“What do you know of the coup?”
Coughing, I press my nose against my arm, inhaling to steady myself against the pain. Everythinghurts. Everythingstings. I can’t stand, back protesting any movement.
“Nothing,” I rasp. Like I’d tell him anything.
He can continue whipping me, break my body, but eventually Kaden will come back. And Zelos will have to stop or risk harming his heir. I just have to hold out until then.
“You’re lying.” He seethes, the first break in his arrogance. Iwish I was more lucid to enjoy it. “Kaden told you what he’s planning.Tell me.”
He slaps me again and my mouth fills with blood, my teeth cutting my tongue. Spitting the glob out, I look up into his grotesque face.
“Do you think when Kaden takes your throne, he’ll let you live?” I smile, teeth painted red. “I don’t. I think he’ll snap your neck and walk over your corpse to get your crown.”
This hit I expect. Insult Zelos’ power and he’ll retaliate. My head snaps back and I rock backwards, the rattling chains drowned out by the ringing in my ears. It stings, but I smile, taunting the king.
His face morphs, handsome features darkening as twin spots of red highlight his cheeks. The rage that ignites his eyes soothes the deepest cuts on my back and I laugh.
I don’t know if it’s from his expression or blood loss, but I can’t stop laughing.
Grabbing my throat, he lifts me into the air, body protesting. I don’t bother to hide the wince as pain and revulsion war in my gut.
“Laughing at a king is a way to end up dead.”
“Good thing if you kill me, you’ll kill Kaden. And as much as you hate him, youneedhim.”
He drops me. My shoulders jerk from the abrupt release and I shout.Gods. One arm dislocates from its socket and my fingers go numb.
“You have a mouth on you. More so than Sose ever did.”
Blinking away tears, I look at the king and scoff. “Maybe that’s why I was claimed and she wasn’t.”
“Don’t presume to know, Max.” He grabs my cheeks, pulling me close, uncaring of how battered my body is. He seems to take glee in it. “Sose didn’t last more than two hours under my ministrations before she succumbed to her injuries.”
My heart slams in my chest as I try to process his words.Did he kill her?
“You’re the reason why Kaden harbors guilt for her death.”
Zelos rolls his eyes, annoyed. “He was going to let hergoto that Woodland Fae idiot. Sose was meant to warm my son’s bed and tie two powerful families together. Power thatIwanted.”
Swallowing over the bile, I shake my head.Power. It always comes back to power. “You killed her forpower?”
“No,” he chuckles. “I merely wanted to break her. Remind her where she belonged. It’s not my fault she didn’t have the stamina for this… type of punishment.”
“And now you’re going to break me.”
He circles me, stopping to admire his work on my back. “I will. Though, I must say, I’m impressed. I expected either immediate death or for you to talk to end the pain. Not many can withstand my tactics.”
It’s then I resolve to never submit to him. He can try to break me, but he won’t win.
Jaw clenching, I rise up on my knees, pain shooting down my legs. Agony so fierce steals my breath and I have to pause as my vision tilts.
When I stand, I stare ahead and remain quiet.
Zelos grins, practically drooling at the prospect of ending my stubbornness. I don’t have the energy to tell him his son tried—and failed.
“I was hoping you’d want to play a little longer. We have days yet before Kaden returns.” He drags the whip over the marks on my back and I stifle a grunt of pain into my arm.
“Now, tell me. Who is involved with the coup?”
