"I don't know anything about the potion they used. I didn't even think to look into it," Bastian mumbled, his pink eyes glistening with tears as he stared at me. "But I'msosorry, love."
"We should've been there." Aimon's voice cracked.
"Weshould'veprotected you," Jasper rasped, shaking his head. "We're going to kill him, goddess."
"This isn't your fault. None of yours. I've been through much worse," I mumbled, wincing as pain bloomed through my face with the small turn of my head.
"Doesn't make us feel any better, muse," Silas muttered.
The door creaked open with a violent screech, and Matthieu stepped into the room. This time he was alone, and he slammed the door shut behind him.
His gaze filled with sadistic pleasure as it swept over all of us. "Good morning!" He sauntered toward me as he smiled brightly, relishing in my clear vulnerability.
I'd dealt with mages like him before.
The phrenic mage and the emperor who ruled the Lethium Empire when I had been cursed were much like his true self.
"In Hexarium, her existence defies time, forever she lives, yet weak and helpless. Eternal spirits share her life, a gift or a curse, forever immersed. She wanders alone, four centuries passed. Immortal in essence, yet now fragile in form," he spoke his riddle.
"I've been through worse than you, Matthieu." I narrowed my eyes at him, hating the feel of the rope digging into my raw flesh.
"I doubt that,sweet mage." He cackled, pulling out a dagger from his robe and resting the blade gently on my cheek. "You have no idea what I'm capable of now. But don't worry, I have a special treatment plannedjust for you."
"Go ahead." I gritted my teeth, but I couldn't disguise the way my body trembled under the blade.
"Ah, no." He pulled the dagger back and twirled it between his fingers as he skip-stepped to the twins. "Hurting you would be too easy. I want to see you break. What better way to do that than to torture the men youthinkyou love?"
"No!" I shouted, but each step closer he took to Casper made my heart sink further. "Matthieu, no.Don't!"
"I'm an emotion that can deceive, declaring to you what you want to believe. Beneath my surface, you will find, a sweet betrayal that leaves you behind..." Matthieu mumbled, stopping directly in front of my light mage. "What am I?"
"I'm going todestroyyou," Casper spat. "My light is going to purify your very fucking spirit."
Matthieu's smirk widened. "Wrong answer."
He lifted the dagger and pressed the blade against his cheek. "One more try."
"Was I not clear?" Casper chuckled darkly."Fuck you."
"Wrong again." His smirk slid into a delighted grin.
The dagger's sharp tip sliced into the delicate flesh, tearing the first layer of skin from his face. Blood pooled and oozed over the blade as Matthieu pressed deeper.
An icy burn flickered through the bond as Casper's teeth bit into his bottom lip.
"Yes, Casper, go ahead and give into the pain. I want to hear your scream," Matthieu told him.
I held back a sob as I watched Matthieu slowly push the blade under his skin and peel it away from his face. Blood poured from the wound and dribbled onto the floor as he winced in agony.
It was only then that I realizedwhythis entire setup felt like deja vu. This particular torture method had been done tomeby the phrenic mage that held me captive years ago.
My stomach lurched.
If we weren't able to escape soon, then there was no telling what else he would do. I couldn't sit through his torture of the guys. He could torture me all he wanted, but this was too much. They didn't deserve any of this.
Hot tears welled in my eyes before spilling over my cheeks. "Bless,stop it!" I pulled against the tight restraints until my skin broke open. Warm blood dripped down my hands as I yanked harder.
"Sunshine, you need to stop," Casper croaked, his golden eyes finally meeting mine.
