Chapter 37
My head lifts as I wake, and a sharp ache stabs my neck from being bent at an awkward angle all night. I groan. The sound is muffled, thanks to the gag in my mouth.
The pain everywhere makes a vicious resurgence.
My wrists and ankles burn from where the ropes tying me to Atlas’s disgusting throne have rubbed away my skin.
My lashed back and overfilled bladder aren’t helping things either.
In a fit of frustration, I wrench on the ties binding my wrists. But it’s pointless.
Then I remember Lucky – he jumped. And I don’t even know whether he’s alive. He very well could be lying broken and helpless at the bottom of the cliff. My eyes sting as I squeeze them shut.
Don’t you actually die on me.
The door to the High Command opens.
I stiffen as the sound of boots on the floor grows closer. Atlas comes into view, with Coatl following in his wake.
‘Well, well, well,’ says Atlas. He’s visibly disappointed, and most concerning, not the least bit surprised to see me restrained. ‘I hear you’ve been planning my demise.’ His eyes flash with an anger he usually reserves for Agatha.
I shake my head.
‘Don’t worry. I know you could never. Not really. I’m your father, after all. Your blood. You were just having … a little temper tantrum. You mistakenly thought you fell in love with that boy and were acting out, wouldn’t you agree?’
I remain still.
‘You should thank me for saving you.’
My gag-smothered words that follow are not anywhere in the realm of gratitude.
‘You know, you only have yourself to blame.’ He clasps his hands behind him. ‘You’ve been protecting him. Keeping secrets from me. If you had only proven yourself loyal, it’d be you married to him right now.’ He ticks his head to the side. ‘At least temporarily.’
Right. Because I’m some twisted form of his security blanket he’ll never let go. ‘You are the most pathetic, disgusting, selfish, insecure excuse for a man. And you don’t own me.’ Of course, with the cloth in my mouth, he can’t understand me.
He paces slowly. ‘I thought you were smarter than that. Luckily, Agatha is finally proving her worth.’
I huff. If he thinks Agatha won’t serve her heart on a platter to Ryland, then he hasn’t been paying attention.
All you’ve achieved is losing both of your daughters.
‘You don’t think so? Well, she’s certainly proved herself lately.
Did you know she’s already trained a large team to assemble an arsenal of explosives for my use?
She also brought in additional supplies from the Lower Beaver Trading Post. I think you should be afraid.
She might become my favourite daughter.’
I jerk on my restraints, knowing Agatha just might fall for that. You stay away from her.
His head pulls back. ‘Still temperamental, I see. Coatl, we may need –’
A guard knocks, then calls from the door. ‘Excuse me, Commander. You have a visitor.’
‘I’m busy,’ Atlas snaps.
‘Right,’ the guard says, voice unsure. ‘Except it’s … Agatha.’
Atlas inhales deeply. Then his expression changes to one of intrigue. ‘Okay, but tell her to wait by the door.’ He lowers his voice, leaning in to me. ‘Wouldn’t want her to see you like this.’
I jerk on the bindings. ‘Aggg!’ I cry out, praying she’ll hear me.
Atlas frowns. ‘Keep her quiet,’ he commands Coatl, before walking away.
Coatl’s face is marked with the deep scratches I gave him, and he doesn’t hesitate to draw his knife. I brace as he comes at me. The cockroach has already crossed the line and Atlas didn’t care – why wouldn’t he try again?
‘Agatha,’ Atlas says, enthusiastically, as he disappears into the corridor. ‘I didn’t expect to see you this morning.’
She clears her throat. ‘Yes, well, I have news to report, and …’ Her voice sounds sombre. ‘There’s no reason to waste time.’
What is she talking about?
‘You’ve encountered his magic?’ asks Atlas.
‘Yes. And it’s very powerful.’
My brows furrow. Agatha, no.
‘Is that why you look so tired? You’ve been up all night … engaging in magic?’
Fire licks through me, scalding me, even though I know he only said that to hurt me. To provoke me. To prove I was a fool to ever give Ryland my heart. But as devastated as I am, I’m equally furious. Agatha got what she wanted – Ryland. Why would she betray him like this?
‘What was it like?’ Atlas asks wistfully. ‘To experience something so … beyond yourself? Did you feel powerful?’
‘It’s … unlike anything I’ve felt or seen before.’
My eyes squeeze closed.
‘I get flashes of his emotions,’ she says. ‘I’ve seen … his deepest desires.’
My head falls back. This might be worse than getting whipped. I wish I could rip my ears off.
‘You, daughter, have done very well,’ Atlas coos. ‘And I want to hear more. But first tell me what you have learned about Kingsland.’
‘I know the location. Or rather, I know how to get there. I saw the landmarks in his memory.’
‘Excellent! And what kind of advances do they have?’
‘Umm … I couldn’t see inside of Kingsland because his dream ended. But their settlement, even their fence, is very sophisticated. Something from the old world.’
Atlas makes a sound of interest. ‘Can they turn coal into electricity?’
‘I don’t know. Maybe. Ryland talked about their lost coal mine, and I’m not sure if that’s what they use to generate electricity, but they unquestionably have it. They’ve weaponised it into their fence to keep people out.’
‘Interesting. What other weapons do they have?’ His questions come hard and fast now.
‘Stop,’ I scream into the gag.
Coatl hits me in the temple with the butt of his knife. My head spins, making me miss much of what is said next. When I finally catch my breath, I glare back at Coatl.
‘What’s … what’s going on over there?’ Agatha asks.
Yes. Hear me. I scream again.
Coatl’s forearm digs into my neck, drastically narrowing my airway.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Atlas soothes. ‘Tell me about their soldiers. How well are they trained? What weapons do they use?’
‘I … don’t know. Their soldiers looked similar to ours, I suppose. From what I could see, they use bows and arrows. Ryland mentioned they have a well-trained army, but he’s part of their elite guard, which seems more advanced.’
‘Very well done, my daughter. Now, tell me – your explosives, the big kind – would you say we have enough to raid a settlement of their size? Destroy their fence?’
‘What? What do you mean?’
I wheeze, taking in a laboured breath as Agatha gives a nervous laugh. She really thought she could dance with the devil and not get covered in blood.
‘But,’ Agatha says, ‘y-you said we would only use those weapons for our defence.’
‘This is our defence, girl. We are defending our right to have coal-powered electricity. Why would you object to our progress?’
‘I – I …’
‘Coatl,’ the Commander calls impatiently.
His weight on me disappears, and I greedily gasp in air.
‘Go with Agatha and assemble the explosives to be transported,’ Atlas calls. ‘All of them. Collect the catapults at the lookout posts and wagons, too. We’re going on an extended trip. Hand-select our most loyal guardsmen. But leave Soren. He will be in charge while we’re gone.’
‘And what about Marian?’ Coatl asks.
Silence follows for a few beats. ‘She will be too much of a risk. Same with Ryland. Get Soren to contain them both until we return.’