Page 55 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)
“Ambrose,” Arianna whined, her honeyed voice now nauseating and foul.
Ambrose's deep chuckle rumbled, echoing in the dark cell, as he walked over to the empty barrel.
My body tensed from his movement. I eyed him from under the hair that had fallen during his torment, watching while he place his hand inside.
The temperature of the cell dropped, and the sound of water filled my ears.
My pulse spiked, my body quivered, and I knew that this torture was far from over.
Once the water reached the top of the barrel, the ice around my wrists and ankles melted away, but I kept still, refusing to move.
Ambrose faced me, drumming his fingers against the edge of the barrel.
His head was tilted to the side, eyeing me intently.
Finally, Ambrose came to me, reaching out his hand for me to take.
I hesitated, but when his lips twitched, I placed my shaking hand in his, letting him guide me away from the chair.
Moving my hair away from my face, Ambrose grimaced at the blood and sweat that coated my skin. “Your queen demanded her own punishment for the time in the training yard and in Lowbrook. She also thinks that you need to be cleaned up a bit.”
My blood froze, my gaze drifting to Arianna. She stood, tall and proud, her eyes blazing with a blue fire that made my body quail. My hands curled into fists at my sides, and I whispered a soft please to her, begging for her to change her mind, to end this.
Tutting, Ambrose circled me, stopping behind me. He ran his hands across my shoulders and down my arms. I swallowed down the vomit that rose at his soft touch. “Shh,” Ambrose cooed softly. “It will be over before you know it and then we can move on from this horrible, horrible incident, darling.”
Ambrose’s hands stopped at my wrists, pulling them together.
I whimpered at the painful stretch of the cuts along my arms and chest, and the cold bite that now circled around my hands.
He pushed me forward, my body slightly resisting against his touch.
My mind—my entire being—it seemed to shut down.
I wasn’t sure how much more of this I could take.
Ambrose released a quick breath of frustration at my protest to move forward. Grabbing my hair, he jerked my head back, pain spidering across my scalp. “Move to the barrel, Sybil,” Ambrose hissed. “That’s an order.”
He roughly pushed my head forward and I took one reluctant, trembling step after another until my knees bumped against the small barrel.
I looked down, eyeing the water that rippled from the ice circling along the edge.
Ambrose shoved me down to my knees and walked in front of me, giving Arianna a small nod.
Arianna giggled, rushing to my side, crouching. Her delicate fingers roughly clenched my hair, wrenching my head to the side so she could lean close to my ear. “I’m going to enjoy this,” she whispered. “You don’t know how much I’m going to enjoy this.”
“Arianna,” Ambrose sighed in warning. He slid his gaze to mine, and my throat bobbed. “Now, my darling, to make sure you have learned your lesson, I’m going to ask you a couple of questions. First, when I tell you to do something, you’ll?”
“Do as you say,” I croaked, my heart thumping hard against my too-tight chest.
“Good girl. And you’ll do it even if I tell you to kill?”
I hesitated, my eyes widening at his question. I didn’t want to hurt anyone else. Already the deaths of Arbus and the villager weighed heavily on me. To add a third or more would break me. I didn’t know if I could handle more blood on my hands, if my tarnished soul could take more.
Ambrose’s lips thinned, the only warning I had before Arianna shoved my head into the icy water.
The frozen chill took my breath away and I fought against her hold.
Water filled my mouth and lungs, and I screamed until dark spots danced along my vision.
My body became heavy and only then did Arianna pull my head from the water. Coughing, water spewed from my mouth.
“That was the wrong answer, Sybil,” Ambrose said flatly. “Now, let me ask you again. Will you do as I say even if I tell you to kill?”
“P-please. Please don’t make me do this, Ambrose,” I stuttered, my eyes felt like they were on fire from the heat of tears stinging my eyes, pouring down my face.
Arianna scoffed, shoving my head back under the water.
Fighting against her, I held my breath as long as I could, but the small amount of air didn’t last long.
My lungs screamed. My chest heaved, my body refusing to listen any longer, letting the water into my mouth and nose.
Arianna pulled my head up and I hurled up the water that burned my lungs.
As I gulped down air, Arianna threw my head back in, pushing me further down. My vision darkened; my body turned slack. I was tired, so very tired. Pulling my head up, I coughed up the water again, my head lolling to the side. Ambrose asked the question again, his tone more severe.
“I’ll do it,” I gasped, unable to take any more of this torture. “I’ll do it. Please, please stop. I promise. I’ll follow every order, even if it’s to kill.”
Ambrose smiled, kneeling in front of the barrel, tapping his hand against my face. “Good girl.”
His gaze slid to Arianna, giving her a sharp smile. Her grip on my hair tightened and a small laugh escaped her lips. I barely breathed out a raspy no before Arianna pushed my head back into the frozen water, this time, holding me under until I fell into complete darkness.