Amaris choked on her own spit, shoving the key into her boot. “I… How do you...?” she stammered, unable to hide her panic.
“You reek of another realm.”
“But how do you even know of other worlds?”
“That doesn’t matter,” Drauna said, her voice like a siren’s. “Why do you think you’re here?”
Amaris stopped breathing. She didn’t know why she was here. She’d stopped that line of thought weeks ago. All that had mattered was escapingand getting home. “Do you know?”
Drauna laughed, a flash of lightning followed in its wake. “I cannot simply divulge the answers you seek. Where would the fun be in that?”
“What do you want then?”
“To gaze upon you.” Her golden eyes were bright like lightning in a storm cloud. They widened as she angled toward Amaris.
She couldn’t move, not for lack of trying, but Amaris felt pinned against the floor. A clear thought came to her.Where’s Theodoric?If there was anyone she wanted in this moment, it was him. She wanted him to come barreling through the door, lunge with his sword, and take her back to the manor. But he wasn’t going to, because she’d fucked up.
“Were you the one who tried to kill me?” Amaris dared ask.
“I’ve no need of that.” She donned a feline smile. “A blade may one day slit your throat, but it won’t be by my hand.”
What?Amaris wasn’t sure how many more of her riddles she could take. “Who then?”
Drauna stepped toward Amaris, latching her hand around her throat, but she didn’t squeeze. Her nails drew small circles over her chin. “That is up to you.”
“What’s with the cryptic phrases? Tell me,” Amaris demanded, still fighting the urge to get up and run, fighting against her paralyzing moment of panic.
“There’s much for you to learn, Amaris.”
She balked against her hand, no longer caring how she knew her name, only caring that she wanted to get as far away from her as possible.
“Diggory!”
The door burst open. Amaris fought her grasp, but Drauna clamped down harder, drawing a trickle of blood to spill down the side of Amaris’s neck. A tall man with cinnamon-colored hair and silver eyes stalked closer. He didn’t wear the navy uniform like the other soldiers.Is he a pirate too?
“See that our guest finds proper accommodations.” Drauna relinquished her hold around Amaris’s neck.
Amaris gasped for air as Diggory grabbed her arm, dragging her off the floor bucking and kicking. She tried to rip from his clutches, but his hold was like iron shackles with his long fingers.
“Seems Drauna has taken a liking to you,” Diggory heckled once in the hall. “She wasn’t as merciful the last time she laid a hand on someone.”
“Fuck you,” Amaris snapped, sending the heel of her boot into his toe.
He cringed, releasing the hold on her arms. Amaris swung her leg, the steel toe slamming into his groin. He reached for his crotch and forced a breath. She turned to run, but he grabbed her braid, yanking her back.
“Captain said to find you proper accommodations. She never said where,” he seethed. His fingers dug against her torso as he pressed her to his chest. “You’re just as feisty as the other one. Maybe she’ll love a cellmate.”
Amaris’s blood stilled. She shoved her palms into his chest, digging her nails into the material of his shirt.
Fuck,Amaris cursed.What would Viv do?
She stared him dead in his cold eyes, pulled her head back, and slammed her forehead into his nose. Blood sprayed, but he released his hold. She ran, throwing barrels and whatever else she could behind her to block his path.
She dared a glance over her shoulder. He charged after her, baring his teeth as blood dripped down his lips.
Chapter 41
Theo
