Chapter 15 Ambrose #2
Keeping my back to the prisoners, I studied the lords, catching Bramwell hungrily eyeing Sybil.
My lips twitched, but I brushed past it.
I would deal with him privately, reminding him who she belonged to.
“Thank you all for joining me today. Before we begin, I have some unfortunate news to share with each of you. Our dear friend, Lord Lowell, passed away just this morning. We found some rather damning pieces of evidence that suggest the rebellion may have been involved.” Lowell’s servants hissed behind me, their sharp denials interrupting my speech, but quickly turned into gasps from the ice that climbed up their chains, searing their skin.
“We have arrested the servants we believe to be involved, but I invited you all here today to show you what I can do as king.”
“And will you be having your grand paladin show off her skills?” Lord Bramwell asked, his eyes raking down Sybil’s body.
Sybil sneered, though her eyes flicked just behind Lord Bramwell. “I won’t be doing a damned thing,” Sybil growled, her blistering gaze returning to Bramwell.
“Actually,” I said to her, smirking. “You will.” I turned back to the lords, pleasure bubbling in my chest. “You see, my darling little grand paladin here belongs to me. She graciously formed a bargain with me quite recently, giving me all control of her magic.”
The lords whispered to each other, each of them studying Sybil closely. Arianna, catching my intention, walked behind Sybil, grabbing her arm, forcing the sleeve of her jacket up to show off the mark of the bargain. Sybil cursed, pushing away from Arianna, but the lord’s eyes were wide.
Lord Oziel laughed. “What an interesting gem you’ve found, Ambrose. Will she be available for us to use, as well?”
I glanced at Sybil, considering his questions. “We can discuss it. But for right now, I will start teaching our grand paladin how to interrogate our suspects. She is new, untested, and still has much to learn.”
Sybil paled, her eyes clashing with mine. “I will not, Ambrose. Just as I said last night, these are innocent people. I will not harm them.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we have that bargain then, isn’t it?” I chuckled. “It doesn’t matter what you want. You’ll do it whether you wish it or not.”
Sybil bared her teeth at me, her nose curling in disgust.
You don’t own her. She will break your command. You don’t own her. She’s not fully yours.
I silenced the voice with a low growl, my hand snapping forward, grabbing Sybil by the neck to pull her to me.
“You will do as I command,” I hissed. “Or have you forgotten the last time you defied me?” Pushing her away, I ran my hand through my hair, willing myself to keep control of my temper.
“I think it's time we begin, and after, I’ll remind you what happens when you go against my wishes.”
Sybil’s face blanched, and my lips rose as I faced the prisoners.
“As some of you may know, our war general, Ezra Darktree, escaped from his prison cell.” Standing in front of the four guards, I eyed them, letting the silence break them down, along with their hopes.
“But,” I paused, my focus snapping to one of the guards.
I felt it then, flickering in one, a pasty male with limp, ashy hair, a small hope to get out of this interrogation alive.
This male has seen some of my work, enough to know of the promise I offer.
The others were filled only with panic. I went to the pasty one and took hold of that hope, pulling it forward.
“All I need is for someone to confess. Just one small confession, telling everyone here who was involved. Do that, and you’ll be free.
The same goes for you four, as well,” I said, glancing at Lowell's servants. “I just need to know who acted on the rebellion’s plans to kill Lord Lowell. Though, of course, the evidence found in your rooms showed that all of you were involved.”
“You’re a filthy liar,” a male servant spat. His tanned face twisted in anger. So different from yesterday’s emotionless veneer.
My lips dipped while I held his piercing glare, the chill in the room growing.
Breaking his stare, I chuckled and walked to the table in the far corner of the room.
I felt the male’s eyes on me, and I even felt Sybil’s, but I ignored them, running my fingers over the different knives, spiked clubs, and whips.
I stopped at the dagger with the runes carved into the hilt, a smile splaying across my face.
“Sybil,” I murmured, handing her the dagger. I watched her throat bob, my heart dancing at the horror rippling across her face. “I command you to put this in his leg. Be a good girl and make it hurt, please.”
I saw the moment my command took effect, saw how she grimaced, pulling her hand to her chest, her breath whooshing out of her lungs. I watched how she refused to move until her knees buckled and she cried out, her breathing turning to wet rasps.
“Now, you know what happens when you refuse my command, darling Sybil,” I tutted. “Let’s not go through this again. You are my grand paladin, after all,” I said, crouching beside her.
Sybil yelled into the floor, her eyes closing. Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention, but as I turned, a choked sob escaped from her, the rueful sound filling the room, bringing my focus back to her.
Sighing, I grabbed her by the back of her hair, wrenching her head up to look at me. “Move, now,” I growled.
Sybil’s body jerked, and I let go of her head, her tears wetting the stone below her.
But she slowly rose on trembling legs and walked to the servant, who begged her to stop.
Falling to her knees, I heard her apologize before slamming the blade to its hilt in the male’s leg.
His screams flew past me, and I laughed as the smell of his urine filled the room.
“His other leg now, if you’d please, Sybil. And give it a nice little twist for good measure.” I murmured, brushing invisible dirt from my tunic.
Sybil hesitated but whimpered at the pain from defying the bargain. Her hand shook while reaching for the blade. With a pained moan, she pulled it out, pushing it into the male’s other leg, quickly twisting it. His screams filled the air, his terror wrapping around me.
