Mustering my resolve, I cast aside the covers and swathed myselfin a throw blanket. The icy tiles bit into my feet, urging me to tiptoe hurriedly across. With some effort, I managed to close all six windows. I contemplated drawing the curtains too but hesitated, fearing the room would turn too dark for me to find my way back. For now, the silvery moonlight was my only light source, as the glowing orbs had slowly fizzled out until they ceased to exist.
I turned back to the bed, stopping dead in my tracks as absolute terror stole my ability to scream. There, only steps away, was the high lord of the Winter Court.
Chapter 27
Getting Pedantic
In my panic, I let the blanket slip from my grasp. I tried to snatch it back, but it had already fallen away, and I didn’t dare take my eyes off Amos. Thankfully, I had on my night shift, though the thin fabric did little to conceal my peaked nipples, which were now fully on display.
Amos noted them too, raking his ice-blue eyes up and down my practically naked body.
“Nice,” he crooned. Disgust ran through me, and the acrid taste of bile slipped up the back of my throat.
He sniffed the air and dragged his eyes over me once more. I had to stop myself from shrinking back.
“I see the king finally put his cock inside of you. Good for him. Maybe now the smell of lust he carries with him will be replaced with the sweet tang of your scent. How delicious.” He licked his lips as if he could taste me from scent alone.
I didn’t move. Didn’t dare say a word.
“Too bad he left. I would have been happy to do this with him; maybe you’d be more forthcoming if his life was on the line. No matter. I’ll get what I came for. No one will interrupt us this time,Nyleeria.” My name on his lips held nothing but violent promise, and a shiver jerked my body.
My ears popped as an impenetrable dome encased us once more.
It was that same deafening silence. Those same bonds. His same voice. Trapped. I couldn’t—A scream tore out of me, continuous and guttural, until it felt like I’d swallowed tiny shards of glass, and a mere whimpering rasp was all that came out.
The High Lord of Winter stared down at me with a vulpine grin.
Despair hit me, and I scrambled to look deep within for that core of power I’d silenced earlier—I wouldn’t go down without a fight. But as I searched, I was met with nothing. It was empty, devoid, as if it never existed.
Amos laughed.
“Not this time, Nyleeria.”
The bands solidified and tightened like a tourniquet, and my scream of pure agony was choked off. I closed my eyes, praying to anyone who would listen.
My body trembled so violently, I thought my spine would shatter, and I shook as if I were being throttled.
From a distance, I heard Nevander’s voice. I tried to grasp for it, but, like mist, I couldn’t hold on. He was on the wrong side of the barrier.
“I’m here,” I tried to scream, but only a screeched squeak came out. “Nevander. I’m here. Help me. Nevander.” I had to choke back the blood that bubbled up, forcing me to abandon calling out his name.
In a long, slow stroke, Amos licked away some of the gurgling blood that’d splattered onto my face.
“Are you ready to answer me now, sweet, delicious Nyleeria?”
“Nyleeria!” Nevander screamed in panic.
I half breathed, half swallowed freezing water, choking on it. Amos disappeared, and I looked up to find Nevander straddling me, gripping me hard.
“Wake up. I need you to wake up.”
I blinked the water out of my eyes and began coughing. As I found my way back to consciousness, I rolled toward the edge of the bed and vomited on the floor.
Nevander soothed me, placing a hand on my back as he said, “It was a dream. You’re safe. It was only a dream, Nyleeria.”
My stomach emptied again.
Once it settled, I eased back into bed. Unbearably hot and soaking wet from the bucket of water that Nevander had poured over me to wake me up, I flung the sheets off, and Nevander’s eyes widened in surprise. He quickly handed me a robe, a proper robe. It took me a moment to realize I was naked. I gave him a grateful look and slipped it around myself, tying it closed just before my body convulsed, cramping with the effort.
