“Enough.” My father’s voice is mild.
“All those years … You taught me to ride, you stood guard outside my door, and really you were just waiting for me to be old enough to collect.”
“I was beingpatient.” He stalks toward me. “Fourteen years, Alleria. I watched you grow from a child into a woman. I turned down other matches and opportunities, because I knew what was promised to me.” His eyes drop my throat, and his lip curls into a sneer. “And you let thatthingput its hands on you. It’s mouth. What else did you let it do?”
I don’t answer.
“Did it fuck you?” He’s close enough now that I can see the vein pulsing in his temple. “Did you moan for it the way you should have moaned for me?” He turns to my father. “That creature took what belonged to me. I want to know what it did to her. I want to know everything.”
“Alleria, tell me about the fae who did this to you. Where is it hiding? Is it still in the village where Brennan found you?”
I shake my head. “I won’t tell you.”
“You will tell meeverything.”
“No.”
His hand slams down onto the table. “As your king, I am demanding your loyalty!” he roars.
I barely manage to stop myself from flinching. Holding my head up, I meet his gaze.
“I said no.”
And as I watch, I see the final remnants of my father leave his eyes, until only the king remains. “It seems my daughter needs reminding where her loyalties lie.” He looks at the mage. “Take her. You have my permission to do whatever you need to find the information we need.”
The mage inclines his head. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“No!”
Before I can move, Brennan’s hand closes around my arm, hauls me to my feet, and shoves me toward the mage.
“Wait!” I try to twist free. “Father, please!”
“Take her to the lower chambers.” My father’s voice is flat and empty.
“Father, listen to me.”
“You have consorted with the fae. You gave yourself to them. You are no longer my daughter.”
“Father!”
Brennan’s grip tightens, and he drags me toward the door. Istumble, my feet tangling in my skirts, and he yanks me upright without slowing.
“You brought this upon yourself.” The door closes on my father’s final words.
“Guards, to me.” Brennan snaps the command as he strides down the hallway. The three guards move into position around him, the mage at his side.
I scream, and struggle, fighting to get free, but it’s no use. No matter what I do, Brennan’s grip doesn’t falter, and I’m dragged along hallways, down stairs, and through doors I’ve never seen before. The air grows colder, damper, and the walls change from polished wood to rough stone.
I’m breathing heavily when Brennan stops in front of a heavy iron door. The mage steps forward, producing a key from within his robes, and puts it in the lock. It groans as the key turns.
The room beyond is small and windowless. A single chair sits in the center, bolted to the floor. Chains dangle from its arms.
“Sit.” Brennan shoves me toward it.
“No.”
His hand cracks across my face, and the blow snaps my head to the side. Blood fills my mouth.
