He swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing with the motion, before speaking again.
“I have no qualms with watching Orlin rape you. Better yet, I have no qualms doing so myself. But worse than that, I would take carnal delight in watching a blade sink under your skin and flay you open while you screamed in agony. And then, Alora Viren, Commander of the Hidden, after I peel your skin off, I would carefully cauterize each vessel that would bleed only to then let maggots breed and fuck and shit in your rotting body, all while keeping you alive.”
He spits on the ground, the blood from my blade tingeing his spittle. “You think you know the horrors of the realm, but no one leaves my dungeons.”
The Devourer’s head ticks up slightly, his green eyes leveled on mine.
King Euron shifts and then kneels down, bringing his face down to my own.
“And,” he adds, “if that isn’t enough to motivate you, I will track down your friends and make you do all of the things I just described. I have ways of forcing you.”
I don’t meet his gaze, instead focusing on something more familiar—the green orbs that haunt me from near the door. Their severe gaze threatens to fracture me.
Returning to look at King Euron, I murmur, “What will happen to Lis?”
He bobs his head to look past me and watches her prone form before frowning.
“She’ll be fine. In a day or two.”
His frown widens and he turns to look at The Nightmare.
“How hard did you beat her? Well nevermind,” he turns back to me, and waves his hand in the air, “it might be a few days but she always comes out of her half death.”
The Nightmare interjects, “To be fair, your majesty, she did almost break through her culling bands and she kicked me first.”
King Euron’s eyes widen in disbelief.
“You couldn’t have told me that sooner?” His voice rushes out in a whisper, “Well damnit make sure you get another set of bands on her then, we don’t need her unleashing all her fury. We’ve barely kept her contained as it is.”
The Nightmare nods and rushes out the door.
“Well, let’s be off then. You’ll be escorted by Kassiel while I go make some arrangements for our new visitors.”
Apprehension worms through me but I raise to my feet nonetheless, not wanting to risk his wrath and the possibility of meeting his dagger.
His demeanor changes and a smile snaps to his lips when I begin to follow him, his mood swings more extreme than I had noticed before.
“Excellent, this is all according to plan.”
We leave the peculiar woman left on the floor laying in rubble and The Devourer locks the door behind me as we begin our way down the numerous steps in the tower.
The king follows a different path and finally we’re left alone in the dimly lit corridors.
Thoughheis one of the men who’s known the most intimate parts of me, and my insecurities, I can’t help but feel like I’m walking with a stranger.
Chapter 36
Alora
The one thing I’ve learned walking all these damned steps in this nightgown from Lis, is that I severely underestimated how tall the tower is.
My feet slip on another stone and I almost topple down the remaining stairs. The Devourer’s free arm catches mine as my body slides down the steps. I nearly fall again as I recoil away from his touch. The torch in his hand wavers with the movement.
“I don’t need your help.” The words are spat out, left to linger in the closeness of us.
He quickly pulls his hand back and moves past me, continuing down the steps. He makes no conversation as we continue down the winding staircase, our pace slowing slightly.
I clear my throat. “Who am I to meet with?”
