Chapter 8
A scream ripped me from sleep. I bolted upright, my heart hammering as it echoed through my chamber.
Another cry followed, high and ragged, the kind that only came from terror.
For a moment I couldn’t remember where I was.
Then it rushed back all at once—the Ludaryn, the wing, the unfamiliar bed—and instinct took over.
I grabbed the lantern from the small table beside my bed, smoothed my nightdress, and ran for the door.
I opened it slowly, dread coiling in my gut.
Further down the corridor other doors slammed open, the noise splintering the silence.
Something slick coated my feet. I froze.
The lantern slipped from my grasp, clattering to the floor. I crouched, my fingers hovering above the surface, my mind refusing to name it.
No. It couldn’t be—
Blood. I was standing in a pool of blood.
For a heartbeat I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. The world narrowed to the dark sheen beneath my feet.
Slowly, I looked up.
A young Bondward sat slumped against the wall, her arms bent at an unnatural angle, her throat slit. Ash-blonde hair clung to her skin. Blood spattered the stone behind her and crept across the floor toward my door. Her eyes were open, glassy, terror frozen within them.
Nexra. The name struck before the memory fully formed—her soft voice, her shy smile only hours ago.
Something in me recoiled, as if rejecting the truth even as it settled in my bones.
A scream tore from my chest.
Arms closed around me, pulling me into solid warmth and hard muscle.
“Don’t look, Valentina. Shh. It’s okay.”
Jorius turned me away, his hand firm at my shoulder as he guided me back into my chamber. My body resisted at first, as if rooted to the horror behind me, before giving in.
“I’ll leave the door open. Don’t be afraid. I’ll keep you safe.”
He sat me on the bed before stepping back into the corridor.
Voices rose outside in panic, footsteps pounding against the stone.
“Nexra! No—nooo! Someone help her!”
Cassius dropped to his knees beside her.
His voice broke, and tears spilled down my cheeks before I realized they were there.
His pain hardened into anger. “Who did this!” He rose, fists clenched, and rounded on Jorius. “Did you kill her? This is your chamber!”
Jorius lifted his hands. “Of course not. Look at me—do I seem dressed for murder?”
“This is no time for humor!” Cassius shot back.
I glanced at Jorius. He was almost fully nude, dragged from sleep, his hair mussed, faint lines of linen still marking his skin. My heartbeat slowed as I stepped beside him. He shifted, an arm coming around my shoulders as he made room for me.
“What is the meaning of this?”
Marcus entered with a group of houseguards, their lanterns pushing back the darkness.
He stilled at the sight of Nexra, then gave a curt nod. The guards lifted her and carried her away. The space she left behind felt wrong—too empty, as if something had been torn out of the corridor itself.
“Everyone follow me,” he said, his voice low. He strode toward the Atrium.
Nobody moved.
“Now!”
The word cut through the tension. Every Bondward sprang into action. We followed him into the room, where he came to a stop at its center, his posture rigid.
“I am deeply disappointed in you. This marks the fourth death this year alone inside the Bondward Wing. You will all be interrogated.”
A chill slid down my spine. The fourth?
About twenty Bondwards had gathered beneath the open roof, moonlight filtering through the vines overhead.
Lanterns flickered in the hands of the houseguards, throwing restless shadows across Marcus as he faced us.
Everyone was barely clothed, hair tousled from sleep.
They looked shaken—even Lucina. She glanced at me, then lowered her eyes to the floor.
It could have been any of them. I hadn’t been here long enough to know them. Or what they were capable of.
Jorius clasped my hand in quiet comfort, and I gave him a hesitant smile.
“If you step forward now, I will give you a swift death. If you do not, and I discover who has done this…” Marcus let the silence stretch. “I will throw you in the Maw to be tortured and executed by our champion. Order must be maintained within the Ludaryn at all times.”
He surveyed the room, passing over me without a second thought.
“You will be called one by one. Bondward Lucina, you first. Come with me. The rest of you are dismissed.”
Lucina followed, and the rest of us remained still for a beat too long before breaking apart. Some dropped into the sofas, others turned toward their chambers without a word.
Jorius lingered beside me as we stopped before mine.
“Quite the first day, isn’t it? If you need anything, just shout. I’m across from you.” He pointed toward the door behind him.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Servants scrubbed the walls and floor beside him, cleaning away what was left of Nexra. The smell lingered faintly beneath the soap. Nausea climbed my throat. I’d never seen death like that—so close, so real.
