10. Chapter Ten
Chapter Ten
Kya
“ H oly Cethar… Where am I?”
To be honest, Cethar and the other Gods could kiss my ass for all I cared if they had sent me to another fucking realm, another world… One with a moon so big, it took up half the sky.
Was it the Rip? If it was the Rip, and it worked like it did for the Trial to get to the Woltawa Forest, then the Gods were certainly the ones who sent me here. And they could definitely kiss my ass for that.
I wouldn’t even know where to start to get back. If I even could. It wasn’t like there was a giant chasm around that I saw to repeat the process.
The bond ached to be repaired, to be back with Ryker. But I didn’t know how to even fathom passing between realms without a Spirit or a God.
That would have to be an issue for another time. Right now, I needed to concentrate my concerns on the present, specifically the male gripping both my arms and yanking me up to my feet.
I didn’t want his grotty hands on me. I didn’t want anyone to touch me except Ryker.
My legs were so weak they were shaking just from holding up my weight.
Behind me, the male’s voice spat something I didn’t understand before he turned me around to face the strangely robed figure. The same one from before, who was now standing in the water.
Except it didn’t look like water at all.
It had a dark sheen to it, almost like molten metal, reflecting the light from the large moon on the surface. It was so dark you couldn’t see the bottom.
Memories of the Nagasai from the Trial flashed through my mind—dragging me under the water of the river… The water-wielding assassin in Voara…
The figure stretched a hand toward me.
Oh, Gods.
“No…” I whispered, but the male shoved me forward.
I started kicking and trying to free my arms. “No, please. Don’t make me go in there,” I pleaded. But it wasn’t as if I expected him to listen to me. I wasn’t even sure he could understand me.
I continued to struggle, trying to fight back. I was able to swing my arm around and hit him in the face. He said something I assumed was vulgar, and he threw me into the pool of liquid.
It was thick and cool, feeling like silk all around my body as it began to encase me. The robed figure wrapped their gloved hands around my throat and pushed my head under the surface.
I clawed at their hands and arms, but it wasn’t long before the liquid invaded my mouth, crawling its way down my throat and filling my burning lungs.
When I woke—
Wait. I’m alive?
My eyes sprang open, eager to prove I still lived.
I was in a room of sorts. Bare plaster walls surrounded me with a small, single barred window near the ceiling. Craning my neck to look behind me, I blessedly spotted a solid, wooden door. I thanked the Gods I wasn’t thrown back into that dark box from before.
Taking it slow, I sat up in a small, hard bed. The single sheet provided slid down my chest and pooled at my waist.
What the fuck was all that about? And for the love of Xareus, why am I still naked?
I didn’t understand their purpose in drowning me only to keep me alive. I didn’t know who they were. I didn’t know what they wanted. But, clearly, they had no intention of killing me. They’d certainly had every Godsdamn opportunity to do so.
I examined my body. There was slight bruising on my stomach where the male had kneed me, and I could feel tenderness on my temple. But beyond that, I was fine—
Ha!
I was far from fine. I was naked and alone in a strange place—another fucking realm—with suppressed magic and a broken mating bond that was likely about to start driving me insane.
I twisted and placed my feet on the floor, momentarily forgetting I couldn’t feel any vibrations. The disappointment of being without my terbis hit me once again .
But I could hear others. I wasn’t alone this time. It was then I realized I wasn’t just in a room. I was in a prison.
I leapt to my feet, racing across the room to the door. I twisted and pulled the handle but it didn’t budge—which was to be expected.
“Damn it,” I mumbled under my breath.
I turned and pressed my back against the door, then slid down until I felt the cold floor on my bare ass and rested my arms on my knees. I groaned as I ran my hands through my tangled hair.
I was trapped again and still starving. And I still had this stupid thing around my neck. I just wanted to go home.
“Ryker?”
Silence.
I knew it was pointless, but I refused to stop trying. Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back against the door with a thud.
After a few minutes, I heard a soft whoosh . I opened my eyes to find a set of clothes folded up on the floor in front of me.
