Page 66 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

Chapter Twenty-Six

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The noise is the first thingI notice. It is irritating, catching my attention and pulling me from the dark space in my mind, dragging me back into reality.

Pain slams into my body, waking me with a jolt. I am aware of people talking and movement around me, but I am unable to see anything past the agony that fills me. The mind is funny that way, able to block off pain, yet as soon as it is acknowledged, there is no way to push it back.

My skin is tight and feels burnt, sensitive even to the air around it. My dislocated shoulder is causing me the most discomfort. I am tied up between two pillars, with rope tightly wrapped around each wrist and ankle, spreading me wide. My right arm is hanging awkwardly where the bone is no longer in its socket. The circulation to that hand is clearly being affected, the purple colour of it concerning. I am sure my abdomen is a mess of purple bruises thanks to the beating they doled out to me, and my lip feels swollen. Breathing, although painful, is not agonising, so if I did break any ribs, they healed while I was unconscious. A small blessing.

Other sounds begin to filter through, and with tremendous effort, I lift my head.

The room I am being kept in looks like an old bunker, and from the damp, earthy scent, I would guess we are underground. Five males are all staring at me with a variety of expressions ranging from disgust and anger to glee. The only one I recognise is the male in the middle of the group—Havoc.

Instinctively, I reach for my bond—not the one with the male in front of me, but to Eli, my true mate. I cannot feel it though. It is as though there is a block stopping the connection—magic, I am sure of it. I try to touch my connection to Finnik, and I desperately hope he can feel me, even though I hit that same wall of magic. There is no way for me to reach them.

Adrenaline pumps through me at the thought that my mates could be in danger, and that gives me enough strength to face the man who destroyed everything. My eyes lock with Havoc’s, and his smug smile only grows wider.

“You are finally awake,” he remarks, as though I overslept and kept them waiting.

I want to spit and curse and bellow at him, let him feel my anger and sense of betrayal—not only for kidnapping me now, but for everything he put me through in the city. That is exactly what I would do if I was not so drained. Part of my mind is screaming at me that it’s worth it, that he deserves to hear how much agony he put me through, but I know I need to conserve my energy.

Finding as much strength as I can, I roll my shoulders back and glare at him. “What’s going on, Havoc?”

He raises his eyebrows as though he’s surprised by my attitude. Does he really think he can break me so easily? I might have appeared demure at the castle, but I have claws and fangs, and I know when to use them.

Snorting, he shakes his head and crosses his arms over his chest. “The brotherhood and I are taking matters into our own hands, seeing as cutting off our bond did not kill you as planned.”

Havoc has truly gone off the deep end. At one point, I thought I might be able to convince him that I was not cursed and we needed to work together, but now I realise he has been too brainwashed to see anything past his fevered anger. The growl in his voice makes it obvious that he believes cutting our bond would have solved his problems. If it were not for Eli and Finnik, then I would have died from Havoc’s rejection.

“If I die, then the whole prophecy will fall apart,” I argue, ignoring the mumbles of the other males in the room. “It warns against trying to harm the brides, and that is exactly what you are doing!” My attempt at staying calm is rapidly failing. I should probably be worried about what they have planned for me, but I have to try and convince Havoc he is wrong, even if I know it is impossible.

“We do not believe in the prophecy,” one of the males behind Havoc spits out, his dark eyes narrowed on me.

“We believe the brides are the ones causing the unrest in the land,” Havoc continues as he gestures at me. “Look at the vampires, they are killing people!”

My anger overtakes me. Havoc is never going to change his mind. They brought me here to hurt me, and I will not baby him any longer.

“That,” I hiss, pulling at my bindings, “is because you messed with the prophecy!” Glaring at each of the males in the room, I plan their deaths in my mind. “The brotherhood has brainwashed you. They are a group of fanatics who spread rumours and cause discontent. It is you who the prophecy was warning us about!” I have completely lost control of my temper. Growling, I attempt to rein myself back in. “Just let me go. I need to help my people.”

Looking at me as though I am a child, he shakes his head. “The only way you can help anyone is by dying. You are an abomination.” He turns to one of the males and crooks his finger. “Bring the light.”

The light. That must be what they used when they attacked us.

“Havoc,” I start, my fear rising as that strange wooden device is brought into the room. I feel my limbs begin to tremble as I remember the pain and disorientation it caused. Of course Havoc could not just kill me, he has to torture me in the process.

He walks over to the device and gazes at it fondly, placing a hand on top of it. Looking up at me, he stares with an eagerness that makes me sick to my stomach. “Sunlight will purify your soul.”

“No!” Any further protests are cut off as a beam of light lands on my skin.

Already burnt and vulnerable, my skin is scorched, my exposed nerve endings making me cry out in agony. Contorting to try and get any semblance of relief, I desperately fight against my bindings. I am too weak, the rope holding me tightly. The previous attack and beating drained me, and now the light only makes it worse. I am being burned alive.

Fighting with every ounce of strength, I scream and tear at myself to try and get free. My agony in my shoulder is excruciating, the movements only enhancing the pain I feel, yet I know if I stay here, I will die.

As suddenly as it turned on, the light turns off, and I cry in relief, hanging forward against my restraints. Despite the fact my whole body feels ablaze, I shiver. This is a bad sign, and my vampire healing seems to have slowed down, being affected by the sunlight. I do not know the reason they stopped using the light, but I am grateful for the respite.

I only just finish my thought when Havoc calls out, “Again.”

Pain envelops me.

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