“Dismissed, soldiers. Wait on the other side of the doors, up the stairs,” she demanded, her voice assuming the authority I had bestowed upon her.
The two guards exchanged a glance, but when Ididn’tinterfere or correct her, they obeyed. Slowlydeparting, Icouldn’tignore the way they stole looks at me.Maybe Ilooked worse than I had assumed.
I bared my teeth in warning as they passed.
Once their steps quieted and we heard the echoes of the doors up top being firmly shut in place, I was on the move again,thoughin a more sluggish manner thanI’dcare to admit.
Valenia, taking initiative, headed straight for the doors the soldiers had been guarding and flung one open for me to cross into the dungeons. The smell was just as strong down there, but that was the least of my worries at that point. Most of thefaebeing held down there were huddled in the back of their cells, curled in on themselves,likely tryingto stay warm. Torches were placed between cells, out of reach of prisoners, but the light glinted off thealychitecell bars in a way that had my templesthrobbing.
I was almost out of time.
I came to a sudden stop, one that made my head spin, as a prisoner became brave enough to stick his leg out through the bars and into my path—allin an attempt totrip me up.
“Valenia,” I said through gritted teeth, summoning her to my side with a single breath.
Whenshe’dtaken her position beside me, I motioned toward the prisoner to my left—the one that had tried to stumble me.
“Grab him and follow me.”
She did as I ordered, quicklyacquiringthe keys to that cell and dragging the male by the darkalychitechains behind me.
By the time I made it to the end of the long hallway, I had nearly collapsed in on myself.
So close…
At the end of the corridor laid the torture chamber. When we stepped inside, the smell of old and fresh blood alike was sostrong,the stench from before was barely noticeable. All six surfaces in the rectangular room were made of stone inlaid withalychite.
No wielder would be breaking out of there—not without the nullifier.
Behind me, I heard the door slam shutafterVal and the prisoner—who was actively resisting andwhimpering formercy.
That word alone made me see red.
Valenia hooked the male up to the chains hanging from the ceiling, so that he stood on the tips of his toes, his arms stretched out above him.
He shook like a mouse—one that had just realized it wascheckmated.
And if he was the mouse, then I supposed that made me the snake.
Unable to utter a word through the pain,Isunk into a crouch, my muscles spasming and limbs shaking. I was vaguely aware of Valenia attempting to check on me, but I sternly pointed to the door without a word.
And only when she finally left, only once it was just myself and my prey, did I let my hold on myziriliumloosen.
But in giving my abilities an inch, they swiftly pushed through the gripI’dthought I had on them. They burned through my body, starting at my core and down my limbs, until bright streams of fire erupted from me.
I could feel the flames lapping over every inch of me, though not a single hair on my body was singed. I could only imagine what I lookedlike.
I supposed Ilikely appearedas the sun—the same one who had cursed me with thesegiftswhen the moon had neglected me altogether.
Ididn’trealize I was screaming until Icouldn’tanymore, and with that burst of energy having taken the edge of the pain off, I got to my feet and approached the prisoner—who seemed to have already soiled himself.
I didn’t need blades of any kind tonight, like I had with Ezra.
No. Tonight, I would gain my control back, piece by piece.
No matter how many prisoners I had to burn my way through.
***
