Chapter 4 #2
He had taken this approach when physical torture didn’t bring him the answers he sought.
The mental abuse would have worked had I known anything.
Because I knew it wasn’t just an illusion.
It was a threat, letting me know what would happen if I withheld any information that could be useful to the Kingdom.
A door creaked open, the faint voices getting more distinct. I perked my ears, waiting for them to decide what to do with me.
“Send her to Orken,” Boaz said, and dread filled every inch of my body. From the rumors of that place, death would’ve been a kinder punishment.
My head was still spinning as a shadowy figure stepped into my vision. I looked up to see Kenric towering over me. He stroked a hand over my tangled hair, sending shivers down my sticky spine. I winced away, grimacing more from his touch than the pain coursing through me.
“Time to leave, little darksome.”
I stripped off my dirty clothes slowly, freeing my wounds from the ruined fabric before tossing it all to the ground.
Boaz had allowed me a bath before we departed, probably to spare Kenric from dealing with my thick, metallic smell the whole way to the prison.
Looking down at my bloody body, I silently thanked the Goddess for her kindness, even if it wasn’t meant for me.
I grasped the harsh wood of the tub and braced myself for the moment the hot water would seek its way into my broken flesh. In one determined stride, I stepped over the edge and sunk to my knees. I bit down on my lip, drawing blood as I stopped myself from screaming.
A ragged sponge that was perched on the edge of the tub seemed useless against my dirty skin, but I picked it up and started scrubbing anyway.
Closing my eyes, I circled the first cut on my leg. Stinging pain erupted through my thigh, making my world spin once again.
Wringing the sponge, I winced at the amount of blood seeping into the water, like red fog.
When I’d rinsed my legs as much as I could bear, I started washing the cuts on my upper body. This was the first time since I did the spell that I had a chance to study the symbol on my lower arm thoroughly.
The crescent moon was facing upwards so that its horns pointed at me.
The little star in the middle of it had four points, with two sides shorter than the others.
Stars seemed to flicker everywhere surrounding the symbol and up my arm.
The mark wasn’t black like I’d first anticipated, but the darkest blue. Like the night sky.
My eyes began to sting. I distracted myself with the task of scrubbing every drop of blood from my skin. After about twenty minutes, I stood, cleaner than ever, wrapped in a towel. I looked down at the lapis blue prison uniform that’d been laid out for me next to the tub.
I picked it up, studying it for any clues about where the prison would be. The material felt rough on my bare fingers. It was nothing more than a square with a neck hole, sewn together at the sides.
On the chair laid a golden piece of rope and a pair of leather shorts. The thin linen fabric of the shirt suggested the place was hot. Unless they’d try to freeze me to death, which I wouldn’t put past them.
I slipped into the uniform, wishing I could have my old clothes back as the rough shirt scratched my wounded skin.
I knocked on the door, alerting the guard that I’d finished. It swung open, revealing Kenric leaning against a wooden pillar. I suppressed the urge to lunge for his throat.
Instead, I held out my arms for him to cuff me again. At the sight of me, he clicked his tongue, giving a wicked smile. “A life sentence suits you well.”
I scowled, letting my arms drop to my sides. I dug my fingernails into my palms to refrain from telling him exactly where he could bite me.
He let out an enraging cackle. I looked away for something, anything, to distract me from his taunts.
A huge white horse stood behind him, chewing peacefully on patches of grass growing in between the cobblestone. Kenric turned to face the mare, running a gentle hand over its silver mane. “We go by horse.”
“You don’t say,” I muttered.
He beckoned me forward and pulled out faded golden cuffs from his pocket. “These absorb dark magic,” he warned, giving the cuffs a little shake that made them rattle. “So don’t try anything.”
I held my arms out again. “And here I was, planning how to slit your throat with my dangerous shadows.” I gave him a sweet smile.
He tightened the cuffs roughly, plainly not amused by my lack of fear.
But he couldn’t scare me anymore, not after I’d witnessed his Superior firsthand.
He seemed like a child compared to Elio Boaz, with his taunting grins and smart remarks.
I observed the streets of Erobred, committing the place to memory.
This was probably the last time I’d see it.
