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Chapter 33
Now
A head and two shoulders silhouetted above me. I wondered why he wasn’t cradling me against him like he had when we fell asleep in the King’s bed. I opened my mouth to tell Cal about the dream I had, of the nightmarish life I had seemingly lived overnight. My breath caught. His head was misshapen, its outline rounded and twisting. From this angle, I could see an angry puckered divot beneath his chin. The scar was thick, jagged, not a singular slice or puncture wound but a furious mix of both. How did Cal get that?
Features began to take shape as I realized a ram’s head was staring down at me. I pushed him away and shot up, shuffling backwards, shaking reality back into my brain. I fisted through my ruffles, the diadem still there, but no sign of the dagger.Fuck.
“Where is my mother?” I shouted.
“Quiet,” Miles commanded, the gravel in his voice making sense now that I had seen the marred underside of his chin. He was squatting, a blade in his hand.
My volume did not change. “Where. Is. My. Mother?” I began to rise, every muscle in my body protesting.
“She’s with the others.”
“Where are the others?”
“Halfway to Taitha by now.”
I cocked a brow at him. “Excuse me?”
“She was gone. There’s no saving her.” His tone was flat.
“Where is my dagger?” I hissed.
“Safe and sound right here,” he said, patting another sheath on his already-crowded belt.
“Give it back.”
“Do you know how to use it?” he asked incredulously.
“Give me myfuckingdagger.”
“Of course you don’t. Why would an overindulged royal bitch know how to use a weapon?”
White hot rage bloomed in my chest, steam building in my head. “Youbastard.” I stalked toward him, my skin blistering. “You absolutefucking bast–”
“You’re a bit lucid for three days off the thorn,“ he quipped. I stopped in my tracks. Three days? Had I slept forthree days? He stared from behind his mask, not stirring from his crouched position. He began cleaning his fingernails with his blade. “I’ve seen thousands take the pipe. They all react in some way. None like you though.” He pointed his dagger to me for emphasis.
I blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” My tone was not convincing.
He scoffed, which quickly turned into…a laugh. A deep, hearty laugh with a cadence so warm that it momentarily threw off my guard. Rising from the ground, he stepped toward me. “We’ve already lost three days. Get up, we’re going to Taitha. And I will be delivering you directly to Kauvras.”
I planted my feet firmly on the ground, knowing that my physical strength was comical compared to his. “You will not.”
“Oh, but I will.”
“Why?”
“Kauvras is looking for you, and I’m looking for answers. Answers I know he has. You’re my bargaining chip.”
I scowled at him. “And why areyouthe one bringing me to Kauvras? Not one of the other soldiers? Why aren’t we with the rest of the group?” With mymother.
He let out a low, gruff laugh. “They think you and I were ripped to shreds when the beasts attacked. Didn’t take much for them to move on. Imagine how surprised they’ll be when I show up with you.”
“So that’s why you ‘saved’ me from Ythan that night? So you could use me as a bargaining chip to get what you want?” I demanded, my arms flying wildly with my words.
He didn’t flinch. “Ythan was a piece of shit. I’d been looking for a reason to off him.” My eyes flicked to his belt, to the quiver of feather tipped arrows that hung there, a bow peeking out from over his shoulder.Holy shit.I bit my tongue. “I didn’t know who you were then. But damn if I’m not glad I do now. You will wed Kauvras and I will get my answers.”
