Ty looked over at Turner where he sat next to him. The man was tense as a bowstring, and Ty could feel the simmering rage coming off him waves.
“Again,” Cole said, his enjoyment at the spectacle exuding out of him. “This is a celebration, after all…”
Ena again used hervisanisto make the man fetch a drink and bring it to the dais, where he was again forced to drink it. This continued two more times before the man started to stumble and wobble slightly as he walked, spilling more woodwater with each pass.
Cole laughed, a dark chuckle echoing throughout the room. People were starting to shift uncomfortably where they stood watching. Not only was this painful to watch, but it was fucking boring too. Cole seemed to be the only one getting anything out of this.
When theimperireturned with a full cup of woodwater for the fourth time, Cole paused, holding up a hand to stop Ena from speaking.
“This time, tell him to get on his knees and dump it on his head,” he said, barely keeping his mirth in check.
Ty could feel Ena’s indignation from where he stood. The look in her eyes was murder, and he could tell that not only was the repeated use of her magic draining on her, but she was pissed as fuck. He hadn’t seen that look since they’d been by the Sacred Pool and she found out Ty remembered who she was.
Ty realized they were trapped. They were stuck inside Cole’s twisted game, and Ty wracked his brain trying to think of a way to safely get them out and end this torture. Maybe he should stand up and claim to be bored, and encourage Cole to move on, but would the man listen? Or would there be backlash on him, orEna? He didn’t know, but he needed to dosomethingto get them out of this, before it got worse.
He watched Ena take a deep breath, as if resigning herself to Cole’s command, but then he caught a glint in her eye before she spoke.
{Fall to your knees.}
Theimperidropped roughly to his knees, letting all his body weight crush onto the stone floor, but because he fell so quickly, he lost his balance. The woodwater in his hands sloshed forward, spilling all over Cole’s leg where he sat on the throne.
Cole’s satisfaction vanished, and in its place was a look of disgust and anger.
Theimperi, noticing what he had done, slurred hurriedly. “I’m so sorry, m-my king. I—I didn’t mean to,” he said, voice trembling and thick with inebriation.
Cole’s eyes raised to Ena.
Had she done that on purpose? There was no way to prove it, but she easily could have told the man to lower to his knees, or get on his knees, and it might have had a different effect. But she had said, very specifically, “Fallto your knees.” Had she intended for that to happen?
“You’re dismissed,” Cole said, switching his gaze to theimperiin front of him and waving the man away like a gross bug.
Cole stood up, and Ty could tell he was furious, and embarrassed, but he couldn’t openly punish theimperior Ena for something like this. They were still valued resources of the Underworld, so it was only socially acceptable to punish them if they disobeyed a direct order. And neither this man nor Ena had done that.
He looked over at Ty with a quiet menace. “I look forward to much more from your witch-slave soon, nephew,” he said, before walking down off the dais.
The room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief as the drum music kicked back up and everyone started talking and drinking again.
Ty pulled his shirt back on, feeling it brush over the tender spot where his newonatadecorated his skin, as he walked over to Ena. “Are you alright?” he muttered under his breath, bringing his mouth close to her ear as he grabbed her arm and led her off the dais.
“Yes,” she said, sounding tired, but no longer so afraid.
Ty led her out of the fray of people, off to the side of the room to an unused alcove. Once he was certain they were out of earshot, he leaned one arm against the wall, caging her in with his body.
“Did you do that on purpose?” he asked her. “Make him spill the drink?”
Ena looked up at him with those big blue eyes, and the corner of her mouth tipped up in mischief. “Yes,” she said. And he felt the blood go straight to his dick. It swelled under his pants, pushing up against the buttons.
Fuck. That was quite possibly the hottest, most badass thing she’d ever fucking done.
And they needed to leave this celebration. Right now.
“Come with me,” he said roughly, tugging her arm, and leading her out of the Great Antre.
Chapter Seventeen
Ty
“Wherearewegoing?”Ena asked, sounding confused.
