Disbelief floods me. “As if you truly care.” I push myself up, limbs weary and heavy. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be dead and in the veil’s grasp before too long.”
I stand expectantly, waiting for some retort from the dark clothed man, but receive nothing.
He looks at me blandly, “I’m uninterested in needing to care for you more than I need to. But if I’m to send you to the menagerie, I need to know if you’re hurt.”
I can’t speak, not because I physically am unable, but I know I’ll waver in my steadiness if I say anything. I might break having to confront my assault.
“Look, I’m not going to hurt you.”
A laugh escapes me, a true laugh that has my chest hurting with the deep breaths. Velroy must have hit me harder than I realized.
“Whatever you think then, but it’s my duty to get you to the menagerie or get you an execution, and then my king will decide what will happen. But until then, I won’t hurt you.”
I sigh. “Forgive me if I don’t believe you, but I saw what your companions do to others, what they did to my friends.”
I wave my hands to show my ripped and dirtied skirts, and then I bring them to my face and touch my split lip.
“You’re in need of a bath, maybe a healer even. Your face may be scarred.” He still looks at me.
“I’m fine.” Defiance fills my chest. “Plus, I’d rather keep the scars.”
“Why?”
I blink away and twirl my finger along the soft fabric of my skirt, other hand playing with a button on my top. “My scars aren’t a badge of honor if that’s what you’re implying.”
His head tilts, the question remaining in his eyes. “Why then? If not for pride, then for what, little warrior?”
I don’t want to talk about this, especially with the man who kills ruthlessly and without remorse. Against my better judgement, I find myself answering him, the fight in me gone. “Itreminds me of my failings. Reminds me of the moments when I was too weak, moments I was a disappointment.”
“Hmm.”
His lip tips up in one corner, a sad smile forming. That hot feeling rises in me again, shame and disappointment snaking around my heart.
“I don’t need your pity. We both know how this works. You couldn’t possibly understand what I mean, and honestly, I don’t care to explain.” I slice him with a glare and continue. “I don’t need to tell you anything because I doubt you’re capable of any empathy.”
“I do not pity you, actually.” He’s turning from me now, clearly about as done with this conversation as I am.
“Then what do you call it?” I snap, louder than I mean to.
He turns back to face me, his skin looking godly in this light, face hardened and slowly says, “I see you, Alora Viren. I see through those scars, and it’s unfortunate you don’t see their beauty.”
My stomach drops, an icy sweat forming on my skin.
“I’ll get you back now before dark claims the sky.”
I have no choice other than to follow him because I know that escape isn’t an option. I can’t flee from The Devourer without him finding me and possibly devouring my soul, and his company beats the alternative of being left alone with Lord Velroy again.
Chapter 6
Kassiel
Rion fucked with my plans, took it upon himself to change everything the moment he went into that dungeon, and to what, claim her? She was my prisoner. My responsibility.Mine.
The door squeals in protest as my boot meets the heavy planks in a forceful kick, it slaps back towards me and I stop it with my outstretched arm. Reverberations bounce against the stone walls from the door meeting the outside barrier. The echoes of chaos mirror the thoughts in my head.
I’m not sure where that prick ran off to, but I assume it’s somewhere in Astoria with his pants down and otherwise engaged.
Hues of pink and purple wash the sky in their deep shades. Moonrise is upon us and I make my way to the earthen soil in the orchard. Brisk night air cools the heat of my skin, helping to wick away some of the anger inside me as well.
