Page 79 of Ocean of Silver

Kole walked over to me as I rattled in my chains. “You will watch the Fire Prince’s punishment and not interfere in any way.” I heard the musical hint in his voice and knew I could do nothing to stop it. I wanted to scream, to fight, to do anything, but I was in shock. My mouth kept opening to protest, but nothing came out. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.

Kole walked over to Tezya next. “You will let your own men whip you. Then, you will remove that dagger from your thigh and keep re-piercing the same spot until your time is up.”

The two soldiers hesitantly walked over to Tezya. The larger of the two removed a whip from his belt as the cell door opened. Dovelyn stiffened as Brock entered.

Brock assessed the room, his eyes lingering on Tezya’s bloodied thigh, on the dagger that was left there. “You sent for me?” Brock asked, dipping into a slight bow.

“You will heal him only enough so that he doesn’t bleed out. If I find out that you took an ounce of his pain away, I will kill you. Do you understand?” the King said. Brock was a healer. They brought a healer in here because what they were about to put Tezya through could kill him. The amount of blood he would lose from stabbing himself for hours… I swallowed, unable to finish the thought.

Brock looked between the Princess and Tezya before he answered. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” Before the King strode out of the cell, he added, “And Tezya, if you miss that mark, just once, if you don’t pierce the same spot, your twenty-three hours will begin again, starting with the whip.” He chuckled softly, then added, “It’s a good thing you are the best swordsman in Lux.” He held the thick cell door in his hands and said over his back, “I’m leaving Athler in charge. He will oversee your punishment and will inform me once it is completed.”

Athler crept out of the shadows, and I wondered if he lived in them. The darkness seemed to swallow his pale skin and opal eyes. It welcomed and consumed him. I hadn’t even realized he was in the room with us until he stepped under the light. Tezya’s jaw clicked once as Athler stopped in front of me. His thin lips stretched so far as he smiled that I thought they would crack. He glanced at Tezya before answering the King, “It would be my pleasure.”

The horror of what was about to happen sunk in. What Tezya would have to do to himself for hours. Fortwenty-three hours. That was almost an entire day. In one fluid motion, Tezya swiped his shirt off his back and threw it on the floor. Two ropes propelled down from the ceiling as Tezya took a few steps toward them.

The dagger was still embedded in his thigh as he grabbed each rope and stood there, waiting for the whip. Blood now covered a good portion of his leg. How much would he lose? The realization hit me that Tezya would merely stand in that spot, holding the ropes with nothing to keep him upright as they tore his back apart. He would endure it. Kole compelled him to endure it. My heart skyrocketed as I begged for anyone to stop this. “Please,” I pleaded with tears in my eyes, “I’ll do anything. Please, don’t do this.”

Athler turned toward Kole. “Do you want to handle her, or shall I?” I was screaming now, and once I started, I couldn’t stop. It dawned on me that this wasn’t just a dream. I wasn’t stuck in one of my endless nightmares. This was going to happen.

Tezya stiffened, but Kole walked over to me with a predator’s gaze, his golden arm outstretched. “Shut up and watch. Don’t speak until it’s over.”

Athler chuckled softly in agreement. “You should have been born in Lux, boy. You are ruthless.”

My jaw snapped shut. I wanted to keep screaming. I wanted to stop everyone from hurting Tezya. I couldn’t bear to see someone else I cared for suffer while I did nothing. But all I could do was sit on the floor, chained with Alluse, and watch.

Tezya turned to look at me, the muscles in his back shifting. His one arm was still outstretched as he held onto the hanging rope. “It’s okay, Scotlind.”

“No, it’s not,” Dovelyn snapped. “Just do the task, Tezya. It’s only one life, then you won’t have to go through any of this.”

Tezya growled as he looked toward his sister. “I’m not killing anyone, Dovelyn. If you don’t want to watch, then leave. You know where the door is.”

Princess Dovelyn fumed as her silver eyes filled with tears. Brock took a step toward her. “I’ll make sure he’s alright. You should go now, Dove.” Dovelyn’s face shifted as she looked up at Brock. He gently wiped away a fallen tear. “Go. You don’t have to stay and see this.”

She glared at me, chained on the floor, before storming out of the cell. Prince Arcane looked between me and his brother. “You brought this upon yourself,” was all he said to Tezya before he followed his sister out the door.

“Begin,” Athler ordered. The two soldiers only stared at Tezya. I could tell they were conflicted with their task. They probably knew Tezya well from working with him in the army. He was their leader. Tezya glanced down at me one more time before he reached for the other rope and nodded toward his men.

Only then did they begin.

THIRTY-ONE

SCOTLIND

At the firstsound of the whip against Tezya’s back, blood instantly seeped out. By the time the second lash ripped his skin open, I felt faint.

“Don’t go easy on him,” Athler croaked. “Or I’ll make you start over, starting with whipping each other.”

I watched over and over again as the soldiers took turns destroying Tezya’s back. It seemed like each heave on his flesh was met with more force. With each lashing, the soldiers swung harder and harder like some sick silent game of who could produce more blood, and both were winning. They were probably just terrified of disappointing Athler, of what he would do if he wasn’t satisfied, but Tezya paid the price for it. His knuckles were white as he gripped the dangling ropes, but he never once let go. He grunted with each blow, the sound rattled deep in my chest, but he refused to scream. His knees started to buckle as his breathing grew heavy. I watched as his beautiful tanned skin turned crimson red.

“Fourteen,” one of the soldiers said as they let the whip fall. I sagged a little on my spot on the floor. I couldn’t stomach watching anymore. Tezya dropped the ropes and turned to face Athler, who’s face was twisted into a grin.

“Please make yourself comfortable. You’re going to be here for a while.” He waved a hand toward the chair that the King was sitting on earlier. It was positioned in the middle of the room, right in front of me. Tezya didn’t miss a beat. His jaw was clenched as he made his way toward the empty chair and sat down with a surprising amount of steadiness to his gait.

Brock stepped up behind Tezya, readying to replenish his blood supply.

Tezya met my gaze as he reached for the dagger that was still embedded in his thigh and pulled out the length of it. The blade was in the air for a moment’s breath before it went plunging back into that same spot. He didn’t cry out, he barely grunted, but I noticed his fingers trembled and his thigh shook. He grabbed the handle to free the blade once more. Again. Again. Again.

---