Chapter 5
“Iknow that my special person is going to do whatever he can to make him free,” I say confidently.
“Even if you die?” Henry asks as he steps into view.
I lock eyes with him. “Even if I die.”
“She is not going to die,” the other man says.
“It’s good to see you, Nas.” Henry looks in his direction. “I see you’ve met Adeline.”
Nas stays quiet and Henry looks back at me.
“I brought you food,” he says as he holds up a basket. “Your mother was worried that you weren’t eating well enough since you have talked about food in the palace being abnormal.”
I lick my lips at the mention of food and my stomach grumbles.
“Do prisoners get fed?” I ask.
Henry tilts his head to the side. “Sometimes.”
“Give half of it to Nas. I know it’s not enough, but some is better than none,” I tell him.
“I do not need it, Adeline,” Nas calls out. “They give me one meal a day.”
“Give him half of it.” My voice is firm.
Henry shakes his head and walks out of my line of sight. I want to be selfish and eat all of it, but I know later I’m going to feel so guilty that I ate and Nas didn’t.
“Thank you, Hi—”
“Do not call her that,” Henry snaps.
“You’re welcome,” I call out. “Don’t mind Henry. Everyone is on edge right now.”
“It was my mistake,” Nas replies.
Henry walks back to my cell and opens the door with a key. He takes a couple of seconds and then enters the cell and places the basket right in front of me.
“It’s bread and some meat. It’s not a lot but you need to eat to keep your strength,” Henry explains as he pulls out some bread and meat. “I’ll slowly feed you and then I have to go.”
Henry feeds me small pieces of both, allowing me time to chew and not overwhelm my stomach.
“Remember to put up a wall. Just think about physically making the wall and after a while it will just become second nature,” Henry whispers. “When you are in pain you need to focus on the wall and nothing else. It is going to be hard, but I know you don’t want him to feel anything.”
“Thank you,” I sigh.
“I don’t know how much he will be able to handle if he can feel your pain. When I spoke to him he was not doing okay,” Henry says honestly, and lifts another bite for me to eat. “But we are going to find a way to get you out of here. We just have to be smart about it and let it be her idea.”
And we don’t know how long that’s going to take.
It could be a really long time to try and convince Avira that it is her idea to let me go.
If she was showing her true nature whenever she saw me, she is hard to convince, and whenever she sets her mind to something, she won’t let it go until she figures out everything.
“I need to go but I will be back later.” Henry stands up and walks out of the cell, turning the lock into place.
If only he could sneak me out of here and let me hide in the forest with the Fae. But I know Avira would search for me everywhere and destroy anything in her path.
If only everything was easy in life… then we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.
“Have you thought about telling me the truth now?” Avira asks as she walks into my cell. “Has being in the room tied to the chair taught you a lesson?”
I stay silent.
Avira hums and purses her lips. “I guess not. Part of me was hoping you had thought things through and were going to make things easy on me. The other part of me was hoping you hadn’t so I would be able to torture you.”
Biting the inside of my cheeks, I allow the pain to ground me and not say anything stupid.
Remember to put up a wall. Henry’s words flash back to me.
I close my eyes for several seconds and imagine placing each individual brick up, blocking Kieran from having access to my feelings.
“Lucky for you, I decided to bring a friend today to help me,” she says as a man walks into the room. “You’re going to get well acquainted with him if you continue to lie.”
Terror runs through me as I watch him crack his knuckles, a wicked smile plastered across his face. The muscles on his arms could crack my skull in two if he placed it in between and squeezed. Shit. Am I going to survive this?
“Do you want to reconsider telling me the truth?” she asks, cocking her head to the right.
I don’t say a word.
The right side of her lip tilts up. “I was hoping for this,” she says as she steps closer to me. “Do you know how long I have been waiting?”
She chuckles and looks over at the man in the room.
“John, you can rough her up a little and I’ll be back after I talk to the king.” Avira waves her hand in the air.
She isn’t going to stay and watch? I thought she had been waiting for this for a long time.
Avira leaves the cell, whistling as she walks down the hall. My eyes connect with John’s and I take a shaky breath in.
Wall.
While taking a deep breath I focus on the wall I have mentally placed, hoping it’s enough to keep Kieran from feeling anything from me.
“Where to start,” John mumbles as he walks around, looking me up and down.
I clench my jaw, my eyes following his every movement so I’m not caught off guard.
“Please, don’t do this,” I can’t help but plead. “I have done nothing wrong.”
He chuckles and bends down so we’re face to face. “Do you honestly think I believe you?”
