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“Excuse me?” Faith snaps, offended.
“And she’s probably fertile,” I add.
My tempting does nothing for Vaeront.
Smirking, he motions to the woman in the cage. “As you can see, I already have a gorgeous wife, and she keeps me busy. I don’t need another.”
“For one of your men, then. Give them this reward, and they’ll be even more loyal to you.”
Speaking of Faith as if she’s a prize to be won seems to hit a nerve, and she begins screaming and trying to pull away from me. Digging her bare feet into the stone, she pushes herself backward.
The force makes me sway, but I stand my ground.
Once she realizes I’m not letting go, the violence starts. With her free hand, she punches me wherever she can, alternating with a few kicks here and there.
She’s not very strong, so it doesn’t hurt, but Vaeront isn’t pleased by the ruckus.
“Merina!” he calls over the noise while pinching the bridge of his nose. “Come take care of this.”
“No,” I protest, my heart sinking. “I’m not even done pitching my idea.”
“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. I don’t want this one. She’s too loud,” Vaeront spits the complaint. “And so spirited.”
“After a while, her spirit will break. You know it will. And then she’ll be bitter and just as awful as the rest of us.”
“I don’t have the patience to wait for that to happen.”
“Reconsider.”
“I will not.”
“Then I’ll get you someone else,” I blurt impulsively. “I’ll take on another bargain, and we’ll get it right this time.”
Intrigued by my desperation, he lifts the magnifying glass to study me again. I have no idea what he sees with that thing, but the way his lips lift in an evil smirk isn’t a good sign.
Making more bargains is something I had previously refused to do. Vaeront even tortured me for a while to try to get me to change my mind. He burned me with iron, strapping the toxic metal to my body until it seared through all my skin and sank into my muscles.
Still, I wouldn’t budge on my decision.
I’d gotten my conscience back, and I told him I would never bargain with a child’s life ever again. I couldn’t, and if I’m being honest, I’d hoped he’d kill me in a fit of rage.
Whenever any of Vaeront’s other subjects have denied his demands, he’s had them executed. He’s used their disobedience as an example, adding their bones to his throne for all to see.
If only he’d do the same to me. If only he’d end my misery.
He won’t, though. Even when I fuck up and piss him off, just as I’m doing right now, he won’t release me.
I’m too important. My power is too special.
The vortexes are the only way to travel to and from the Lost Land, and he’s not about to lose his only gateway to other worlds.
A second later, Merina comes around the corner.
Our savior.
The four-foot troll is one of the most powerful witches I’ve ever encountered.
When she broke through the barrier to the Lost Land nearly thirty years ago, her main purpose wasn’t to help us. She was a fugitive, and she came here to escape her own death sentence. The dark universe where we were in constant agony became her sanctuary, and because Merina is smart and calculating, she knew she’d be stronger if she had all of us on her side.
