All I knew was the rapid pounding of my heart that ached in my chest. Ears ringing as the shadows began to stir beneath my skin, a low keening wail vibrating through my mind sending jolting pain down every limb. A sound so sorrowful I was drowning in it. They were not angry this time, not chanting within my mind for vengeance or blood—just sheer devastation and horror at what was taking place here.
Merle had not prepared me for this.
"The King has tasked his very own Captain of the KingsGuard to ensure your safety throughout this trial." High Master Belcomb spoke,her once sweet voice now a poison in my ears. “No harm will come to you from the prisoners. Now please take your pick and begin."
"Apprentice Sommers.”
The sharp-edged coaxing of Master Devram broke me from the shock.
I rushed forward, hands shaking, not even entirely aware of the quick steps I took. It felt as if I were floating, my mind aware, but not really there as I fought to control the rapid breaths that sawed through my lungs.
Bile rose once more in my throat as I rested my hand upon Mirabel’s shoulder to guide her back to the table, my eyes raking over the rest of the prisoners.
What looked to be a teenage boy, two women, a man, and…Fenrir. Our eyes locked and with a look that had my heart shattering, he was led away to his own apprentice’s table. A promise sung between us as resolve hardened and sharpened my fear into a weapon of raw determination. I wouldnotallow her to die today. Even if I had to let the shadows loose and ravage everyone within this room, she would walk out alive.
Bitterness clung to my throat, clogging and suffocating as I lifted her onto the stool, gently placing her back against the table. I rested my hand on her forehead.
Burning hot.
Stepping back, I closed my eyes for merely a moment as I tried to collect myself.
One. A breath.
Two. Another.
Three. My eyes opened.
Four. I found his gaze staring back at me, assessing and cool.
There was a flicker of something there in the Kinslayer’s eyes. Something broken and irrevocably shattered resting within them, reflectingback my own emotions. Could he see it, that I didn't want this? That I didn't agree with it one bit. That I wanted to layruinto them for the cruelty they forced these people to endure.
Kinslayer.
The shadows hissed for the first time in my mind that day, low and menacing. Fury, rage, utter and complete sadness brewing like a storm. Mixing and merging, fueling my own emotions.
He is no better than they are, little shadow.
Born to the moon, sea, and stars,
yet he bows to the flames that ravage us all.
Breaking the gaze as I turned back to Mirabel, I noted the sweat that trickled down her skin. Skin that was so sallow and sickly—leeched of its healthy warm glow—it made my stomach heave.
"What happened?" I asked softly, wanting her to speak, to reassure me that she still could. I pressed my fingers to her wrist, silently cursing as I counted the beats. Toofast.
"We had a funeral for mama." Her voice was quiet and slurred as her brows pinched together in pain, a quiet groan escaping her lips. “Not long after you visited, she was gone. Dad said we should do it under the light of the moon, so Lua could find her and bring her to her Kingdom to rest. He said it was what mama wanted.”
Fenrir held a Luanthian funeral for Kerlina?
"What hurts, Mirabel?" I felt for any bloating as I gently pushed upon her stomach.
Finding none, I immediately ruled out a few poisons I had whirling through my mind.
"My head," she cried softly, clutching at her temples. Reaching forward, tipping her back, I examined her eyes. Pulling down slightly uponher cheekbone so I could see the whites of them more clearly, the usually red veins now ran through with black.
Heart racing, I grabbed her hand, turning it over to examine her fingernails, a hiss escaping between clenched teeth.
"I know it hurts, but I need you to stick out your tongue for me, Mirabel, can you do that?" Rubbing soothing circles upon her palm, I tried to comfort her as best I could. There was a small nod and just as I suspected, a blackish-blue tongue poked out at me.
