Then those malicious blue eyes were in front of me, a twisted smile curling his lips. “I told you what would happen if either of you tried to escape. My men will find her, and I’ll very much enjoy seeing to her punishment.”
I bared my teeth at him, agony and anger pulsing through my entire being.
The king straightened, then addressed Pierce. “I want around the clock guards on mywife.Multiple. Should she escape, I will kill every man and woman responsible. Get her cleaned up, I need her alive.”
“Yes, my king,” Pierce rumbled, still holding me upright.
Before I realized what was happening, Pierce helped me up, hands under my arms to drag me into the blinding sun. I squeezed my eyes shut, shielding against the brightness causing my head to throb.
I was taken to my original tent, the one fit for a queen and the complete opposite to how I spent the last day. It seemed like a lifetime ago I spent that magical night with Shade. I wish I could go back to that perfect moment with him.
Pierce escorted me, along with four other men, all of whom circled us in an impenetrable barrier of armor and weapons. Not to keep me safe, but to stop me from fleeing. Which was laughable, considering I could barely walk.
Wista’s absence was loud, instead of her calm smile, Meline waited inside the tent, Pierce followed me in while the other men remained on guard.
“The bath is ready.” Her words were tight, but she offered me a bowed head and left.
I hid behind the privacy screen, pulling the vibrating lamp from my pocket, its humming warmth settling into my skin. I briefly considered letting Shade out, but being under Pierce’s watchful eye meant there was no way I could.
I craved his soothing presence, yet at the same time, I didn’t think I could bear to see his disappointment. Not in light of what I had done. I killedallthose people, then locked him away again.
I rubbed my thumb over the carving along the smooth metal, my heart heavy in my chest. Would he forgive me? Would Eleanor?
Probably not. How could they when I didn’t think I would ever forgive myself.
After I bathed, I slumped into my bed, Pierce standing watch at the entrance. It was so similar to how Shade had stood those first few days when he’d just been released, and I couldn’t stop the tears that streamed down my face at the reminder. I hugged his lamp close, and despite being weak and hungry, I was beyond tired and welcomed the oblivion sleep provided.
Someone shaking my shoulder woke me, and I scooted away from Pierce, who leaned over the bed. He stepped back as soon as I opened my eyes, hands splayed out. “You need to get up. I had Meline bring you some food, you’ll need your energy.”
He motioned to the small table, and I dragged my weak body over to it and slumped into the chair.
“You need to eat,” he said when I didn’t immediately reach for the food. I didn’t reply, but I did pick up the spoon, stirring it in the sludge barely passing as oatmeal.
“Where we’re going, you need to be careful.” His voice was rough and low, and I continued to ignore him as I forced the gluggy food down.
“Adelia, I—”
“Where are we going?” I asked before he spewed whatever bullshit was coming. I didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. He’d stood by while Eleanor was hurt, left her injured and unable to seek healing.
I wouldneverforgive that.
Dark-brown eyes met mine, the small scars on his face flashing when his furrowed brow deepened. “Ferveem Forest.”
Now that the king had succeeded in beating the enemy here, we would travel back to the forest like he’d originally planned.Neither of us spoke again. Pierce seemed to get the hint that I wasn’t open to conversation with him, not after everything he had done. I’d so terribly misjudged him, thought him to be a kind and good man, but his loyalty was to the king alone. A king whose malicious and vile actions were irredeemable.
I was still weak from lack of substance when we left Yinora. No lords joined us on the journey, only a few soldiers and a single servant—likely to serve the king. I slumped atop the horse while Pierce led her. Since the king demanded I be restrained the entire time, I couldn’t truly ride anyway. Even so, I was watched closely by several of the king’s men. Gensen and Pierce included.
Nobody told me what we would be doing when we arrived. After my defiance and Eleanor’s escape, whatever the king had planned couldn’t be good.
With my wrists bound and treated roughly, the skin had broken, and blood seeped from them on and off. As days continued, the skin around the wounds became inflamed and hot to the touch, so I spent most of them half asleep while my body worked to fight off the infection and heal. Shade’s lamp was heavy in my pocket the entire way. It had been too long since I had seen him. After weeks of traveling to Yinora, we only got to spend the one night together.
One perfect night before I was declared a prisoner.
There were many times, as the horse swayed beneath me, I considered releasing Shade. With my blood ever present from the wounds around my wrists and some careful maneuvering, I could make it to the lamp and release Shade’s wrath on the men around me.
I banished the thought every time. Shade couldn’t kill them without my wishing it, and I wouldn’t waste the final wish on that, nor on trying to escape. Besides, I couldn’t risk one of them going after Eleanor. The king’s efforts to find her would increasetenfold if I attempted something like that. No, I would wait patiently for the most opportune moment.
Though the king did well to conceal it, his excitement grew every day, his perpetual shifting in his saddle increasing the closer we got to the forest. Urgency laced every command as he pushed us all to move faster. I had no doubt in my mind that he planned to make his final wish when we arrived. I just had no idea what it could be.
