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From seeing me as a monster.
It wasn’t a mercy I would’ve expected from the former Scourge king.
Even when that spell had been stripped off him, when Joachim was foaming at the mouth with pain, the truth potion didn’t work.
“That’s only the beginning of the pain you’ll feel if you don’t talk to us.” I held out my hand, healing magic sparking at my fingertips. “Or I can take the pain away.”
“What’s the point?” Joachim hissed. “You’ll kill me once you know… why would I help you?”
“We won’t.” I ran my spell across the red gouge in his chest, sparking relief—for a moment. “This servantfollows his queen’s orders, and she’s far more merciful than you deserve.”
He laughed, the sound hysterical. “Calling her a queen… you saw her at her weakest too, didn’t you, Damyn? You little rat, creeping through the castle… you know what she is.”
His gaze found Honor’s. “That’s why he can never love you. He knows what you really are.”
I wanted to hurt him, but Branok leapt forward. His fingers slid into his father’s hair, which was damp with sweat, and yanked his head up from the table. He slammed the man’s head into the table over and over again.
“Enough.” I dragged Branok off before he could kill his father. I would be one to end Joachim, if necessary. Honor was right; no matter how much Branok wanted blood now, he’d have to carry that memory all his life. “We need answers. He’s trying to provoke us all.”
“But I can’t provoke you.” Joachim’s eyes glittered. “Because you don’t love her.”
I didn’t dare look at Honor, because I might tear Joachim apart myself if I did. Instead, I healed the wound so he wouldn’t die on the table, his flesh knitting back together.
“This isn’t our isle magic.” Branok sounded as if he had regained some control of himself again, though his voice was still laced with rage.
“No,” I agreed. “This is Kallus. This fool is still working with him… and I’m sure Kallus will reward him well.”
The king of the grey was about as trustworthy as his snake lover.
“We’ll torture him the old fashioned way,” I said.
All I wanted was for Honor to leave, not to watch me hurt someone for her. But she had chosen to stay.
I avoided her eyes and went to work.
CHAPTER37
Lynx
I’d thoughtI’d be alone, and then suddenly I had company.
Joachim had delivered Alina and Lucien to my prison, dropping their unconscious bodies on the other side of the stone island, out of my reach.
He left them unshackled. When he’d flown away, I shouted to wake them. I was afraid they’d roll off in their sleep. I tried to get the shackles off with fire magic, then fought to get them off as they chafed at my wrists, watching my sister roll closer and closer to the edge. I had to get to her, and I ended up screaming, hoping she’d wake.
Alina woke first. She looked horrified for a second at the realization we were perched in the sky, but then she turned her steely gaze on me. “Lynx.”
My chest still heaved from the exertion of trying to get her to wake, but my voice came out as cool as hers when I greeted her. “Alina.”
After all, she was fine now, and she’d make sure Lucien didn’t roll off the edge.
I was curious what adventures she’d had without me. “What does Kallus want with you?”
“He thinks he can manipulate Honor with you… and he thinks he can manipulate you and Branok with me.” Her lips pursed. “He thinks Branok has a far warmer heart than he really does.”
“Don’t,” I cautioned her. “Bran is…difficult. But he does love you. And you don’t need to die hating each other.”
“Have you told him that?”
