“His Majesty King Savion wants you sane and to choose to remain with him.” He grabbed the doorknob and started to pull it shut. “Sadly, Savion does not know what sane is anymore. I will return for you for dinner this evening. Please be dressed.” He tossed a chin at the wardrobe and backed out of the room, the door closing with a quiet click.
I dropped to the floor where I was. There was no stopping my tears.
* * *
Staring out the one window in the room, I still choked on my sobs hours later. I would finally calm, then the image of the shock on Carolee’s face would surface in my mind, and the tears would come again.
The sound of Vitas’s wails pierced my memory, as well. I hadn’t known Carolee well—well enough to call her a friend—but Vitas had a special place with me. A true friend, so my heart broke for him. The cry, the rending scream of loss…
I smeared more tears away. Lord Aiko would be there shortly to escort me through the castle.
Quickly, I discovered the locks of the stronghold were made with lead.
All of them.
I had tried the main door and found that the closet and the bathroom had locks made the same way. The window locks were made with it. The window was made with it, as well—even though I could see through it.
After I flipped through the wardrobe with all sorts of clothes in it, I went to sit by the window. Between my bout of sobbing and grief, I managed to get a good look at the surrounding area.
The hot, empty land of rocks and lichen stretched out to the south, just at the edge of my view. I could see the grasslands beyond the city that hugged the stronghold, and there was a hint of forest to the north.
I could see that the stronghold I sat in—it wasn’t a palace at all—but it was a massive, dominating building created to do nothing but inspire fear. The city around it was cold, square, gray, and crumbling. Even from above, the amount of disrepair was shocking.
I had to show for dinner. I had to work with this situation, and that meant making an appearance where and when Savion demanded it.
Stay alive.
I had to. Roran, Rilen, and Dorian would be there.
Striding into the closet, I picked out a black outfit that had a split skirt and what only appeared to be a whimsical shirt with ruffles and lace. It was tight fitting on the sleeves and would allow me to move my arms easily.
I wondered where my sword was. I suspected wherever they did have it, there was lead involved in the lock.
Savion trusted no one.
That was obvious.
Where I stood in the room, I heard the high thin scream of a woman vibrating through the walls. It was a cry like no other one I had ever heard—anguish, despair, anger, hatred, power, and loneliness all wrapped into the same sound.
I put a hand on the wall and just listened for a moment. I wondered what that was, where it was coming from. Was she trapped here with Savion? What had he done to make her wail like that?
Just as I pulled the last of my clothes on, there was a sharp rap on the door, and it was pushed open.
Lord Aiko stepped in, leaving two guards behind in the hall.
“Mistress Breaker, I am here to escort you to dinner.”
Staring for just a moment, I considered him. “They weren’t going to let my friends go, were they? They were going to take them to Chasm—Crossing and kill them in plain sight of the rest of the temple masters.”
“I do not know what the general’s orders were, Mistress Breaker. I only know my own.”
I folded my arms. “Self-preservation.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You only know exactly what Savion asks of you. So he doesn’t take your head off like he did my friend’s.”
He didn’t say a thing.
