Page 31

Arianna

Arianna’s entire body trembled when she woke. Her breath clouded in the frigid air, and she blinked against the brightness of the room. White walls surrounded her, devoid of anything that might offer a scrap of information. She tried to move her arms, but her wrists and ankles were clamped down with thick metal bands. Another wrapped across her torso, locking her body in place.

Iron. Panic engulfed her. Her head pounded and her side burned, telling her the knife hadn’t been an illusion.

Ellie. Gods, what had that monster done to Ellie?

Arianna twisted her head to take in the room. A single metal chair sat in one corner along with a small table with a clipboard resting on top. No pen or pencil.

The plain iron door across from her had a small window on the top. If she freed herself, she might be able to see who stood on the other side. Were her friends strapped to tables as well?

Was Rion?

Arianna reached for the bond, but Rion was silent on the other end. No pain. No movement. She hated that feeling. She’d spent weeks unable to reach him and had felt their bond unravel strand by strand. It’d been excruciating.

Arianna tried to focus on the steady rhythm of his heart beat. It took several moments, telling her he wasn’t anywhere nearby, but at least he was alive. She’d rest in that small comfort for now.

Arianna tried twisting her wrist, hoping to force her hand through the small opening. She pulled, gritting her teeth against the sting of the metal. Arianna tested the amount of room between herself and the bar across her torso next. Not much, but perhaps enough for her to shift to the side for more leverage.

She tried, gritting her teeth as she pulled on her wrist, but only succeeded in bruising her hip and reopening the knife wound. Blood trickled down her side, then her movements became more frantic.

Arianna yanked and pulled again, straining against the clasps holding her in place. Her magic thrashed and bucked and Arianna set it free only to experience a familiar electrical shock that flew through her body like molten fire.

She stopped moving and gasped for breath. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she slammed her wrists against the shackles in frustration.

Trapped. She was trapped all over again. She’d be subjected to Vairik’s madness with no hope of escape.

Would he make her watch as he tore Rion apart? What would happen to Talon and Raevina? Would he start with them instead and discard their bodies afterward? Would Talon be the next floating mass outside the dungeon, left there without recognition or a proper burial?

Arianna yanked at her restraints again, then pulled on her magic a second time, bracing against the electrical shock that pulsed through her system.

Rion hadn’t given up. He’d broken his own chains in his determination to preserve their bond. He’d gone through hell because of her weakness. She couldn’t let him go through it again or let her sister suffer any longer.

Her heart beat even faster as Arianna recalled the illusions that’d felt entirely too real. She hadn’t even questioned them. Had her sister been an illusion too? Was Ellie safe and unharmed or was she locked in a cell? Was she even alive?

Arianna yanked again, letting her magic free but the current bit back even stronger. She arched off the table, teeth gritted in pain before collapsing again.

Arianna struggled to catch her breath. Magic wasn’t going to work here. She needed to use her own physical strength if she hoped to escape.

She’d pushed her body in the weeks Ellie had been missing. They’d all trained religiously, preparing for anything the gods might throw their way. She could do this, she just—

A latch in the door clicked and Arianna froze. Muffled voices floated in from the other side. A set of keys jangled then the heavy door swung open to reveal a familiar face she’d hoped to never see again.

“That’s very distracting. Some of us have other assignments to attend to.”

Arianna bared her teeth at him, a low growl escaping, but Niall laughed it off as if she weren’t a threat. “Seems I’ll have to arrange my schedule then.” He stepped inside and let the door close behind him. Niall rolled up a sleeve then reached for the clipboard. His eyes scanned the page before he turned to her. Two long strides had him across the room in seconds. He reached out a hand.

“Don’t you dare touch me.”

Niall paused and that familiar smile crept across his face before falling away again. Instead, he turned and grabbed the chair, letting the legs scrape across the floor before he seated himself far too close for comfort.

“Perhaps explaining my intensions will relax you a bit.”

“Where is Rion?”

“Where he needs to be. Shackled like the dog he is.”

She growled again.

“Don’t you want to know what we plan to do with you? It’s what half the other prisoners beg for.”