The town square seemed busier than usual.
Merchants surrounded the city square, beckoning people towards their stalls.
It must’ve been the weekend, I realized.
Royalists in fancy clothing browsed the market like they had all the time in the world.
A gathering crowd caught my attention, and Kenric followed my gaze. A menacing smile crept upon his lips. “I was hoping to catch the show before we left.”
Grabbing the chain to my cuffs, he dragged me across the square, pushing people out of his way. I could tell some of them were about to protest at his roughness but stopped at once when they noticed his uniform.
“Prick,” I whispered under my breath, rolling my eyes. He yanked the chain swiftly, hard. Stumbling forward, I barely caught myself before I rammed into his back.
Straightening up with a reddening face, I tried to figure out what commotion had attracted all these people. As we walked by, gazes caught on my chained hands, then fell on Kenric’s tall, proud stature as he dragged me around like some trophy.
The crowd’s attention shifted. I tiptoed to see what they were looking at.
A paralyzing dread froze me to the spot when I saw her, struggling to find balance as a Defender pushed her roughly to the stage.
Those blue eyes, usually friendly and calm, were bloodshot and terrified, scanning the crowd for a sign of salvation.
Her once carefree and beautiful face was covered in blood and cuts, her nose clearly broken. But despite her distorted features, I knew without doubt that it was her.
And she was about to die. Because of me.
I tried calling her name, but panicked horror strangled my voice and settled in my throat.
Bodies pressed against me as the crowd grew in numbers.
Kenric tightened his grip on my arm and pulled me in front of him.
I watched, stunned into silence, as she leaned against one foot, clearly unable to put pressure on the other.
They had tortured her, and they were going to kill her, all because of me and my recklessness.
Never once had I thought that my actions could lead to anybody’s death but my own.
Looking at her battered face and bruised body, the look of despair in her eyes, I realized how wrong I’d been.
The weight of the truth buckled my knees.
I almost fell to the ground, only held up by Kenric’s unrelenting grasp.
Her terrified gaze met mine at last, just as the Defender tightened a noose around her delicate neck. He stepped forward, his booming voice silencing the chattering crowd. Pointing accusingly behind him, he yelled, “People of Erobred!” The square fell silent, all eyes focused on the show.
“Today, justice is served. The traitor Annora Rosalin Godwin conspired against the crown. She helped the darksome Prudence Caswell to exploit and reside in the city of Erobred. Now, she must face the consequences.”
The crowd erupted into sickening cheers as they watched her shake. A small whimper escaped her crimson lips.
“No,” I whimpered. The Defender’s words set my body back into motion. I struggled against Kenric’s hard grip, fighting to break free. I had to save her. “Annora!”
With the hardest yank I could muster, I escaped, then pushed against the relentless crowd that refused to give up their front-row seats. The Defender on stage yelled furiously as I scrambled to hoist myself up onto the platform.
Getting clumsily to my feet, I hurried to reach Annora, careful not to push her off her wobbly feet. From here, I could see the trapdoor she was standing on.
I grabbed her chained hands in mine, the tears flowing freely down my cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Annora,” I sobbed, squeezing her hands tightly. “It’s all my fault. I’m so sorry.”
Her eyes welled with tears. She leaned down as much as the noose would let her, pressing her forehead against mine. Her skin was feverishly hot. She let out a shaky breath as we stared at each other. I tried to block out the crowd’s indignant shouts.
“I love you, and I don’t regret helping you. I don’t regret being your friend,” she whispered, but before I could answer, large arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me from the stage. Away from her.
I screamed, despite the hand that clasped harshly over my mouth. Kenric’s overwhelming scent invaded my nostrils as he held me firmly against him.
“Sweet— a front row view,” his sickening laugh rumbled from his chest. Then he moved the hand he had over my mouth. He probably wanted to hear my sobs.
Pain shot through my scalp as he yanked my hair, forcing me to look up.
“Are you watching the show, little darksome?” he breathed into my ear.
I could almost picture the smile distorting his face as he forced me to witness my friend die for my crimes.
“Are you going to behave on our journey? Or will Archibald have to suffer the same fate as your little friend up there?”