIcould take on two armed fae in a fair fight—or even an unfair one—with only my dagger.ButIwould be damned ifIdidn’t try.
“Oh, there will be no need for that,”Isaid pushing the tip of his sword down with two of my fingers. “Thereis no reason that we can’t all enjoy this.”Imoved my hands to my chest, slowly sliding my hands under the formal robesIstill wore.Iallowed them to fall off, revealing the thin silk slipIwore underneath.Irepeated the mantraIhad used my whole life,always let them underestimate you.
“Filthyslut, who said you get to enjoy this?” he groaned as he dropped his sword behind him and bore down on me.Ilet him close the distance between us, one hand reaching and groping my breast, while the other crushed against my windpipe.Iheard his companion complain about leaving something for him, but he sealed his mouth down on my shoulder, and bit down so hardIknew there would be blood.Icouldn’t help the small yelp that escaped me, and it spurred him on to crush me more violently against the wall.Butremoving my robe had given me easier access to the garter on my thigh andIpulled my dagger free beforeIrammed it into the side of his neck.
Afaint gurgling escaped him as blood sprayed across my face and chest, the metallic taste of it hitting my mouth and nose.Buthe released his grip, both hands clawing at the dagger, andIcould breathe again.
“Youbitch!”Thesecond soldier ran at me, his sword aimed straight at my head.Hiscompanions' blood continued to spray thick in the air, asIhad struck his artery, each flux matching the increased rate of his heart.Hefell to his knees, andIwrenched the dagger from his neck.Iheld it up, knowingIhad little chance against a full broadsword.Ireadied myself to try and block the strong overhead swing already headed at me when the guard froze.Iheard a small squelching noise and a breath escape him as the sword clattered down from his hands.
Hetoo fell to his knees, but when he did, it revealed a third man standing behind him.Hisblack armor was coated in a skin of the fae’s blood.Heheld his right hand outstretched, displaying his grisly prize.Thecrimson heart he held was still beating, each contraction sending more thick blood cascading over the cage of his fingers, running in rivulets down his arm.Hemust have ripped out of the fae back, straight through his golden armor and rib cage.
“Well, this is quite a mess you’ve made,” theDragonKingcommented with no humor.Iraised my dagger and lunged at him.Iwilled my hands to not shake and failed.Iwasn’t as well trained with a dagger asIwas with other weapons, and it showed.Withone hand he easily snagged the dagger from my grasp. “Now,Princess, there will be no need for that.”
Theking stashed my dagger into his belt and glared at me.Hislong silver hair was speckled with blood, and that strong, handsome face was twisted into a grimace.Helooked at the heart he still held with disgust, as if it were an overripe autumn plum leaking all over his fine armor.Hesnapped his fingers, and two more soldiers clad in black appeared in the doorway.
“Searchthe princess to see if she has any other hidden secrets.”Oneof the soldiers stepped forward, andItook a step back but was immediately pressed against the wall again.Ithought about trying to run, but my legs barely held me, andIwould never get past them all.
Thefrenzy that had been carrying me since the morning seemed to have finally subsided.Icrashed to my knees, wheezing, but it felt like there was no air in the room at all, only blood.Ihad trained for this, but the reality was always different.Iraised my hands to defend myself, but the soldier quickly knocked them aside.Thesoldier’s hands ran over the parts of my body covered by my slip.Thetouch was firm, but not aggressive, although highly invasive considering what my slip covered.Theytraced over my front and turned me to trace over my back.
“Nothingelse, sir,” said the soldier in a voice higher pitched thanIexpected.Ilooked at theDragonKing, and his eyes were locked on mine, his expression hard.Isaw his eyes drop to my shoulders and chest whereIwas covered in the soldier’s blood, and his expression changed to one of rage.Iwondered what sort of punishmentIhad earned for killing this man.Butthen his expression calmed to a distant cold look.
Heturned and tossed the heart into the corner of the cell like an old apple core and strode out, his soldiers following him.Iwas prepared for him to slam the cell closed, when he turned back to me, “Well, are you coming?Orwould you prefer to remain here with…that?”Hemotioned to the dead bodies on the floor.Mybrain wasn’t registering whatIshould do—not working at all really.Butmy body seemed to have a primordial need to leave the scene of my crime, soIfollowed him out the door, his soldiers taking up position behind me.
“Wewill get you cleaned up and into some new clothes.Unfortunately, you will need to remain here until the ship is ready, butIwill leave my soldiers with you as escorts, so you won’t need to fear any further incidents.”Heemphasized the last word, menace flowing through him.Heturned to me one last time, a smirk crossing his lips as he let his eyes rove over my whole body.IknewIwas still covered in blood, but my slip didn’t cover much, andIfelt the need to cross my arms and cover myself.
Thathaughty smile only grew, “Icertainly do have my hands full with you, don’tI?”Heturned and strode away as his soldiers escorted me into the nearest cell.
* * *
Inmy new cell,Iwas provided a bowl of warm water and cloth, along with a new set of clothes.Itwas a simple ensemble, likely taken from a servant, butIdidn’t care because they were blood-free.Mytwoescortsstood in front of the bars of my cell, but with their backs to me,Iassumed to give me some semblance of privacy.Fora brief moment,Ithought about sneaking up behind one of them and strangling them through the bars.Ireleased a sigh and dropped the thought, as it would likely not accomplish anything but piss them off.
Itook off my blood-soaked slip, the sanguineous fluid now faded to deep wine red and brown.Itook the cloth and scrubbed my body, the water in the bowl turning pink.Iscrubbed my neck and shoulders and winced asIpassed over where the soldier had bitten me, the wound still open.Iscrubbed it harder, the pain driving away the memories of his hot breath on my throat and his hands gripping me all over.AfterIwas sure my body and hands were clean,Idressed and moved to my face.