I looked around. The door was still closed, and the window was sealed.
Maybe I’m going crazy faster than I thought.
I stretched my foot out and nudged it with my toe. I didn’t know what I expected to happen but nothing did, and it was, indeed, clothing. Deciding not to take it for granted, I put on the clothes. A loose pair of gray pants, a shirt, and thankfully, underwear and cloth binding for my breasts.
I sighed with relief, finally having the comfort of fabric covering my body. I hadn’t felt this relaxed since before I went to hunt Daegel with Malina. I closed my eyes, basking in the momentary peace.
Peace quickly disrupted by the sound of a scream echoing outside the door. I froze in place as a chill ran down my spine. A moment later, a door closed and steps came closer down what sounded like a long corridor.
My breathing grew heavier as they drew near. My chest rose and fell rapidly, and the hair on the back of my neck stood when those steps stopped just outside my door, the shadow of the figure was visible beneath the door. I quickly stood and pressed myself into the corner of the room, between the foot of the bed and the wall.
I held my breath. All the blood drained from my face with dread when I heard a click, then the door opened.
Black boots stepped into the room. My eyes followed them upwards. Black pants were tucked into the boots. A long-sleeved shirt hugged a muscular frame with broad shoulders, and tattoos snaked around the neck. A head of blond hair and a trimmed beard around the mouth and…rounded ears. Cobalt eyes stared into mine. Eyes I could never forget.
Daegel came into my cell.
“Hello, Diamond.” His deep voice filled the space, causing cold trepidation to run through my veins. That was the voice that filled my nightmares.
I didn’t respond. Whether from shock or disbelief he had survived, I couldn’t find any words.
He came closer, crossing the room in three long strides until he was directly in front of me, and leaned down until our faces were nearly touching. I braced myself. His cruel eyes made a calculated account of my body with a maliciousness that had me frozen in place before they met mine once more, holding the promise of something I didn’t want to find out.
“Welcome to Vansera.”
I breathed heavily as Daegel backed away until he was leaning against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Vansera?” I whispered.
“My realm,” he answered.
My eyes darted to the door, which was slightly ajar.
Could I get past him fast enough to get out?
“Don’t try it,” he warned, and I looked back at him. The look on his face was hard and unforgiving. “I’m going to get straight to it, so listen closely.”
I stiffened, not knowing what to expect.
“It’s clear you don’t understand our language. Not after you were instructed to comply with the cleansing Paxtor forced you to…endure.” He rolled his eyes.
At least I knew that fucker’s name.
“Cleansing?”
“I’m not going to bother answering your questions, so shut the fuck up and listen,” he snapped.
My jaw clenched. I wanted to beat him until his face caved in but there was no way I could take him in this state.
“My request is simple: submit yourself and obey. Willingly .”
“Over my dead body.” I narrowed my eyes in challenge. I refused to bow down to his demands, no matter what they were.
Daegel smirked for a brief moment before it became a sneer, and he was across the room and his hands were lifting me from the ground by my collar. I could hear the sizzling from the collar burning the flesh of his fingers, but he didn’t react.
“You’ll be begging to be dead if you don’t. Unfortunately for the both of us, I need you alive. So you will be, but just barely.”
Daegel let go and I collapsed to the floor. I looked back up, adamant to keep my eyes on him at all times. His fingers were singed from the collar, but he didn’t seem to care as he turned to face the door.
He said something in his language, and I glanced at the door to find the same male—Paxtor—who had dragged me outside. The same one who beat me nearly unconscious. I glared at him, ready to keep my promise and strangle the life out of him .
Daegel turned back around and bent down. “He’s going to give you food and water. Take this as a gracious offering…” Daegel muttered something with a flick of his hand and chains appeared, piled on the floor. “…and learn to behave.”
Paxtor looked at me and winked. My lips curled, and I bared my teeth. I didn’t like the look in his eyes. It made an uneasy shiver run down my spine.
Daegel stood and walked out the door. Paxtor gave me a once over and closed the door as he left as well, leaving me alone once again.