Page 129 of Forsaken Secrets

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Kaiya

They had sent a maid to "ready me" for the ceremony, just as Lord Ellingsworth had promised.

My hair had been fluffed and curled into submission, my waist had been tightened to the point I could barely breathe, and my cheeks burned with whatever cosmetics the maid had rubbed on.

I'd tried to convince her to help, to go tell someone what was happening, but she'd just done her work with no response.

Finally, I was left alone in my little cell. Now that there were lights, I tried to figure out a way to escape, but we were completely surrounded by bedrock.

So, I just sat.

"Miss Maderoth," the high-pitched, grating voice broke my thoughts. Gods. When had she come in?

"Lady Ellingsworth."

She stepped into the light outside my cell, pearls in her hair, the gold lace on her navy gown glinting in the lyphos light.

"I see my husband had you readied. You look — acceptable. Just think, if you'd come to us all those years ago, you could have looked like this all the time!"

I cringed.

Thiswas absolute torture. Everything about it was barbaric and uncomfortable. Thank the gods Uncle Calix had convinced Aunt Grace to take me!

"Why the creatures?" I was done playing her little games. There was no need to pretend respect now. She knew how I felt about her, and I needed answers. "What was it about them you wanted so desperately?"

A slow smile spread across her face as she slipped that ever-present gaudy pearl ring off her finger. "Just look at my korra, dear."

I closed my eyes and did as she said.

I could see Lady Ellingsworth, or what I assumed was her, except her korra was all wrong. I'd looked at her before, and she'd looked faded, but mostly normal. This time, though, her korra was dark and jagged. There were no sinuous strips of colors! Instead, spines stuck out everywhere. It reminded me of the ghoul I'd seen earlier, but she was not a wraith.

Heart racing, I opened my eyes and met her smug gaze. Were the eggs keeping them from turning to wraiths?

How, though? Was it some sort of natural camouflage to keep the eggs safe?

She slipped the ring back on and tilted her head. "Do you understand now?"

I nodded. "Your husband said you were healing people. How is that healing? You look as though you're about to change into a wraith at any second!"

She swallowed and straightened her already perfectly coiffed hair. "Correct, dear. My husband has a soft spot for those affected by the plague, so he graciously heals any who wish it. Of course, the healing comes at a … cost, both for him and the healed person. Those little pearls waive that cost, for a time. Unfortunately, it's gotten difficult to maintain. He's too far gone to heal anyone else, and so are the rest of the mages we've been able to gather. In fact, we were debating the end to our little program," she leaned close, "until you showed up …"

I grimaced and leaned away.

"Sacrificing a few of those scaly beasts is worth the lives of hundreds of humans, don't you think?" She sighed and tapped her bright red lips. "Regardless, with your help, we can all be healed and we won't need those little pearls any more. You'll be saving them and us. How can you say no?"

My heart twisted. "You're wrong. There has to be another way. Nothing can justify what you've done to those vrytra."

"It is what it is, dear." She shrugged. "You know, I was actually quite furious when I learned your little stunt would force us to have the ceremony the same night as our Ball. But combining them was rather poetic. Wouldn't you agree?"

I grimaced. If using the relics to heal had cost them that warping, what was it going to cost me? Surely it couldn't be so easy as me healing the people like I had Lunei? Their korras were warped in a way I'd only ever seen in wraiths and everyone knew they couldn't be healed …

The door outside clanged. "Lady Ellingsworth, dear. Is Miss Maderoth ready?"

"Yes, my lord! We'll be right out. We just needed a few moments as ladies. You know how it is." The saccharine sweet tone to her voice made my stomach churn.

With a smile, she put the key in the lock and opened the cell.

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