Sybil
The room was so cold and dark. My teeth chattered, my body shivering from the chill that kept growing. The sound of metal scuffing against stone caught my attention, and I looked to the front of the cell, past the iron bars.
Arianna’s golden hair swayed as she pulled a barrel behind her, humming a sweet melody. My breath rushed out of me, and I crawled backward, pressing my back into the wall, hoping—praying—that it would swallow me whole before she came into the cell.
But it didn’t, and Arianna’s smile grew sharp when she spotted me there, cowering like a child. I tried to speak; I tried to beg for forgiveness, but my voice was gone. My mouth opened, yet no words came out.
Hot tears fell down my face as I pushed and pushed against that cold, frozen wall. Arianna’s smile grew wider, and she placed the barrel in the middle of the cell. She stalked closer, still humming that sweet song, her voice like honey.
Arianna stretched out her hand, and I tried to fight, tried to push her away, but my body was heavy and slow. I couldn’t do anything to stop her from grabbing my hair, dragging me to thatbarrel. Pain splintered across my scalp, and my cries vanished in the silence.
A shadow of a body flickered into view in the corner of the cell. I reached for it, begging for it to help me, but it stood there, unmoving. Its undistinguishable black face tilted, watching—waiting.
My shoulder hit the barrel, and before I could take another breath, my head plunged into the icy water. I screamed, the bubbles fluttering along my face, and I knew—I knew that once I fell into darkness, I would never be able to leave again.
My body jerked,my eyes flying open. Samian was shaking me, calling out my name. His eyes were wide, his face pale and filled with fear. I rasped out breath after breath, swallowing back the bile that rose. I leaned against his chest, letting his presence surround me. Samian’s hand rubbed warm circles against my back, his touch calming me.
I was safe. It was just a dream. I wasn’t in the dungeon. I was safe.
I repeated those words until my body settled down, until the tears that had fallen in my sleep stopped. Taking another trembling breath, I looked at Samian. “I dreamed about Arianna and what happened in the dungeon.”
“I know,” he murmured. “I felt your fear. When I pulled on our bond, I saw it—saw what was happening to you.”
I shivered against him, my stomach churning. “Were you the shadow I saw?”
Samian didn’t answer, but I heard how his heart raced. I felt him swallow thickly. “No, that wasn’t me,” he finally said.“I don’t know what that was, but I could feel its curiosity.” He released a too-tight breath, his arms wrapping around me.
He was right. Thinking back to the shadow, something about it did feel curious. I could feel the intensity from that eyeless stare, as if it was waiting to see what would happen, like it couldn’t tell what was needed from it, butknewthat it was somehow required.
I shuddered again, pushing it out of my thoughts. The pale light of morning shone through my windows, the sun barely peeking through the garden's trees beyond my room.
Pulling away from me, Samian brushed his hand against my face, wiping away the lingering tears. “Let’s get cleaned up,” he said softly, giving me a weak smile. “I’ll see about breakfast while you bathe, okay?”
I gave him a slight nod and sniffed. I watched him stand from the bed, leaving the room. There was tension in his shoulders and back that I'd missed last night, and I knew it was because of what he'd seen. Exhaling, I leaned against the headboard, rubbing at the strain in my chest. Guilt curled around my heart, its sharp claws sinking in deep.
I hated that Samian had witnessed my dream. Hated how he saw me so scared and useless, unable to fight or scream against Arianna’s grip on me. Hated the way his fear showed across his face, knowing how weak I was against her. But he saw it. He saw it through our bond.
My heart fluttered as last night flashed across my mind, pushing away my anxiety. My dream was quickly forgotten while I stared at the empty doorway, as if I could still see Samian there. A tremor ran through my body, and my toes curled as I ran my fingers softly over my lips. If Ambrose’s kiss was a flame, Samian’s was a pure inferno scorching me from the inside out. My body—my blood—felt electrified when our lips touched, leaving me feeling wired and wanting more.
A quiet laugh left my lips before I could stop it, and I wondered how he had created the bond with Ezra and Aster. If it was really a kiss that formed the bond, or if he said that because he wanted me to. My blood heated at the idea of him longing for me just as I have for him, of him needing and caring for me.
I pulled my knees up, letting my hands fall to my thighs. The solid black bands of my bargain blared at me, instantly cooling any heat I felt. I took a breath and crawled out of bed. It was too much to think about, especially so early in the morning.
I padded into the bathroom, hesitating as I stared at the porcelain tub. My dream made me feel raw and exposed. A dread I had never felt before wrapped around me while I stared down the seemingly endless depth, while flashes of Arianna pushing my head into the icy waters came to the front of my mind. Shaking my head, I turned on the faucet, making it as hot as my body could endure.
I took off my clothes, peering in the mirror as the water filled the tub. My bruise from the beithir was now a light greenish yellow, the poison from its stinger almost gone. I checked for any other markings along my body, but thankfully, Aster’s magic healed everything Ambrose and Arianna had done.
Turning back to the bath, steam rose from the surface, and I dipped my toes in, hissing at the heat. But I forced my body into the water, letting the high temperature burn away the memory of my dream as I melted into its warmth. Taking a few steady breaths, I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the porcelain, turning my mind to last night.
Hope and excitement bloomed within me. I was now working with the rebellion, and I still couldn’t believe it. I still couldn’t believe that they were going to help me with my magic and my bargain. And they didn’t seem afraid of me. Orin saw what I had done in Lowbrook. Saw how I killed that male, even if it was byaccident. Yet, they had still treated me so warmly, like they were glad I was there and now a part of their group. And Kieran…
My face flushed, and I dipped my head under the water. After Samian told me about the other bond we shared since my twenties, I couldn’t help but wonder if Kieran and I had something similar. If the bond we had was what made my heart race when they both spoke to me mind to mind.
I stayed until my lungs burned and I rose above the water, gasping for air. The water felt warm, like a heated caress against my skin. It reminded me of how I felt under the intensity of Kieran’s stare when his eyes grazed along my body. I swallowed and pulled my arms close to cover my breasts, as if Kieran could see me now.
The sound of the door opening and shutting pulled me out of my thoughts of dark crimson eyes, and I focused on cleaning myself, not letting my mind imagine two pairs of hands roaming down my body.
After I finished bathing, I quickly dressed myself in a simple navy tunic and black leggings and made my way to the living area where Samian waited. He eyed me with an emotion that was unreadable before glancing at my hair that fell down my back, still too wet for me to braid. I felt my cheeks burn under his perusal, but I ignored it and sat across from him, picking up a ham pastry. Taking a small bite, Samian slid a card across the table that sat between us.