“Here, Tina.”
I startled as Livia’s hand brushed my shoulder. She pressed a bowl of water and a cloth into my hands.
“For your feet.”
She knelt and cleaned the blood from my skin, her movements gentle. I hadn’t even noticed how cold my feet had become.
She glanced at Jorius. “Sleep well.”
He nodded and slipped into his chamber. Had she been here all along? The thought flickered, then faded. Everything had blurred together.
“There,” she said softly. “You’re all clean again.” Her expression shifted. “Lock your door.”
“You too.”
I offered her a small smile before closing and locking my own.
I lingered there a moment, forehead resting against the wood, trying to steady the rush of it—what I’d seen.
Only then did I cross to the bed. I sank onto it, clutching my father’s dagger.
From now on, it would rest beneath my pillow.
I slid it there and lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw hers. Nexra’s.
Sleep came in fragments, restless and broken, until exhaustion finally dragged me under.
A soft knock woke me. For a moment I didn’t move. The memory of the night pressed down on me before I could fully wake. I groaned, dragging myself upright. My body felt sluggish, as though I hadn’t slept at all.
I sat up, smoothed my shift, and opened the door wide enough for a face to appear. Livia. Her long honey-blond braid rested over one shoulder, and the small iron ring through her septum caught the pale light of dawn spilling through my window.
I opened it fully. She slipped inside, closing it behind her, composed and ready for the day. If she was tired, she hid it well.
“How are you?” she asked, pouring a cup of water and setting down a basket of bread and fruit.
I joined her at the table, my throat still dry from the night. I drank deeply, the cool water grounding me before I reached for the food. “Thank you.” I sighed. “Considering everything, I’m well. And you? Did you sleep?”
She hesitated. “Not much. Nexra—her eyes—every time I tried to sleep, the sight of her like that last night haunted me.”
The image rose unbidden. I took a quick bite of fruit, barely tasting it.
“I felt the same. She seemed kind.”
“She was. I hadn’t spoken to her much, but she was gentle. She was close to Cassius.” She sat opposite me, then lifted a hand as if remembering something. “Ah—before I forget! I have a message for you. From Marcus.”
My pulse rose. What if he hadn’t found Elion? What if he’d been too late?
She handed me a folded strip of parchment sealed with wax, the Ludaryn signet pressed cleanly into it. “He also wanted me to tell you that you won’t be interrogated, since you just arrived.”
I took the parchment with trembling hands, noting the unbroken seal, and tore it open as I moved to the window.
Bondward Valentina,
Elion has been found.
The room tilted. I held my breath and read the line again, fingers tightening around the parchment as I continued.
He is alive. Injured, but recovering. He is under my protection and being tended to by my medicus at my villa. His condition is stable for now.
Air rushed back into my lungs. I clutched the note to my chest as tears slipped free. He was alive. Elion was alive. Relief hit so suddenly it almost hurt. My vision blurred, but I kept going.
Once he is strong enough, I will allow you to visit him. This is outside normal Ludaryn rules, but I consider it warranted. You will be informed when arrangements are made.
—Marcus Valaryn
I lowered the parchment as something in me loosened—like a knot pulled too tight finally giving way.
“Thank you, Lunara,” I whispered, looking up at the sky beyond the window.
Livia watched me as she rose. “Is everything alright?”
“More than alright!” I smiled at her. “My uncle, Elion—he’s alive. Marcus has him under his protection, and I’ll be allowed to visit him soon.”
The words felt unreal even as I spoke them. On impulse I crossed the room, caught her hands, and twirled us around. She laughed with me, the sound bright and welcome after the heaviness of the night.
“That’s good news! I’m happy for you, Tina. Marcus doesn’t leave his friends unprotected. All will be well now.”
I nodded, holding onto that thought—wanting to believe it as I folded the parchment and placed it in my satchel near the bed.
“Let’s get you ready for today.” She clapped her hands and moved to the dresser, offering me the Ludaryn Bondward leathers.
I shook my head. “I wear my own.”
Her mouth curved. “You’re right. They determine everything we do. The least they can accept is us wearing our own clothes.”
The smirk on her face made me hesitate. I seemed to be rubbing off on her—whether that was a good thing or not.
Blending in might be wiser. But gray or brown leathers…
it wouldn’t change my chances here. I shrugged it off and moved to dress.
She helped me with my hair, and a glint on her wrist caught my attention.
“That’s a beautiful bracelet,” I said.