Page 84 of A Game of Veils

My hands ball at my sides. “It was an illusion.”

One she appears to have conjured at significant personal expense. Whatever gift Inganne gave her, she stretched it to her limits with that small deception.

Next to her friend, Bianca lets out a soft but mocking laugh. “Too bad you didn’t figure that out sooner.”

They’re standing with two other ladies of the court—young but married by their pinned-up hair. Friends who’re part of their venomous pack.

I focus on Fausta and Bianca, who are obviously the ringleaders. “Why did you drag me out here in the middle of the night?”

Fausta’s eyes narrow, glinting hard as emeralds. “What have you ever done for him to call you his princess? You’ve never really fought for him this entire time, not as I have. So let’s see you fight now.”

With her last word, one of the other ladies twitches her hand, and the ground beneath me lurches. Only a little, but so abrupt and unexpected that I stumble.

In the same moment, all four of the noblewomen launch themselves at me.

Bianca snatches my hair and yanks my head back so sharply pain lances up my neck. Fausta drives her knee into my back, a vulnerable spot just above my hip. Another of the ladies twists my arm behind me while the fourth drives the hard heel of her shoe into my foot.

A bone crunches, and agony explodes up my leg. I cry out, staggering away from them, thrashing with fists and elbows to try to fend them off.

A few of my strikes land to grunts and pained gasps. Every lady in Accasy’s court learns at least a little self-defense.

But it would take a stronger fighter than I am to fend off four opponents all on my own. Especially when they’ve already gotten the upper hand.

I can’t take more than a hobbling step before I’m shoved back into their ring of blows. Fingernails rake across my cheek; a kick brings me to my knees.

Bianca wallops me across the side of my head, leaving my mind spinning and my skull throbbing. Fausta slams her foot down on the back of my other leg, and my shin bone cracks with a blaze of pain.

I rasp a breath and start to scream, as little chance as there might be of anyone hearing my cry all the way over in the palace. Before I can get out more than a brief shriek, Bianca punches me right in the throat.

I choke and sputter. Fausta aims another vicious knee at my ribs, setting off a splintering ache through my side.

Then she motions to her friends, and they all shove me over the lip of the hollow into the deep cavity left by the fallen tree’s roots.

Fausta lets out a laugh that’s more a cackle. “I hope you enjoy your last day or two knowing no one will even think to look for you here.”

She and her friends grab a few handfuls of sticks and other debris and toss them down on me in a battering rain. Giggling amongst themselves, they dart off into the night.

I sprawl on my side, my breath coming in short hitches of anguish. My elbow on my dominant arm is at best sprained, any movement sending pain stabbing out from the joint.

With my other hand, I swipe the sticks away from my face and peer at the depression I’m stuck in. Just a slight squirm toward the steep earthen side of the hollow has me whimpering in pain through my bruised throat.

One leg broken, the other foot fractured. I don’t think I can even crawl.

I try to lift my voice in a shout, but all that comes out is a faint rasp. The impact of Bianca’s punch has dulled my capacity for speech.

My head sinks down to rest on the uneven earth. When I stop moving, the pain dwindles to the edge of my consciousness.

My thoughts swim into clearer focus with kindling resolve.

I’m not letting my journey end here. Not letting those vicious shrews have the last laugh.

Closing my eyes, I direct a silent prayer toward my godlen. I came out here out of faith in you, Elox. Give me the strength to make my return.

A faint quiver of energy ripples through my nerves, stirring my determination. I squint at my surroundings again.

First I need to get out of this cursed hole.

With my jaw clenched tight, I dig my good elbow into the earthen side of the hollow. As I wriggle my hips upward with my arm for leverage, my ribs scream, but I end up leaning partly against the slope rather than sprawled at the bottom of the cavity.

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