Kietel stood and paced the length of the table. “I sent it to your father. The message should be received clearly.”
He went to stalk past her.
“I want a change of clothes,” said Maeve.
“Absolutely not.” He stormed towards the door. “And you best hope you simply being captive is enough to show your father reason, and we don’t have to stain those lovely blue night clothes crimson.”
“What’s stopping you?”
Kietel halted. She continued.
“He would spiral, and hand over power to you in despair. So why not just kill me?”
Kietel didn’t turn towards her and she didn’t look at him as she said, “because you know that I don’t bleed crimson. My blood is fucking gold.”
Chapter 36
Maeve startled in her sleep as the metal cell door swung open. Nicklefrost stepped inside. He lifted two fingers in the air. Then swirled them sharply.
What felt like a jagged rock slammed into her cheek, busting through the skin and sending her spiraling onto her back. Her eyes squeezed closed.
She groaned as the sharp pain pulsated in the side of her lip and her cheekbone.
“That wasn’t as satisfying as I hoped it would be,” said Nicklefrost. “Get up. The Commander wants to see you.”
Maeve touched her lip. Blood seeped into her fingers from the wound. Maeve stood.
Nicklefrost scowled. “You look disgusting.”
“Perhaps you could convince your Commander to let me bathe. Or have a change of clothes,” she said. “Maybe a nice satin gown or a beaded dress. Something tight. Those are the ones I always saw you staring at me in.”
Nicklefrost lunged towards her. His forearm collided with her neck, slamming her head against the concrete wall of her cell. The room spun. Her legs bent beneath her. She sputtered a cough.
“I wouldn’t touch a blood traitor like you,” he seethed.
He pushed back away from her and she slid to the floor, arms weak at her sides. She coughed until the tickle in her throat was gone. She looked up at him with a small smile.
“Well, that was fun.”
“Get up,” he said.
She followed him out of her cell, rubbing the back of her head. They didn’t head towards the study or the dining room. He led her somewhere else entirely.
Maeve froze in the doorway. The room was filled with soldiers, all of them in red and black uniforms. Kietel stood at the middle of the room with another man. He frowned upon seeing her.
“Miss Sinclair,” he said. He eyed Nicklefrost.
“She wouldn’t come without a fight.”
Kietel looked ready to reprimand Nicklefrost but brushed it off. He motioned for Maeve to join him at his side.
“Today we jump, Miss Sinclair.”
Maeve’s mouth fell slightly open. “No,” she snapped.
“You’ve very accustomed to saying that aren’t you.”
Maeve looked sideways at the soldiers that lined the room. They all looked up at her, speaking in hushed whispers.
