I could not move. I tried not to breathe as I waited for the pain to abate but it never fully went away.
Everi manacles.
Forcing my eyes open, I could not see much except for the glowing embers of a dying fire. As my eyes adjusted, I recognized the painting above the mantle of Falls Palace—I was in the Raven Room.
I jerked the chains restraining me to the wall but they were secured by the blood mage who chained me here. It was a strange feeling being helpless and not at all one I was accustomed to. Anna had been one breath from death, and I wasnot sure if all of my everi was enough to save her. It would take time to recuperate from that.
This was not a problem I would have in The Falls.
Groaning, I attempted to summon everi, but all it did was make the pain worse.
After a time, a sharp shift in the stillness snapped me from a deep meditation. The door creaked open and in came a slender figure with long dark hair.
I groaned as the door clicked shut behind her.
“What the hell do you want?” I snapped, my voice hoarse.
Her sharp, violet eyes glared.
“I figured you would be glad to see me instead of Malakai,” she sneered.
“Unless you are getting these things,” I jerked at the everi manacles, “off—then get out.”
She shot me a dark look. “You know I could not even if I wanted to.”
“Which begs the question: what do you want?” I asked.
She paced slowly, taking in the wounds across my body.
“Do you recall when we were children and we snuck into your father’s study?” she asked.
I scowled. Was she serious? She wanted to reminisce? Of all the times in my life when I had wanted Melanie’s attention, for her to show up now was proof of the Ryth’enir’s curse. But it was not like I was going anywhere.
“What does this have to do with—” She cut me off, her voice heated.
“Do you remember?” she hissed, her eyes flickering to the door.
Her urgency got my attention. A muted sound in the distance made her flinch.
She was not supposed to be here.
I wracked my brain, trying to figure out what she was talking about, when the memory finally surfaced.
I stared at her as a fresh wave of fear turned my blood cold.
“You know,” I whispered.
She met my gaze with no hint of mischief or jealousy—so unlike what I was used to.
“I know.”
Two words. That was all it took, and she had already won. My heart bruised my ribs as I tried to find a way out of this but nothing I came up with would work as long as I was fucking chained to a wall.
“I swear to the Gods of Old if you tell anyone, Melanie,” I said, quiet rage sobering me as I watched her but she was not fazed.
“I want things to go back to the way they were,” she said. “Before we came here. Give me that and no one has to know.”
Bile rose in my throat. Of course she would use Anna against me. This was standard for her—use anyone and anything to get her way.
