Mountains rise in jagged peaks, their icy slopes cutting into the sky, swallowed by the thick, swirling haze that floats on the valley below. The snow-covered ground is vast, untouched, except for the winding, treacherous paths carved into the cliffsides, the only roads leading in or out of this place.
I shiver, though not from the cold.
I am so far from home. How long did it take for him to bring me here? I don’t remember any of it. Whatever he used to incapacitate me, to make me lose consciousness, must have been strong. It must have been the same thing the tsar’s men used on my uncle.
The weight of it presses deep into my chest, settling like a stone in my ribs.
It must have taken days. If anyone were to come looking for me, it would take just as long. What if no one finds me before the tsar uses me for his malicious scheme? What if I am already lost?
I press my nails into my palm beneath the table, grounding myself against the creeping dread.
I am not lost.
I will not let him win.
Finally, I shift my gaze back to Torbin, my face carefully blank. “You still haven’t answered my question. What do you want from me?”
His smirk deepens. “My dear, in case you’ve forgotten, you promised yourself to me.”
“What?” I spit out.
“We are betrothed.”
He smiles, and I flinch in shock. His canines are longer than the rest of his teeth. Sharper. He’s becoming more like the monsters he creates.
I stiffen my jaw, my muscles going taut. I bring my hands to rest upon the tabletop, and the glint of the silverware catches my eye. I’m overcome by the instinct to grab the knife, but as my fingers inch toward it, Torbin clicks his tongue.
“It would be foolish of you to think you’re stronger than I am,” he says.
I press my lips together in frustration and retract my hand.
“Besides, that knife wouldn’t do any damage I couldn’t overcome.” He leans slightly back in his chair, as if we were simply talking about the weather. “Have you forgotten what strength the carnoraxis potion has given me?”
I fix my focus on the burn mark on his jaw. “Doesn’t look like it’sany good at erasing scars.”
His smirk is laced with venom. “Ordinary scars are not a problem. But the ones infused with fae magic appear to be… trickier.”
“Good to know.” I tilt my head and allow myself a cocky smile.
He scrutinizes me for a moment, and then he laughs. “I’ve always admired your spirit, Celeste. I can see why you’ve risen in the ranks of the regiment. It will make you a worthy match in our inevitable marriage.”
“In case you didn’t get the message when I threw you from the tower, our engagement has been called off.”
His laugh is heartier this time. “Hunger always did make you grumpy.” He gestures to the plates between us. “Let’s eat.”
Torbin leans forward, grabbing his silverware and cutting into the slab of meat in front of him.
I wrinkle my nose and frown. I assumed the bloody meat was a rare, thick steak of some sort, but my mind starts processing where I am and what that could mean. The carnoraxis feed on human flesh and blood. Torbin has been ingesting carnoraxis potion, giving him their strength and rage. He has fangs that resemble their teeth. Who’s to say the transformation doesn’t also give him their hunger? Does he crave what they do?
My breath is trapped in my throat as repulsion churns my stomach. I inch back in my seat, trying to pull oxygen in past the bile rising in my throat. He wouldn’t serve me human flesh, would he? My tongue turns dry. My stomach coils, and I brace myself against the rising nausea.
“Celeste.”
I shoot my gaze at him, my nails clawing into my palms while I attempt to control my heartbeat.
His voice softens. “If I make you uncomfortable, that’s not my intension.”
“Liar.”