“I’ll do it! Please, I’ll do it!” A female servant cried, her eyes wide, glancing between the male and me. “Please, stop this. I’ll confess. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
Sybil stared at her, horrified and stunned. I walked to the female and tilted my head, studying her slender form. I pushed my magic toward her, feeling her panic, her fear, but there was a fierce need to protect the male servant. A love that was strong between them.
“If I let him go,” I said quietly, “if I let him live, you will tell me what I want to hear.” A statement, not a question. One she understood completely.
Nodding her head, I laughed. “Excellent. That leaves one more person who’ll be allowed to live.
Who would like the honors?” I eyed the male guard, waiting for him to take the bait, but they all remained quiet.
Frowning, I walked to him and sighed. “Sybil, I want you to do this one next, though I think we should try something different, don’t you?
” I crouched down, staring up at him, raking my gaze over his gangly body, his face turning sallow.
“A finger, maybe? Or the entire hand? Maybe I should cut out your heart, let you watch its last beat before you die.”
He moaned, despair weighing down on him, his head dipping to his chest. Tears flowed freely from his eyes, streaking down his sunken face.
“Sybil, darling, come this way, please.” I waited until she was by my side to continue. “I think a finger for now will be fine. We will cut each digit one by one until someone agrees, yes?”
Sybil refused to look at me, though her face was equally bloodless.
A small noise came out of her from the bargain, and I chuckled, waiting for her to step forward.
She continued pushing against the bargain as blood trickled down from her nose, her breath coming in short, sharp bursts.
Her body leaned forward, like her muscles were too weak to keep her standing.
A pained groan left her lips, and she finally stepped forward, raising the dagger to the male’s chained hand.
The male struggled against the shackles, begging her to stop. The blade met his skin, blood beading from its sharpened edge when he caved. “I’ll do it! I’ll confess to anything you want. Please stop! Stop!”
“Sybil,” I said, letting the pride show on my face. “You can stop now, darling.”
Sybil let out a sob of relief and quickly stepped away, dropping the dagger. She distanced herself from me, pushing herself into the wall, her bloodied hands wiping frantically against her uniform.
I turned back to the lords, their smiles wide and eyes shining with such exhilaration. “I think that should do for now. I’ll leave these two here for more questioning, while the others will be taken to their cells. We will call a meeting tomorrow morning around ten to discuss our next steps.”
Dismissing them, the lords nodded their agreement to the plan. Hale stepped forward, bowing before having them follow him out of the dungeons, leaving Sybil alone with Arianna and me. Sybil made a step to go, but I raised my hand.
“Not so fast, darling Sybil. We have some issues to discuss.” I glanced over at Arianna, who now stood by the table. “Your choice again, my love.”
Arianna flashed an eager smile, picking up the whip from the table. She sauntered out of the room, letting the whip uncoil, trailing on the floor behind her. Flicking my gaze to Sybil, her hands were curled into tight fists, tremors wracking her body, her eyes glued to the door.
I silently stalked up behind her, leaning down so that my lips brushed against her ear. “After you, darling Sybil,” I whispered.
Sybil jerked her head away from mine, her breathing erratic, but she lifted her chin, her eyes full of false bravado, and followed Arianna out of the room to the next cell over.
Just a step behind Sybil, I entered the cell and wrapped my arms around her waist, splaying my hands along her stomach.
She fought me, but I pulled her hard against me.
I leaned down, breathing her in, flicking my eyes to Arianna.
A cold fire glowed in her eyes as she watched me with Sybil, but she kept her mouth shut.
Sybil made to pull away, but I tightened my hold on her. “Hands in front of you, my darling,” I whispered in her ear.
Sybil took a sharp inhale, bristling from my touch, but she put her hands out. My magic circled them, forming a long chain of ice that wrapped around her wrists, binding them together. Sybil gasped at the sudden frigid bite against her skin.
I walked her to the hook hanging in the center of the ceiling, dragging my hands up her body.
I lifted her arms, slipping the chain into the hook.
The chain was long enough for her to stand, though she was forced to rise on the balls of her feet.
I doubted that would last long once Arianna started.
Once Sybil’s chains were secure, I ran my hand slowly down her arm to her neck.
“It really is too bad you feel the need to fight against me,” I whispered, low enough for only her to hear. “You already belong to me. We could have a lot of fun if you would just stand by my side instead of fighting me. Remember our time in the library?”
“Don’t fucking touch me,” Sybil spat, pushing away from me. “I don’t belong to you. I’m not yours.”
The haunting, melodic voice cackled in my mind, mocking and cruel.
I bared my teeth and growled, gripping the top of her jacket, ripping it and the shirt beneath straight down the middle.
I pushed the clothing aside, baring her back to me.
A shudder rippled along her muscles, and I reached out, my hand grazing the softness of her skin.
Stepping away, I nodded to Arianna, watching the cruel grin that rose on her lips.
I tracked Arianna’s hand as she threw the whip back before snapping it forward.
A loud crack sounded, the tip of the whip cutting into Sybil’s back.
Sybil cried out, blood gushing from the deep gash, dripping to the stones below.
Sybil stumbled, her knees buckling from the pain.
A knock on the iron bars drew my attention away. Hale stood at the entrance; his eyes focused only on me. I sighed and moved to Arianna, tucking a lock of her golden hair behind her ear. “I’m being called away, my love. Twenty lashes and then have the guards move her to her room, understood?”
“Fine,” Arianna pouted.
I chuckled, leaning down and pressing my lips softly against hers. “Find me once you’re done. I have good news to tell you. Now, enjoy your time.”
Giving her another quick kiss, I left the cell, leaving behind the crack of the whip and Sybil’s screams resuming behind me.