I stiffened, my chains rattling loudly in my ears. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I could care less about his title. And do you honestly think I wanted to care about a man whose soul is literally tied to another? No, of course I fucking didn’t! I can’t help how I feel. You should understand that, if you’re in love with an awful, corrupt soul like King Astraeus. Who you only got chosen by because Cyrus manipulated things to have you spy for him. Oh! And he’s a married man, isn’t he? Yet, you had no issue withthat.”
Emmie glared at me, her fists curling, and I felt a sick sense of pleasure at angering her.
“You havenoidea.” She hissed, “You think you’ve had it bad? The beautiful Asteria, whose princes and kings will do anything to have.” She scoffed. “Some of us don’t have the luxury of being singled out for such things, we have to slave away for years, to reach any kind of safety, and some don’t even get it then. You even had the luxury of growing up in a little village, where the Fae barely bothered you. Do you know how rare that is?”
“Yes.” I whispered, my heart sinking for whatever had led her here—twisted her mind into thinkingthiswas the answer. “I do. I met a woman in Night who was in Dawn too, and she was brutally tortured. Her eye taken out, her arm ripped off, her sister killed in front of her—I’ve seen what Cyrus and King Astraeus are really up to. The humans they torture and kill. I’ve seen the laborers in the streets of Evenfall, the brothels full of women who didn’t want to be there. I’ve had Cyrus attack me and try to force himself on me.”
“What?” Emmie interrupted, looking shocked.
“Oh, yes, you dutifully handed me back to the man who tried to rape me.Thanks ever so.” I snarled at her.
She looked uncomfortable, and I hated the part of me that was thrilled at that. A hateful part that wanted her to hurt for the pain she caused me.
“In Dawn, we had nothing.” Emmie eventually said, pushing a curl behind her ear. “My parents worked in the palace, but we weren’t allowed out of the slave quarters when not working, which meant children like me and Eris couldn’t leave. Ever.” She went quiet for a moment, and I did feel a twinge of pity then. “We had one outfit a piece, and they were falling apart, raggedy and dirty, only allowed to be washed once a week—if you were able to fight to get it into that week’s load. It wasn’t always possible. I would go a month sometimes wearing the same dirty thing.”
She looked at me then, tears glimmering in her eyes. “I swore to myself I’d get better for myself one day. I’d find a way to turn some Fae’s head and getmore.” Emmie scoffed, narrowing her eyes at me. “And then there you were, getting exactly what I wanted, and not appreciating it one bit. Then, when I finally did get exactly what I wanted, you ripped me away from it. Tofreedom.”
The sarcasm in her voice had me furrowing my brows at her in confusion. She sounded disgusted by the notion but—
“After all that, why wouldn’t you want to be free of them?” I shook my head. I didn’t understand it. I could maybe understand her feelings about me, sure. If she was deluded enough to want the attention of these horrible slavers, that’s on her. But to spurn freedom?
“Why would I want to have to work and take care of myself when King Astraeus would have taken care of me forever?” Emmie shook her head, tears filling her eyes.
“Because it wouldn’t be forever, Emmie.” I explained, not understanding how she didn’t grasp this. “It would just be until he got bored. Or someone told him you were sleeping around to open a spot for a spy just like Cyrus did. Astraeus so easily cast his bedmate of many years away at the slightest suggestion. One who he seemed to actually care about.”
“He wouldn’t have.” Emmie protested, tears beginning to fall. “But now he…he—” She gasped for breath between tears, and I wanted to roll my eyes. All of this just because she wanted someone else to take care of her. She couldn’t have found someone else to do so? Someone in Night? If she was truly that desperate. It was absolutely ridiculous. I couldn’t blame her for finding a way to survive while enslaved, but once free—crawling back to slavery? No, that I’d never understand.
“He’s replaced me!” Emmie wailed out, dramatically, and I couldn’t help rolling my eyes now.
“Of course he did.” I scoffed, truly floored how this cunning woman could be so blind. “Did you think you were special? We’re theirslaves, Emmie! Wake up!”
She raised her head, brown eyes glaring at me like everything bad that ever happened to her wasmyfault. “He wouldn’t have if you hadn’t torn me out of here. But Cyrus promised if I watch you, he’ll ensure his father takes me back.”
She wiped her tears away, but my heart sank in my chest. “Emmie, if he’s telling the truth, and that’s a hugeif—he’d do it by hurting whoever he’s with now.”
If I thought the idea of an innocent being hurt would change her mind, I was in for a rude awakening. She just shrugged—shrugged! Like she couldn’t care less.
“Eris would be ashamed of you!” I spat, glowering at her, absolutely disgusted. I couldn’t believe she’d fooled us for so long. “What did you tell them about our plans, Emmie? She’s just as involved as the rest of us. She did so much to help youand you’d turn around and betray her too? Get her captured?” Emmie’s shoulders stiffened and she glared back at me, but she stayed silent for a while.
When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet, “I’ll do what I have to do.”
I shook my head at her but said nothing. There was nothing more to say.
When Cyrus finallycame back, it wasalmosta relief to see Emmie go, to get away from the strained silence between us—only then I was stuck with him. He sauntered over to me, sitting on the side of the bed.
“Are you going to be good so I can let you out of these chains?” He drawled, raising an eyebrow.
I opened my mouth to tell him to go to Tartarus, but I had to be smart here. I needed to find a way out, a wayhome. Because that was what I had now, a true home, and I was desperate to get back. The first step would be getting out of these chains. I wouldn’t get anywhere if I was stuck, chained to this bed.
I gritted my teeth, resigning myself to what I’d have to do to get out of these chains. I let myself slump in them, like I’d given up, and looked up at Cyrus from below lowered lashes.
“Yes, Prince Cyrus, I’ll be good.” I hated the words slipping past my lips, but the defeat in my tone made him smile widely.
“Wonderful! Now, just know, if you do anything stupid like trying to run, or contact Calix—” Cyrus said sharply, his blue eyes flashing as he narrowed them at me. “I can guarantee you won’t like what happens afterwards.”
“I know. I won’t.” I admitted, not caring in the least. I wouldn’t let it get to that point. I wouldn’t make a move until escape was assured. Cyrus looked at me critically, but the front I put on must’ve worked—or maybe he was just desperate to believeit. He pulled a key out of his pocket and reached up to unlock the cuffs around my wrists. When both my wrists were free, I brought them together and rubbed at the sore, red spots where the chains had continually rubbed at the skin.
With my legs free, I swung myself up to a sitting position on the side of the bed, holding my wrists as the pain radiated. I arched my back, trying to stretch out the pain of being stuck laying down for so long on a bad angle, and the feeling of my body not fitting the way it should. I may be used to that pain, but adjusting to it didn’t make it less bothersome.
