“King Obrann requires your presence.” Sour breath skimmed my cheek and I grimaced. “Both of you,” he added. “At the palace.”
Of course. Obrann never dirtied his hands with blood, he sent the dregs to drag it back for him.
“In shackles?” I asked dryly.
A whisper brushed the back of my mind,Run.
But my body lagged when the manacles snapped shut around my wrists.
I flexed my fingers against the bite of iron, forcing a smile. “Not too tight, please.”
Manners were easy, after all. Though none of it helped the sinking feeling where my gut should have been. Something was very wrong.
He spun me, the motion purposely harsh, and I caught my first glimpse of him. Middle-aged. Scarred skin pocked with blemishes old and new. Rounded ears.
Ahumanhad disarmed me. Humiliation burned hotter than the cut at my damn ribs.
“You a talker too, girl?” Spit flecked from his mouth, close enough I had to lean back to keep it from catching my face. “I’ll gag you like I gagged that traitorous hag.”
That familiar heat surged, the one that made my vision sharpen and my pupils stretch long.
His skin lost color the instant my stare locked and I whispered, “I’d like to see you try.” He faltered a step back and I rolled my shoulder forward, an invitation, and smiled. “Shall we?”
The guard shoved me hard enough that my legs gave, stone biting straight through leather. The closest he’d dared come the entire trek to the palace.
I cursed, forcing myself upright, sneering at the grin across his scarred face when I only made it as far as my knees.
“Rodent,” he uttered.
Of course, his courage showed up only now, when we were nestled safe inside Obrann’s walls.
“Really?” I scoffed. “That’s the best you could come up with?”
He went to shove me down again, but I dodged, and spat, the glob landing against his uniform collar.
Before I’d even twitched to wipe my chin, his hand cracked across my cheek. Heat throbbed as the floor rushed to greet me once more.
These damned shackles were dulling everything in me, even reflexes. I clenched my teeth, swallowing the sting clawing its way up.
Gemma lurched forward, bound arms thrashing as if she could reach me.
Another slap cut the air, not my skin this time, and red bloomed across her cheek, a small whimper escaping the part in her mouth as she gaped up at the guard.
“You fucker—” I grumbled.
But Callum’s roar rattled the corridor, cutting me off. His fury split open as Gem crumpled under the guard, shielding her face.
I blinked at him, at the chains dragging across his wrists, his ankles. What in the gods’ names washedoing here? Our mother’s presence was damning enough, but Callum being dragged into this made no sense.
The guards flanking us didn’t flinch, only stood in perfect rows, swords untouched. Though, worry had settled in their eyes.
Callum was their commander, and that fact made it hard for them to meet his eyes. But their stillness said enough.
I forced my legs beneath me, straining to lift, barely making it an inch before the guard’s boot slammed down against my skull, crushing it against stone.
“I could squash you now.” He pushed harder, weight grinding into my jaw. “Spare the king the pleasure.”
The world rattled, creation tearing at its cage, shrieking in my veins.Just breathe, I told myself.This bastard’s boot isn’t what kills you.
