I let out a heavy sigh, blood running down my chin now. If my nose is broken, I’ll lose my mind. I’m too pretty for all this shit. Why I didn’t just settle down and marry is beyond me. "They came to me a couple of weeks ago and said they had a job for me, and that it was a good opportunity to repair the rift between our peoples. They said the Vault break-in was making them worry the security wasn't tight enough.
“They wanted me not to break in, but to see how easily I could work out how to get in there. I should've seen it was a trap, but the money they offered was a lot, and they paid me upfront. It was enough for three months’ worth of healing supplies for my people. Clearly, it was just a set-up to get guards to catch me snooping around the Vault. I’m so fucking stupid."
She nods in understanding. "Let me talk to Rexxan."
"What if he hurts you?"
She laughs out loud. "He wouldn't lay a finger on me, Renna. Not in a million years. Stay here. Don’t cause trouble."
"Can't I clean my face up?" I ask, lukewarm blood tricking down my chin and onto my neck.
"No. It may work in your favour. Rexxan is more protective of you than he lets on," she informs me, vanishing out the door, a vision in ivory silk and glossy white hair. She's more than I deserve.
Near midnight, guards arrive and haul me to my feet, cuffing my hands. Even the handcuffs here are expensive, gold-plated and fashioned to look like vines and thorns wrapped around my arms.
"Do you need a healer for your face?" One asks, his eyes kind. This seems to be the general theme amongst the King's guards. They're nice to me, but they'd kill me in a second if they were asked to. I shake my head as we walk up the stairs out of the prisons that look more like a forest than they do a prison. Everything here looks like a forest. Even Rexxan’s palace looks like some odd hybrid between an immeasurably huge tree and a building.
I am led to a spectacular hall, the roof and columns crawling with green leaves. Trees sway through the windows, birds flitting in the ivy-covered ceiling rafters. Like everywhere in the King’s home, it’s spectacular. There are worse places to die, I suppose. They push me onto my knees on the floor in front of the King.
"What happened to her face?" His voice is arctic with fury, at everyone, I imagine. He’s busy enough without all this. "Did one of my guards hit you?"
"We did not, my lord."
"Renna, is that true?" He asks, long fingers flexing around his sword.
"Yes, Your Majesty, it's true."
He dismisses the guards, but I still don’t look up. "The potion you take. Tell me what it is."
I meet Lynna's eyes where she stands beside his throne and she shakes her head. She hasn't told him a word. She's told me on many an occasion that Rexxan is the most intelligent person in this kingdom. I have no doubt that he has worked this out on his own. I shake my head too. "I cannot say."
"Why?"
"I just can’t, my lord."
"Who has a hold on you?"
"No one, I promise."
"You've lied about everything, Renna. But lying about who you are is a on whole other level. How many conversations did we have about you being mortal?" He says, tipping my chin up with the tip of his sword, his voice soft so only I can hear.
"I'm sorry." I genuinely mean it. I like Rexxan a lot. I don’t know why I’m still breathing. I just hope he doesn’t torture me for long.
"I don't believe you.”
Rexxan sits down on his throne, surrounded by trees and hanging vines, seemingly with no intention of hurting me. He cracks his knuckles, the muscles in his huge forearms rippling. Orange eyes gaze down at me through thick black lashes. "Twenty-seven years ago, Espan took an arrow to the chest to save my son’s life. He's cashing in his favour in return for your life."
I give him a tight smile. "Good to know you equate the value of your son’s life with the pleasure you'd receive from killing me."
"Renna, stop," warns Espan.Whoops. That one came out accidentally.
Annoyance flashes in those spectacular auburn eyes, but he continues. "Your release is subject to you coming clean about everything. Espan has told me what happened with Lana and Kelen and I will speak with them separately."
"I can't," I whisper, my voice hoarse. "It's all I've ever been told."
"Tell me who you are, Renna, or I will make this very difficult."
My eyes meet his, unyielding and unwavering. My next four words are spoken loud and clear. "You don't scare me."
