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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Khol

Days faded into night and I had no sense of time or direction.

The chains binding me weighed a ton and I couldn’t remember the last time the sun touched my skin.

I swallowed and my throat burned. When I opened my eyes, I realized that I had been chained yet to another chair, but this time, a sun window had been opened right above me. My inner soul fluttered, but the sun wasn’t merely enough to rouse me. I felt dead inside.

I had been poisoned again and again with some potion that probably came from Sanjit’s Isles. Whatever it was, it kept my body pliant and was slowly draining away all my strength.

As my eyes began to focus, I realized that I was in a room. I blinked a few times as Sanjit came out from behind a mirror in a formal dress then fit her like dragon skin.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. I was tired of seeing this bitch.

“Well, look who’s awake. I’ve decided that it’s time for you to recharge. No need to stay in the dungeon anymore. This room is much cozier and I’m getting lonely at night. Plus, the big day is almost here. What do you think of this dress?”

I lowered my head and looked at the floor.

She leaned down, coming close to my face. “Like it or not, there will be mating. If you refuse or lash out or embarrass me at the ceremony before the people, I’ll have your human hunted down until the end of time. I’ll make it so that she never has peace with anyone.”

“You’re so sure of yourself, but nothing you do from here on out will ensure your peace either. You cannot keep me strapped to a chair forever and there’s not enough poison on this side of the galaxy to keep me paralyzed like this,” I told her.

“I don’t want to test that theory. Not at all. But you and I both know that if you don’t form a mating union with me then I will kill your human. Besides, I’m getting tired of your stubbornness. There are other ways to topple empires without you. I just may take your seed and dispose of you when I’m done.”

Like you did to my brother.I wanted to say it aloud, but my heart was still hollow over what happened to him.

She stared at me blankly as if she were actually killing me and draining me of all life and vigor.

“Where are your hordesmen anyway?” she asked. “No one in Dretis has seen one of those bastards since they wiped out the Norjal. Don’t they care about you? Why haven’t they come for you?”

“My hordesmen have done exactly as I ordered them to do.”

“And that is?”

“You really are a special snowflake, aren’t you?”

She pressed her lips together. “It is impossible to command them from a dungeon.”

“Perhaps…”

She huffed.

Good. I wanted to drive her mad. When enemies were mad they lashed out in ways that weakened them.

She straightened her posture and folded her arms across her chest.

“You lied and said King Oderas would be here to personally grant you official title to the Isles of Contra. Where is he now?” I asked.

“Hmmm, King Oderas never made plans to come here. Well, he did, but then I told him it wasn’t necessary since he’s dealing with so much on that side of the galaxy. He thinks you’re still recovering from the attacks in Nunbar and that we’re working out the details of our mating. I promised the king that the next time he saw me that I’d be a mated woman. We’re to visit them in three moons and he expects a mating between myself a Xihran brother.”

I frowned.

“Ahhh, don’t worry,” she said. “He’ll be pleased with our arrangement. He’s a king that rewards unions like this after all.”

“Wait until he learns of your treachery,” I growled. “Did you promise him that you’d kill one of us too?”

“I don’t think he will care. If he wanted Ghid to have the crown, he would’ve given Ghid the crown instead of you. Besides, who hasn’t committed a bit of treachery to gain a most-coveted position,” she said.