From within that haze of fatigue that dulled her senses, Nymiria could feel a flicker of something coming back to life within her. The longer she stared at him, the stronger that lifeforce felt. Her powers, though noticeably weakened, were coming back.
Perhaps they hadn’t realized that the iron they’d given her was starting to wear off. But it seemed to Nymiria that they were too prideful to even think that they could make such a mistake. And theyhad—they’d made a mistake in allowing her to wake up at all. Because even if she couldn’t utter a word about the deal she’d made and the truth she bore witness to, she could certainly raise hell trying.
They escorted her into a gilded carriage, forcing her onto the cushioned bench beside Everand. Once the horses barrelled off towards their destination, Everand turned to her.
“Your father has requested proof that you are alive and well. I suggest you pull yourself together.” He huffed and jerked at the lapels of his coat.
Nymiria eyed him, surveying his choice in clothes. He’d dressed himself in a deep blue, accented by gold. Even her own clothing looked dull in comparison. Though she wore the same shade of blue, he’d picked the most lackluster dress possible. It was too snug around her hips and too loose in the breasts. One wrong move and anyone would be able to see what was underneath.
When she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of the window, she recoiled from the monstrosity that looked back at her. They’d painted her face a ghostly white, with two big blobs of rouge smeared across her cheeks. Her lips were far too red and the blue they’d put on her eyes reminded her more of the circus clowns that’d visited Yaar for Dorid’s seventieth birthday.
“You’ve made me look like afool.” She hissed. “Anyone who knows me would think I’ve been held hostage if they saw me likethis.”
Auritsa scoffed across from them, plucking a handkerchief from her bag and tossing it into Nymiria’s lap. “Clean yourself up, then, if you don’t like it.”
When Nymiria’s eyes finally focused on the woman, she let out a small laugh, their makeup nearly identical. “Have I offended you?” She asked.
The queen rolled her eyes. “Everand, you said you would come up with ways to keep her quiet.”
“Thorn wanted to see her alive and well. They would suspect something if she didn’t open her mouth.” He sneered at her.
Nymiria ignored him, using the window as her guide in wiping off her makeup. Once she’d gotten most of it off and looked less like Auritsa’s body-double, she tossed the cloth back at the queen. It smacked the woman in the face, eliciting a harsh gasp. The woman lurched forward, snapping and snarling, but froze in place the moment she became too close.
Visibly stunned, Everand turned to Nymiria and snarled: “Let hergo.”
“Not a chance in hell.” She chuckled. “Our agreement didn’t include thisbitch.”
Everand’s hand shot out, his fingers curling around the back of Nymiria’s neck. He pressed them deep into Nymiria’s muscles, causing pain to flare up the sides of her neck and into her jaws. “Let. Her. Go.”
Auritsa’s face was already turning purple, her eyes wide and hands shaking. Nymiria wanted to watch her squirm longer, but she relented. Just as soon as the queen drew in a gasping breath, Everand relinquished his hold on Nymiria.
The first thing she could smell as the carriage rolled within the borders of Eadyn was rot. Beside her, Everand pressed a handkerchief to his nose, his face pinched with disgust. “How on earth could you bear the smell of him?” He almost gagged.
Nymiria lifted her head off of the window and gave a small shrug. “The scent of death only follows him if he’s intent tokill.” She smiled up at him prettily. “I wonder why it is so strong? Oh! Do you think it’s because someone kidnapped his mate?”
“With a mouth like that, I’m more surprised that he isn’trelievedto have you gone.”
Her smile turned devilish, her brow arching. “He seems to rather enjoyeverythingI do with my mouth.” Everand’s hand lifted, intent to deliver a smack, but Nymiria caught his wrist. “Thorn wouldn’t be too pleased to discover how my betrothed has been treating me.” She warned in a low voice. He struggled against her grip, nearly using all of his force to rip his arm out of her hands. He observed her closer now, his bewilderment at her strength more than evident. Even Nymiria, who was certain that the iron tonic he’d given her had depleted her defenses, felt a mixture of shock and pride.
Across from them, Auritsa let out a huff. “I’d say that her mother had the right idea when it came to wanting to kill her off. Everand, there are far more agreeable heirs in the world, I’m sure of it. I would say that we should just cut our losses and move on.” She turned to Nymiria, sneering. “Do you not understand what sort of power we will have if you just play along? You would never have to worry about anything—you would never want for anything. All you have to do is grin and bear it. But, no. You want to throw a hissy fit because you can’t be with some bastard-born, scum of the earth god, who was so weak that your own mother was able to—”
Before those final words could leave Auritsa’s mouth, the fury inside of Nymiria exploded. It boiled in her blood, urging power to flow through her veins, defying even the iron that’d been forced into her system days before. Nymiria lunged for the woman, dragging her nails down her over-painted face, tearing gruesome slashes into her skin. Auritsa screamed, kicking and flailing, as Nymiria's fingers curled around the woman’s upper lip. When Everand yanked her back, Nymiria’s hold did not relent—taking Auritsa’s lip and blood with her.
“I knew you would be an issue,” Everand grunted as Nymiria writhed against him, her body bucking upwards in an effort to free herself. One moment, she was watching as Auritsa screamed and frantically dabbed at her teeth, fully visible without the coverage of her lip, and the next, she was face down on the floor of the carriage with Everand’s boot digging into the place right between her shoulders. “Fortunately, your mother gave me something as an offering, in exchange for my blessing.” She heard the unmistakable sound of metal being pulled from a sheath.
The tip dug into the skin behind her ear, dragging in different directions, small and precise cuts. Nymiria braced her hands against the floor of the carriage, her heart racing in panic.She attempted to push up, but his boot only dug into her harder. When the slicing finally stopped, he shifted his weight so quickly, throwing himself on top of her so roughly that it knocked the air from her lungs. She wheezed out a sob when something warm and wet brushed over the rune she knew was now behind her ear.
“And just so no one suspects anything,” he pressed his thumb into the wound. Fire pulsed through Nymiria’s head, her brain feeling as if it would surely melt out of her ears. When her body went lax underneath him, the fire slowly began to ebb away, turning to a pulsing warmth beneath her skin. “There.” He crooned, stroking over the spot. “Perfect.”
He jerked Nymiria upright, slamming her back onto the bench with a grunt. She couldn’t move. As much as she wished she could—as much as she would have loved to fight back, to continue on and free herself, she could do nothing but sit there and tremble as she watched Everand try and repair his mother’s disfigured face.
He’d taken her lips and placed it back in its rightful place, but even with extensive healing magic, Everand was unable to hide the large scar that circled around her mouth.
“You’ll pay for that one.” He snapped, ignoring the fact that his mother was still sobbing, ignoring the fact that Nymiria didn’t so much as flinch when he gripped the back of her neck again. “There is something I want to show you, Nymiria. You see, not too long ago, when I was planning all of this, I imagined everything that I would do to your mate if either of you stepped out of line. Would you like to see?” She didn’t nod. She didn’t shake her head. She just sat there, staring.
When his fingers pressed into the back of her skull, Nymiria’s vision went black, her head lulling back as flickers of Everand’s thoughts seeped into her mind. She saw him standing over Aziel’s chained and mutilated body, marked from head to toe inprotective runes that oozed with blood. He was naked, his face contorted in pain as Everand pulled each individual piercing out of his manhood. Her body flinched as each scream reached her ears. Aziel’s, Oran’s, Thorn’s… Raven. Trio. All of them.
He made her watch every sick and depraved thing that’d crossed his mind—his plans.
