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“Malachi,” she acknowledged. “Come to finish the job?”

Malachi huffed a laugh, but I could feel how tense he was standing right next to me.

“You won’t get off that easily,mother.”

She attempted to move, but heavy chains held her down to the ground. They looked ridiculous on her tiny, boney body. But I knew, deep down, she was dangerous.

Too dangerous to be freed of her chains.

“I’m training my magic,” I said, interrupting them before their feud could continue. Esther seemed to notice me standing there for the first time. Her hair was matted around her neck, and her linen clothes were covered in dirt. I pretended not to notice. “I figured you could be of use.”

“Interesting,” she nodded. “So you’ve come for my help finally?”

“We don’t need your help,” Malachi interrupted.

“Your bride says differently, son.”

I stuck my hand out, cutting Malachi off before he continued. “We have no problem leaving you in here for the next decade,witch,but if you would like to offer your insight to training my powers to develop, we would accept it.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but a coughing fit was the only thing that came out.

Saints. She wasn’t going to last much longer down here. In the corner of my eye, I saw Malachi’s jaw tighten.

“Will you unchain me?” she asked after a few seconds.

Malachi spoke up first, “Absolutely not.”

“Mal,” I hissed under my breath. If Esther was going to agree to work with us, we had to give her something. Otherwise, she had no benefit in this deal.

Malachi snapped his attention to me. I could see his furrowed brows in the darkness. “We’re not letting her out of here.”

“We don’t have to,” I whispered back. “Just unchain her. She won’t get far, anyway. Look at her.”

We both looked to where Esther still huddled on the stone.

She was decaying. She was half the woman she was in Trithen.

Did I feel bad? No, I didn’t feel bad. A tiny, hidden part of myself actually delighted in her suffering.

That was the part that kept me alive.

That was the part of me that didn’t feel sorry for those who had wronged me.

“Fine,” Malachi sighed. He walked forward with the keys from the guard and knelt before Esther. I watched as he picked up each of her wrists that were buried in the heap of metal chains, and unlocked them.

After the chains rattled to the stone ground, he stood and backed away.

Esther moved to get up from her spot in the corner, but struggled to stand. I glanced at Malachi, who only tightened his jaw. I would have to do this myself. I took the few steps into the cell and grabbed ahold of her arm, lifting her to her feet.

“Thank you, child,” she whispered. I knew Malachi would be mad that I helped her. That I touched her. But this woman was clearly nothing more than helpless.

“I almost lost control of my power earlier,” I explained to her after I was a safe distance way. “But I haven't been able to summon it since then.”

She nodded. “What were you doing when you almost lost control?”

“I was fighting with my father,” I said.

Esther nodded, recognition flickering in her eyes. “Your family is here? In Rewyth?”