“Where are you taking me?” Kara asked, fighting to keep her voice level. “I haven’t been sentenced–”
“Night guard owes me a favour,” Cade said. “No one’s watching. No one will know.”
He pushed her through the heavy wooden doors, which opened into the execution courtyard. Her breath stopped. Just – stopped.
The pyre was already built.
Fresh logs. Dry kindling. A stake in the centre. Rope coiled by its side. Her head started to spin.
“I made something for you,” he said.
No. He can’t–
“No,” she whispered.
“Oh, yes,” he said, grinning.
Cade’s grip on her arm tightened as he dragged her forward. She twisted against him, horrified, digging her boots into the ground. But it was useless. He was too strong.
“You can’t – this isn’t legal–!”
“No one will care,” he said, voice calm and cold. “You’re dead to them already. I’m just ending it quicker.”
She screamed. “Help! Help – someone, please–!”
Cade shoved her hard and she fell, her hands scraping on the stone.
Get up!
She scrambled away. Too slow. He was already there.
“Nobody’s coming, Healer.”
His hand fisted in her hair. Wrenched her to her feet.
Kara cried out in pain, but he only laughed. A horrible, delighted sound. He dragged her, struggling wildly, up the steps to the pyre platform.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he said, forcing her over the pile of logs. She fought him. Kicked. Spat.
“You can’t do this!” she cried.
The fire from his torch lit his face just enough for her to see him smile. An awful, taunting smile.
“That’s the fun part, Healer. Ican.They’ll find your body in the morning. They won’t know who set your skin alight. It’ll be my own private show.”
This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening.
He threw the torch down and shoved her against the stake, holding her tightly with one crimson-lit arm.
“Get off me!” Kara snarled. She thrashed against him, trying desperately to throw him off.
“Stop struggling,” he snapped. His hand shot up to her throat, pinning her long enough for him to loop a cord around her chest. “You’ll go where I say. You’ll stand where I put you. And when the fire comes, you’ll burn because I decide it. Understand? You belong to me now, Healer.”
He means it.
I don’t want to burn–
Kara stared at him in horror as he wound more lengths of thick, coarse rope around her with sick enjoyment. It was all she could do. Watch. And he didn’t rush it. That was the worst part. Each rope was pulled slowly, deliberately across her arms and chest, dragging over her skin.
