But my body begged for me to inhale—to take a breath. My mind screamed that I was going to die to prove a point. Darkness started to seep into my vision, and I had to fight to not pass out… or give in.
The suffering grew—intensified to a point I couldn’t handle. It was worse than anything I’d ever felt before. My skin was peeling off my body. Every bone felt like it was being crushed slowly. My mind felt like it was being stabbed over and over again…
I started writhing on the floor. I knew my face was turning purple, my lungs felt charred. It was a black void, expanding and all consuming, ready to swallow me whole until there was nothing left. Was this what it felt like to die? I always knew whenever the time came, it’d be painful, but I wasn’t prepared forthiskind of torment. I couldn’t take it anymore.
I screamed.
“She’s not compelled,” Athler said, his voice grating, and I realized the pure agony was coming from him. “I changed her pheromones. Regardless of how much pain I caused her, she should have been forced to suffer in silence.”
Arcane and Kole turned to look at me, but Athler was staring directly at the eldest prince. “What kind of Alluse did you use? Are you sure it was Vir and not complete?”
“Yes, I’m sure. The vapor worked. Maybe something is wrong with the compulsion user,” Arcane drawled. “You were able to manipulate her pheromones just now, were you not? That is proof the Alluse worked perfectly.”
Athler slapped Kole across the face. He staggered backward, tripping over me. “I ordered you to compel her.”
Kole glared up at him. “Ididcompel her.” He stood, straightening his jacket. “And you’re not allowed to touch me. I’m here on a work visa by my king.”
“If you’re on a work visa and you can’t properly work, then you’ll be disposed of however I deem fit. The visa is only valid if you can perform.”
Kole’s jaw ticked. “If you didn’t inject yourselves with Sui Alluse, I’d compelyoufor proof. I have no idea why it’s not working, but it’s not my powers.”
“Go fetch a servant,” Athler ordered. Kole was silent for a moment. His chest puffed before he finally stormed out of the room.
“You better be right about the King wanting her.” Athler turned to Arcane. “I don’t want a word about Sie or Dovelyn being here. If he finds out they got away, he’ll have our heads.”
“You meanyourhead,” Arcane clarified, his voice calm. “I’m the heir, which is nothing but a fancy title while the King still breathes. I hold no power yet. But you’re his second, and that means when the King is gone, you’re the one in charge.”
I stared up at the eldest prince. I hadn’t had many interactions with him beyond the week he was ordered to sample my blood, and even then he was straightforward, quiet, and to the point. He never hurt me, never took more than he needed, and I couldn’t help but wonder what game he was playing now.
Was he happy to make the trade? Did he let his sister go on purpose? I had no idea the kind of relationship the three siblings had—only that Tezya had said none of them were spared from the King’spunishmentsgrowing up. Was Arcane secretly trying to protect Dovelyn from that?
Arcane was supposed to make a mass compulsion serum. Did he do the opposite? Did he create a vapor serum thatblocked compulsion instead? Was he the reason I wasn’t being compelled right now?
Athler took a possessive step toward the eldest prince. “Then I’ll have your head before he has mine, and I promise you it won’t be pretty. If you say a word, you’ll regret it.”
Kole pushed the door back open, cutting the tension as he dragged a servant into the room.
He was shaking with sweat pooling under his arms and a large zero on his wrist that matched mine. His eyes widened, his expression pleading and begging me to help him.
“Compel him,” Athler ordered.
Kole’s body flared again in golden spirals. “Stand up.” The servant stood on shaking legs. “Sit back down.” The servant sat. “Stand.” He rose again. “Hop on one foot.”
“See,” Kole said, turning to face the other two males in the room. “It isn’t me. I can use my compulsion just fine.”
“Anyone can follow simple commands,” Athler replied, seeming bored. “That isn’t very convincing.”
“What do you want him to do then?”
Athler smiled, handing Kole a dagger. “I want you to compel him to do something I know he’d never willingly do. Have him slit his throat.”
The boy staggered backward, tripping over my chains. His aqua eyes found mine again. “Please, no. I swear I didn’t do anything. I was just cleaning the dishes as I was told. Please, don’t kill me.”
“Stop this,” I begged as Kole took a step toward him. His brown gaze slid to mine. He looked like he was going to protest. He turned the handle over in his hand, stalling, waiting for Athler to take the order back. “Please,” I said to Kole. The boy staggered behind me, his fingers pressing into my shoulders, nearly breaking my clavicles as his nails dug into my skin. I felt warm liquid seep into my clothes from behind me the second before the smell of urine filled the air. He started sobbing.
“Unless you want to speak willingly,” Athler deadpanned. “Tell us what we want to know.”
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t. There were thousands of lives at the camp. How many women, children, and men would they kill if I gave them the information they wanted? I looked up and found Arcane staring down at me. He was still, so unmoving, and I remembered he knew about the camp too. He was in love with Wells. Arcane knew everything Athler wanted to know, and yet he didn’t say anything either. He didn’t want me to tell him.
