Page 62 of She Who Holds My Wrath

He draws closer, pulling out a knife from beneath his cloak. I thrash against my chains, but it’s no use. He’s too close, too fast. He slams me against the wall, the force knocking the air from my lungs as his hand grips my throat. He slowly starts cutting away at my clothing, slicing through my thick dress like it’s made of butter. The fabric falls to the floor in a whisper of sound. The chill of the dungeon hits my bare skin, my skin pebbling as the icy air wraps around me.

He releases my throat and takes a step back, his constellation-lit eyes slowly tracking down my body as he drinks me in. I’m left standing in nothing but my underwear, a simple black lace bra and matching panties.

Kaelith brings his hand to his mouth, biting down on his knuckles as he groans. “Absolutely divine. You were wasted being bonded to that asshole.” His voice drops an octave. “A body like yours deserves to be worshipped by a god like me.”

“You are no god,” I spit, my voice shaking with disgust.

He lets out a low chuckle, moving into my space. “No, but I sure do fuck like one.”

I recoil at the touch of his hand at my thigh, panic instantly flooding my chest. I try to pull away, but I can’t. I can’t move, I can’t escape. The feel of his hand grazing over my skin sends a wave of repulsion trough me.

“I’ll be taking this,” he whispers against my ear, pulling the dagger from the sheath at my thigh.

No. Not my dagger. It’s the only thing I have left that keeps me connected to Korithax. To Hell. It’s also the only way I have at opening a leyline home if I manage to escape.

He signals to the VeliNymph, her hands shaking as she reaches for the dagger. She still refuses to meet my eyes, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor. Coward.

Kaelith pulls me closer, his hands roaming, touching every inch of me as if I’m nothing but an object for his pleasure. One hand drags up and begins palming at my breast. He’s not gentle in his touches, his grip bordering painful as he squeezes at my nipples through the fabric, his groans of satisfaction vibrating against my throat.

“Stop,” I shout, my voice raw with emotion. “Get your hands off me.”

I thrash against him, but it’s useless. His strength is overwhelming, his grip on my throat making it hard to breathe. My body trembles, my limbs heavy as my mind swirls. I feel myself slipping away, feeling weaker with every touch, every press of his vile body against mine. I’m nothing more than his strung-up puppet to do with as he pleases.

He continues to move his hands all over my body, trailing them over every inch of skin as he grinds his solid length against my stomach. I feel so violently sick, so dirty. I can feel my mind disassociating, doing everything it can to protect me from what’s happening.

“Korithax,” I whisper, my voice trembling.

Kaelith barks a laugh, tightly wrapping his fingers around my neck. “Korithax is dead, sweetheart. There’s only me here now.”

He drags his tongue up the column of my throat, along my jaw, and up my cheek, lapping up the tears I didn’t even realise had fallen. “You belong to me.”

He moves in, and I can’t stop him. His lips crash against mine in a brutal kiss, demanding and repulsive. With his mind focused on the kiss, his hand loosens around my throat. I take my window of opportunity, and with the last bit of strength I have, I rear my head back and slam my forehead into his face.

“FUCK!” Kaelith roars, releasing me entirely to grab at his now bleeding nose. Violet blood drips down his chin as he glares at me.

“I belong to no one,” I snarl. “You’re pathetic. The only women you touch are the ones who are too young and helpless to say no. Nobody actually wants you, Kaelith.”

I spit at his feet, my lip curling in disgust. He doesn’t hesitate. His hand lashes out, striking my face with a sharp, brutal crack that echoes off the stone walls. The force snaps my head sideways, chains jerking violently above me as my body follows the motion. For a split second, the world whites out. Sound disappears into a high, piercing whine. Then it all crashes back at once.

My ears ring violently, the noise so loud it feels physical, like something drilling into my skull. Fire explodes across my cheek, radiating outwards in hot, pulsing waves that make my eyes water. My vision swims, the room tilting and blurring as dark spots burst across my vision. The taste of iron floods my mouth where my teeth cut into the side of my cheek. My head throbs, and for a moment, I can’t breathe. I can’t think. I can’t do anything except hang there, stunned, swaying slightly as the world struggles to right itself around me. Gods above, he’s an asshole.

Just as he moves forwards to strike again, the sound of the dungeon door swinging open echoes throughout the space. Two guards rush inside, their footsteps pounding on the stone flooring. “What is it?” Kaelith barks, his frustration bubbling over.

“Your Highness, it’s the Shadow Wielder. He’s gone feral,” One of the guards says, worry lacing his tone.

Kaelith growls, running a hand through his hair, before grabbing the syringe from the tray the VeliNymph still holds. He flicks the cap off and stalks towards me.

“No,” I beg, thrashing against the chains. “Please, no. Stop!” The sharp sting of the needle is the last thing I feel before the horrible feeling of dizziness and disorientation swims through me.

Kaelith’s last words echo in my ears. “Don’t worry, princess. I’ll be back to finish what we started once you wake. But for now, I’ll enjoy torturing you in your dreams, too.”

The sound of his laughter makes my stomach recoil, and the last thing I see is his silhouette retreating as he barks at the VeliNymph to follow him out. My vision swims, and blackness swallows me whole once again as my body succumbs to the drug. The weight of it all crushes me in a haze of uncertainty and fear.

Chapter 26

DAISY

The floor beneath me is soft, plush, almost cloud-like.