“Why would I listen to you? All you’ve ever done is lie.”

He smirked. “I suppose I deserve that. But rest assured, I was lied to as well.”

She furrowed her brow at him, but didn’t give Niall the satisfaction of asking questions. He continued anyway.

“You see, I was led to believe I would rule the continent and that you were the key to obtaining that dream. But it was all an illusion. My father has kindly explained why it was necessary and though I’m still sore at him, I’ve come to accept we have bigger goals.”

She wanted to ask what. To know if they really did have an army, but Arianna just glared at him.

Niall laughed again then ran a disgustingly long finger down her forearm. “You see, I don’t need you anymore. My father does, but just for a short while. Once he’s done, I’m free to exact my revenge.” He gripped her arm painfully. “And rest assured, I will most certainly get my revenge.”

“It was your own fault for underestimating me.”

“Perhaps it was. I didn’t think you had so much fight in you, especially when you fell to my glamours so easily.” Niall shook his head. “I was honestly disappointed you didn’t put up more of a fight, but when you did,” he whistled. “You actually caught me off guard. I really thought you’d finish the job.” He leaned forward. “Too bad for you, you didn’t.”

“I had a city to save.”

“Yet you’ve abandoned the continent to come look for a sister who doesn’t want to be found.”

She jolted at that. “Where is Ellie?”

He smirked and stood. “I’d tell you, but that would ruin the fun. Perhaps I’ll fill you in once my father is finished with you. Rest assured, what I have planned is far worse so enjoy his company while you can.”

Niall reached for her forehead and Arianna thrashed on the table, yanking at every restraint until she felt the metal bite through her skin. “Go ahead and fight, little dove, it’ll just make this more fun.”

Niall’s clammy hand pressed against her forehead and pain exploded behind Arianna’s eyes. She screamed and thrashed for what felt like an eternity before her world fell into darkness.

ARIANNA’S HEAD was still throbbing when Niall came back the second time. She couldn’t even see past the black dots swimming across her vision, nor remember exactly what he’d done.

Arianna tried pulling at her restraints when he left again, but her efforts were futile. Her body wouldn’t respond. Someone offered her water. A female, but Arianna refused it, certain it had to be poisoned.

She breathed in and out, trying to gather herself. Talon needed her. Rion needed her. Ellie needed her. She had to get out of here.

Her vision faded in and out. Time was a meaningless concept. She tried to pull her wrists from the cuffs again and winced. Both were raw and bleeding. She didn’t remember how or when it’d happened.

Memories assaulted her as she drifted through a meaningless void. Arianna recalled the first time iron had been clamped around her wrists. She’d already hidden herself within her half-human form, per Talon’s instructions. She had remained in the boat, floating there for hours.

None of them had heard the slavers before they’d rushed in and slit her attendants’ throats. They’d shoved a bag over her head. She’d been so distracted. So young and stupid.

The cracking sound of whips echoed through her memories next. She remembered the first one, but even it hadn’t stung as much as Niall’s penetrative magic.

Footsteps echoed outside the door and Arianna’s heart sank when Niall walked through. She turned her head to glare at him, but couldn’t muster the energy for much else. Even her magic had fallen silent.

“Judging from the look on your face, you still know who I am.”

She didn’t answer. Couldn’t from how tired her body had become.

Niall drew closer again and Arianna turned her head away. He gripped the sides of her face with bruising fingers and forcefully turned her back before diving into her mind.

Arianna screamed and thrashed again, her head splitting from the tendrils that raced through her thoughts and memories. They were venomous barbs tearing through the core of her being, ripping her to shreds from the inside.

She didn’t know when he left, only that she was panting, her throat raw and eyes heavy.

Arianna hoped that was the end of it. That he might leave her alone along enough for her to recover and formulate a plan. But he returned a third time.

Then a fourth.

By the fifth, Arianna drank the water.

By the sixth, she was numb.

It wasn’t until the seventh time, when her mind felt as though it’d been wrung out, that Arianna heard another voice. This one deeper and slick like oil.

Niall said something she couldn’t decipher then his hands were on her again and she fell and fell and fell.