Page 721 of Coal Hearts

Victor stopped with a smirk. “Well, it’s nice to see you’re in one piece, mon ami. After Belford’s reports of your injuries, I will admit, I had my doubts.”

Peter roused beside me, his sleep heavier the past few days thanks to our daily meal halving in size.

Our bodies were shutting down. Our skin turning sallow. Our stomachs hollow.

But now it made sense why our rations had been restricted even more than usual.

Victor had no doubt been planning this visit for a few days and wanted to ensure we were extra weak and helpless.

Sucking in a tattered breath, Peter sat up and shot me a look.

The look of pure horror on his handsome, gaunt face did nothing to settle mine.

Ignoring him, I kept my gaze on Henri.

On the way he gathered all the shadows in the room and seemed to use them as his crutches to stand taller. On the way he slipped on a mask that hid his true disgust and despair.

“What do you want?” Balling his hands, Henri looked Victor up and down as if he was one of the many rats that scurried about down here.

“To visit my friend.” Victor grinned. “Is that not permitted?”

“I’d hoped you’d had a heart attack.”

Victor snickered. “Sorry to disappoint.” He bowed with a flourish. “Still fit as a fiddle, I’m afraid.”

“Fiddles are flimsy little things that can be smashed rather easily.” With an arrogant tip of his chin, Henri crossed his arms. “Unlock my chains, and I’ll show you.”

“Nice offer, but I’ll pass.”

“What’s the matter, Vic? Afraid?”

“Of you?” Victor raised an eyebrow. “I’d be a fool to say I’m not aware that when you’re in your prime, you’re a hard man to fend off.”

Henri smiled.

“But you’re not in your prime anymore, are you?” Moving one tiny step closer but not too close, Victor chuckled. “Don’t feel bad, Henri. You can’t help that you’re not who you used to be.”

“I could still kill you.”

“No.” Victor drew himself up. “You couldn’t. Don’t lie, and don’t be argumentative. You tried to win against me, but you lost. What happens next depends entirely on your cooperation.”

Henri didn’t flinch from the pain of his forearm still in its cast. He didn’t wobble on his casted leg or show any signs that his ribs still gave him grief. He didn’t even ask what cooperation Victor wanted, refusing to give him the tiniest bit of satisfaction.

I was so damn proud of him.

So in awe of him.

So inspired by his ability to ignore his pain to protect me.

“Have you come to finish me off, then?” Henri asked with a sneer. “Because if you did, just get it over with so I don’t have to look at you a second longer than necessary.”

Victor scratched his clean-shaven cheek and nodded. “You know what I feared most, my friend? That being beaten within an inch of your life and denied the basic necessities would break you. I feared you’d turn into more beast than human. That’s why I allowed you the company of Ilyana and Peter.” Victor threw us a look over his shoulder. “Thank you for keeping him sane, you two. You’ve ensured the next part of Henri’s initiation will be far more fun.”

“What initiation?” Henri snarled.

“Beginning your training as a jewel, of course. Remember all those levels of obedience you never did with Ilyana?” Victor grinned. “I’m going to ensure you learn each and every one and become the most obedient, sought-after jewel in my collection.”

Peter flinched.