“I promise I didn’t do anything wrong,” I whisper, my voice sounding frail.
“Avira thinks otherwise, and I follow her orders. She hasn’t been wrong yet.” He stands to his full height.
“Bu—”
Pain erupts on my cheek as his fist connects with my jaw, my head swinging to the side.
Adeline! Kieran yells through the bond.
Shit.
I focus everything on the wall I created, trying to push Kieran’s voice out of my mind.
Talk to me. What is going on? Why can’t I feel your emotions? he asks.
“Avira has been good to a lot of people, helping us when we needed it the most. She wouldn’t do something that wasn’t for the good of Bellhollow and its people,” John goes on. “Enough talking. She gave me a mission and I am going to execute it.”
“Adeline?” someone calls.
Groaning, I roll my head to the side and crack my eye open. Wait. Eye?
“Adeline? Are you alive?” the man calls out. “Talk to me when you wake up.”
I slowly move my hand up to my face, hissing when I touch my very swollen eye. Everything flashes before me. The countless hits I took from John before I ended up passing out from the pain.
“Adeline?” Nas calls my name again.
Humming, I stay still and look around with my good eye. I’m no longer sitting in the chair but laying on the cold, damp, and hard floor.
“I thought you had died,” he sighs. “How are you feeling?”
“Everything hurts,” I manage to get out.
Tears pool in my eyes, and this time I have no energy to stop myself from crying.
Adeline? Kieran’s gentle voice rings in my head.
Sobbing, I close my eyes and curl my body in on itself. I mentally put the block back up, not wanting Kieran to feel the sadness and how much pain I’m in right now.
Sweets, what happened? Talk to me. Kieran’s voice sounds desperate.
Nas is nice, I whisper, not wanting to talk about what happened.
How long after did John continue to beat me? Did he stop when I passed out or did he continue?
“I know everyone is worried about you, but they are also super proud of you for not giving up,” Nas says. “I know it doesn’t make the situation better, but I think it’ll help you hold on a little longer. They are no doubt thinking of every possibility to get you out of here.”
Nas is still alive? Kieran sounds shocked.
Perfect, he took the bait to switch topics.
Yes, he is. He’s in a couple cells down from me, I reply.
How are you feeling? How are you really feeling?
I clench my eyes shut and take a deep breath.
“He says hi,” I lie to Nas, trying to avoid talking to Kieran. “Was shocked to hear that you were still alive, but he is happy.”
Adeline, please don’t shut me out. I’m worried about you. I felt blinding pain in my face and then it was all gone, and before I knew it, there were dull aches all over my body before you shut me out again. What happened? How are you feeling? Kieran keeps talking.
“Tell him I said hi and can’t wait to be reunited with everyone,” Nas replies. “Now focus on talking to him. We can talk after.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to move my body to a sitting position but everything screams in protest.
Don’t move too much, Kieran says. Your body needs to heal. Just lay there and talk to me.
Nas can’t wait to be reunited with everyone. I change the topic once again.
Maybe if I change it enough times he will give up.
Adeline, stop trying to change the topic. You are making me more worried and wanting to come and get you, not caring about any of the consequences. Kieran’s voice is firm with an underlying hint of worry.
I’m sorry, I whisper.
What happened? Tell me everything.
Avira brought in a guy to rough me up a little bit so I would reconsider how I answered her questions.
Anger floods through my body.
How hurt are you? he asks.
I don’t know. My left eye is swollen shut and my whole body aches, but that is all that I know. I haven’t been able to move much since I woke up, I reply.
There is no use in trying to run away from this conversation any longer. He saw right through what I was trying to do and put a stop to it.
If you feel a little better in a couple of hours, can you check for me? Are there any spots you have broken skin and are bleeding? Kieran asks. I can have Henry bring you some salve for your wounds so they heal faster.
I don’t know. My voice cracks as I become overwhelmed with everything he wants me to think about and do.
Shhh, you’re okay. Everything is going to be alright. We are already coming up with ideas on how to get you out of there and making it seem like it’s Avira’s idea, Kieran says. I just need you to be strong and hang in there a little longer. Do you think you can do that?
Yes, I whisper.
Such a brave girl. I’m so proud of you.
Tears spill out of my eyes at his words.
I am not going to leave you. You are my mate, my everything. We are going to get you out of there and soon, Kieran says. Trust me.
Kieran tugs on the bond and calmness spreads over my body.
Don’t hide your emotions any longer. I want to know when you are in pain so that I can be there for you.
I don’t want you to feel the pain though, I whisper.
Oh, Sweets.
“I see you’re awake.” Avira stands outside of the cell.