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“You speak High Fae.” I tested Montgomery’s hold, found it unbreakable. “What does sacracivose mean?”
“Who the fuck were you talking to in the alley?” He countered, “And don’t lie, or I’ll rip out your tongue.” I had no doubt he’d do it; he was that angry.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I did.” I countered, my feet skimming across the cobblestones as he dragged me into an empty doorway, slammed my back against the door. Our eyes met, chests heaving, neither of us under control.
“Tell me who the fuck you were speaking to, Anaria.”
“The king’s High Seer.” When his gaze widened, I laughed. “Like I said, you wouldn’t believe me. Now what’s a sacracivose?”
He dropped me to the ground and backed away, wiping his hand across his mouth. “A sacrifice. In Old Valarian, that means sacrifice.” He gripped my arm and yanked me to my feet, close enough his whiskers rubbed like sandpaper against my cheek.
“Four fucking days.” He muttered, a muscle feathering his strong jaw. “You only had to behave for four fucking days and you couldn’t even do that, could you?”
“What…what did you say?”
This time when he pushed me away, I stumbled, my legs not able to keep me upright. I spilled onto the dirty pavers, uncaring of my hands gripping the filthy stones.
I stared up at him in confusion. “What did you just say?”
“Get her up and take her to Solok.” Montgomery brushed a hand down the front of his uniform, like he was getting rid of whatever residue I’d left behind. “The Axe will want her midlevel, I expect.”
Four days to my birthday. I was born in Caladrius. Tavion and the Seer had said the same thing, nearly down to the exact words.
What was going on?
They separated Ember and I, two guards rushing my friend in the direction of the palace, hopefully to be locked in our luxurious room. I was escorted into the main building and to the wing we hadn’t been able to explore, then to an endless stone staircase we hadn’t known existed.
The smell hit me halfway down.
Urine, blood, fear.
“I thought you were taking me to Solok?” I was shaking—shaking and about to puke—furious with myself for being so careless. I’d only wanted to test boundaries, not become embroiled in some sort of…well, I hadn’t had time to work out what treachery I was involved in.
“Oh, we are.” One of the guards assured me, with a shove. “He has a special cell set aside, just for you.”
“I’m the king’s guest.”
“Youwerethe king’s guest, before you decided to piss off the commander.” His mouth curled into a hideous smile. “AndSolok. I hope he lets us watch him work, he’s an artist with a knife.”
Oh gods, what was I going to do?
I puked all over his boots—tea, an apple, a croissant.
He just laughed and shoved me ahead of him. “Just wait until he gets started on you. My guess is, you’ll scream so sweet. I hope I get first watch tonight.” The glint in his eye turned meaner. “We get our pick of prisoners to fuck and I’ve never had a High Fae.”
“Touch her and I will carve your eyes from your head.” The guard shrank back as Solok stepped into the hall, blocking our way, his molten gaze devouring me. “Show our guest inside, and remain out here. I have no wish to be disturbed.”
I was shoved inside a room that held little more than a table with shackles, a wall of torture devices. I started hyperventilating.
Oh gods, why hadn’t I stayed in my room?
Every surface was stained with blood, even the ceiling. I couldn’t control my heaving breaths, my limbs went loose, my stomach roiling as my eyes flew over the hideous room.
“Little thief. I knew you would be trouble and you did not disappoint, did you?”
He motioned to the table and I balked, every instinct telling me that once he restrained me, I was as good as dead. “You can fight all you want, Anaria. In here, I am in control. And youare mine.”
He lifted a hand and slithering shadows manhandled me onto the table, pinning me down as he clamped the iron shackles around my wrists, then my ankles, until I was splayed out like a sacrifice.
