Page 126 of Haunted

What is this?

I can’t draw breath. Between sharp bites of pain, a euphoric dizziness overtakes me. I’m blind to thoughts other than how my body feels. I am stuck, flashing between pleasure and agony.

The prince. I catch moans. I catch shortened breaths. Groans of satisfaction laced with mind-numbing pain.

Whatever he’s doing causes a mixture of emotions I can’t grasp.

Whatever he’s doing is reminiscent of a painful pleasure I’ve felt before.

From the empress.

And I know. He’s letting someone seduce him.

He’s fighting anguish.

He’s taking Niawen’s death harder than I could have realized.

Just when I’m at the apex of a satisfying torment, a completely incapacitating feeling hits me.

I catapult upright in bed and then double over.

I can only describe the hurt as a thousand needles cutting through my body.

My insides are being shredded.

What is happening to Kenrik?

His scream rips through my brain.

I’m too paralyzed by pain to throw up a block. Despite this torture, I’m intrigued.

Who is doing this to the prince?

Is this how he punishes me?

For an hour or so I endure torture, his screams never relenting. I’m silent. Too contorted to release my anguish in audible waves.

Memories come.

Rivers of blood. Cascades that fall into my face. From hair that grows redder with each life she takes.

The empress is with me.

It’s too late to stop the hell my mind goes through. Her gasping breaths. Her hardened muscles clenching against mine.

Is this actually happening? Has she breached my mind after all these centuries? Is she using my weakened state from Kenrik’s torture to bridge the gap I’ve created in our bond?

I grope for a knife on my bedside table. I can’t see it. All I see is her. Her plump lips. Her dark eyes.

I will kill myself if I have to.

Caedryn, she purrs.

You spiteful wench!

I can’t find the knife. I pitch off the bed and collapse onto the floor. My body goes slack.

The pain suddenly stops.

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