“Get him out of the throne room,” Elion ordered the riders with aflick of his wrist. “I want the entire castle cleaned before the festivities start tonight.”
The riders offered their shoulders for Hael, but he didn’t take it. Instead, he straightened his spine, stifling back a wince, before he turned to walk out of the throne room. Our eyes locked for a moment, one single second, before he turned his back to me, and I gasped.
His skin hung by threads. I swore I saw glimpses of bone under a series of deep zig-zag cuts. Blood poured down the worst of them with each step he took.
“Nollie,” Elion drawled.
“Yes?” My voice stuttered as I felt everyone’s gaze turn to me.
“You have a pass since you weren’t aware of my rules regarding Arrik.” His gaze flicked toward the door, and I tried not to notice the trail of blood that was left or the fact that servants were already cleaning the puddle from the middle of the floor. “He should have known better.” His gaze snapped back to mine. “But now you know, so if you break my rules again, you’ll be down there next to him, and I’d find great satisfaction in watching you scream.”
I gulped, trying to find my words?—
“Do you understand?” His voice rose, echoing off the now silent walls.
“Yes.”
“Good,” he grinned. “Now go back to your room. Your servant will get you ready for the ball when it’s time.”
I practically sprinted out of the throne room, trying to keep my composure as I narrowly avoided the blood splattered across the floor.
Hael went through that because he stopped my training last night? Because he brought me to MonClem…
I couldn’t stop thinking about the third rule he broke. The one that Elion didn’t admit to, but then something else was wracking my brain—why?
Why the hell did he do it, knowing this was the consequence? Because one thing was certain after today—I no longer believed the king was setting Hael up to investigate me. Whatever Hael was doing, it was all on his own, and Elion was pissed.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Ghost
MAGNOLIA
Ifelt like a ghost as Bran came to my room to get me ready. I couldn’t stop seeing Hael’s flayed back. Did he know that was going to happen? Did he know the moment he took me from the brothel?
I kept telling myself I was only upset because it meant I wasn’t going to see him tonight. There was no way he’d be in any shape to attend and the ball was the official end to the Vargothi.
Dahes said this would be the only week Hael was guaranteed to be at the castle, and then my mind kept spiraling to what he did outside of the Vargothi. What was his daily life like? Who did he spend his time with?
Why did I even care?
Another part of me knew Dahes’ hunt had nothing to do with it. I wasn’t just upset because it meant he wouldn’t be at the ball. I was worried about him, and that terrified me.
I couldn’t afford to feel anything, and it would be stupid if I started now.
I’d been spending too much time away from Moriann, too much time not forcing myself to be numb that I was losing the ability. My emotions were stirring to the surface, spiraling in waves I couldn’tcontrol. The past seven years of pent up feelings were rushing out of me, clawing their way free no matter how tightly I tried to hold them back.
It was reckless.
I knew what Dahes wanted. How he was going to exploit Hael, howIwas going to help him. That was what I came here to do, and I never hated a hunt more…
I was barely paying attention to Bran as he got me ready. I vaguely knew he was talking to me. Little pieces clicked in my head—the main topic being how I needed to find someone at the ball tonight. He rattled off names of drakins who became sterilized last night and listed out my options of potential suitors. Vague repetitions of him scolding me, drilling into my head that if I made roots here, it would help my chances of Elion letting me stay.
At some point, probably when he realized I wasn’t paying attention, he asked me about my training.
It was another thing I didn’t want to think about. What would Elion do if I couldn’t show him my Token? Or worse, what if Dahes collected me and I still didn’t have any control over it?
Because after yesterday, after the brothel, I knew I had to get over the night Dahes tried to rape me. I just had no idea where to start.
