“You’re due for another dose of the drug in the morning, Celina. In this weakened state, you may not survive it.”
Celina sucked in a breath, staring at him in horror. “It could really kill me?”
“Yes. How do you think they figured that out?” He pulled her up to a kneeling position before swiftly picking her up. “You better hope the captain is willing to revive you, or the hypothermia may take you before the drug has a chance. Your body is slipping into shock.”
The world spun around her as he moved. She channeled all her energy into staying conscious. Her sluggish mind insisted there had been good reason for her efforts, but perhaps using all her strength to battle the drug hadn’t been the wisest idea. He carried her up through the dungeon to the main floor of the keep.
Heat emanated from the large hearth, making her skin sting at the severe change in temperature. Shocked, she realized the tingling was the first thing she’d felt since the burn of the ice. She knew she was being carried, but couldn’t feel Devryn’s arms distinctly, only a slight warmth under her legs and across her back.
The murmur of rough voices and laugher made her lift her head just enough to see over his shoulder. Half a dozen soldiers milled about in the room. A few eyed her with harsh gazes as they moved past, making her shiver. Down a hallway, Devryn stopped in a dim alcove and pushed on the wall. It gave way to reveal a dark stairwell. A soft glow faintly illuminated the steps.
Of course.Her own home was riddled with passages and hidden rooms. Most large keeps were. An old military fortress would be no exception.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked. The tremor in her voice bounced off the rock walls to echo around them as they moved slowly through the tunnel.
“Somewhere they won’t think to look for you. At least not immediately.”
Bad, very bad.Separating the captives would make the rescue more difficult.
Lanterns spaced along the walls led their path through the underground walkway. All the way across the compound, she would guess, based on how long it took them to reach a new stairway. He paused near the light, allowing her to make out his features as he spoke.
“You’re too valuable to kill outright, but don’t think that makes you safe, Celina. He won’t care if you’re damaged in the process of being punished for any misbehavior.”
“You expect me not to fight?” she asked, lungs seizing from the effort to talk. Her body was warming somewhat, but not enough to counter the dangerous chill in her bones.
“Just warning you what will happen. Your behavior is your choice.”
“You keep saying damaged,” she pointed out, trying to appeal to his humanity. “People are hurt, Devryn. Goods are damaged.”
“When he secured this black collar around your neck, that’s what you became.”
His words sent more splinters of ice through her. “And Opal?”
“Magic has sealed her fate, just as it has yours. Your life is whatever Captain Darrett decides it is. You’d be wise to remember that, and that you are not the only one here who can bedamaged. Do you understand?”
She swallowed instinctively, flexing the muscles of her throat to assure herself the collar didn’t constrict her breathing as ghostly hands closed around her neck. “Yes.”
Seemingly satisfied, he began the steep climb back to the surface.
Crumbled rock greeted them as they entered a small round room. The shape indicated it was one of the gate towers. Striding up another stairwell led them to a walkway. Stepping over the rocky debris, he carried her into another room.
The captain looked at them from his desk with a very displeased frown as they entered. “I planned to interrogate her further at the keep.”
“Change of plans.” Continuing to the second chair, Devryn set her down and positioned her arms behind the back of the chair. After securing her wrists with rope, he did the same to each of her ankles.
“Jack was getting restless, so I thought it wise not to leave her unattended. Good thing, too. All the effort she expended fighting the blocker accelerated the hypothermia. She wouldn’t have lasted much longer.”
“Very well.” The captain shook his head. “Have Hayes set up a test for our newest captive in the next room, then go check that the red teen is still alive. You may need to find Jack something productive to do for a few hours.”
“Yes, sir.” Devryn gave her a veiled look of warning and then left again.
Turning toward her in his chair, the captain assessed her with a hard gaze. “You couldn’t resist, hmm? Well, perhaps we can help you recover.”
Celina assessed her state of being. She knew cold better than anyone. Her extremities were numb, her heart and lungs struggling. Borderline severe effects from the exposure. Given time, she’d likely recover on her own. But did she have time? What else would she be forced to endure before rescue and the return of her magic?
While she’d been examining her health, the captain had produced a knife and was cutting up a round fruit at his desk. It was light brown on the outside, but pale purple on the inside with a green center. It was vaguely familiar. Picking out a small chunk, he held it up to show her.
“Bonyon fruit. Only grows in Zamyra. Why the jungle grows something that helps victims of cold is a mystery. But it will warm you up and help you recover from the cellar.”
