“My whore,” he drawled, and a dish clattered from where Hael was sitting. “Someday it’ll be true.”
“I will never be your whore.” I surprised myself by how low my voice was, how it came out more of a growl. My own fists were clenched under the table as I tried to block out the throne room.
You aren’t back there, Magnolia—his hands weren’t choking my neck, my slip wasn’t ripped down the top, my feet weren’t drenched in warm blood…
Dahes set his goblet down on the table, still eyeing me. “There’s been a lot of things you never would have done until you met me.”
I met his chilling gaze, forcing myself to stay composed. “I learned from my mistakes.”
He laughed again, just a single chuckle as his head tilted back. “That you did. I know you won’t ever make a deal with me again.”
“What deal?” Hael’s gaze snapped to mine. It was the first time he’d spoken during this Suns-awful dinner.
And even if I could, I wouldn’t deserve it. I’d done too much. Killed too much. Lied too much.
I stared down at my plate again. I couldn’t look at him, at either of them.
“Oh you don’t know? I assumed with how close you got to Magnolia, she told you everything.” He let the silence fill the room, and I used it to control my breathing.
“Naive fifteen year olds will say anything to save the person they love. She traded herself for a boy named Masin. Of course, she didn’t realize it at the time. She thought she was just agreeing to be my maid and that she’d later be able to run away.Nolliehad no idea she made a deal with the devil.”
Nollie.
I winced, knowing hedidoverhear Hael call me that. I was hoping he missed it, that he wasn’t paying attention…
“She has to do whatever I want. She doesn’t have a choice.”
I glanced up and saw Hael staring at me. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched… I looked back down at my plate.
“She’s mine,” Dahes continued. “I own her. So contrary to your newfound bravado, little ghost, Iwillmake you my whore.”
Hael wasn’t breathing. I wasn’t sure if I was either.
“And I don’t just own her mortal body, but her entire fucking soul. When she dies, she’ll still belong tome.”
I inhaled sharply. I knew this. I knew Dahes never feared my death. He would have killed me on the dais if Hael hadn’t agreed.
“We have less than a week until the Solstice,” Dahes said, rising from the table. “I can do a lot of things to her in that time.” His voice lowered as he walked around the table to stand behind me. “And I’m more than willing.”
“If you touch her again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
Dahes laughed, his voice chilling, hitting every nerve in my body.
“No,” he smirked. “I’ll make you watch.”
Hael stood, his chair groaning against the stone, as his chains rattled. He was bolted to the floor. He pulled, but it only caused more blood to drip down his wrists, the metal cutting into his skin.
Dahes laughed more, leaning down until his breath hit my neck and his fingers gently scraped across my collarbone. I flinched before my Token flickered on.
I could feel Hael staring at me now. Not everything I had told him was a lie.
Breathe. One. Two. Three?—
“Too bad it was all for nothing.” I stilled, Dahes’ words echoing through me, but not fully registering.
No.
He wasn’t talking about me…
