52. Chapter 52
Chapter fifty-two
Everything that happened after that was little more than a blur. It felt like I was moving through gelatin. Like the world around me couldn’t possibly be the real world. Like I couldn’t possibly still be alive when Sin was dead.
The door burst open and scuffed, black leather boots entered my field of vision.
“She murdered your king,” Belarius shouted. “Take her to the Sonaria immediately.”
Rough hands hauled me to my feet.
“What is going on?” Dey demanded.
The guards held tight as I sagged limply in their arms, no longer caring about what happened to me.
“Raynella has murdered your foster father with her secret magic,” Belarius said calmly.
I could feel the compulsion in the air as if my own magic despised even being in the vicinity of it. It felt oily and alien against my skin.
“You are the interim king now. It is very important that you do exactly as I say,” he continued. “She is still needed to fulfill the prophecy, so she cannot be harmed.” He paused. “Harmed much, anyway. Have the guards seal her in the Sonaria so she cannot use her fire magic to kill you too. We will decide how to proceed with her later.”
“Aquiservians,” Dey barked sharply. “Do not let her summon any flames. Lock her in the Sonaria. Nobody is to speak with her until I allow it.”
I almost laughed at his order to restrain me. As if I had any strength left at all. Every bit of fight I had remaining died alongside Sin. They could torture me for all I cared. Nothing could feel worse than this.
A layer of cold water slid over my entire body save for my nose and eyes, compliments of the guards that glared at me like I was filth.
Dey approached me, his eyes sweeping over my arms and the ramentum I had worked so hard to hide.
“What did you do, Rain?” he asked, his voice bitterly angry.
I had no answer for him, and so he called for the guards to take me away.
There was only pain in the Sonaria. Unrelenting darkness and misery. I didn’t even look up as they slammed the heavy metal door shut, locking me in the all-encompassing blackness of the windowless cell.
Only when the fenite forcefully ripped my power from my body did I finally scream. It felt like someone tore my body open and dug around inside to find every last ounce of magic that permeated my cells.
I screamed and screamed until my lungs had no breath left to fuel my suffering.
As the last drop of magic faded, death took up residence inside me. A cold feeling of emptiness like my soul had been extracted alongside my magic and now there was only pain. Neverending pain.
I had only the abyss as a companion, so I gave myself over to it.