Page 42 of Crown of the Fae King

The car turned and the sunshine was gone. Soon after, it stopped.

I kept fighting, hoping the doors would open, hoping one or two of them would get out and improve my odds.

I finally got my butt under me and sat up. With the first man's face within reach, I flung out my arm and grabbed his cheek, tried to dig my thumbnail into his eye. I was almost grateful when the other one hit me so hard it broke my arm. Through the fog of pain and howling, I was only half-aware of the barehanded searches inside my body.

The next howl of outrage came from the woman hovering over me. "Where is it? Where is the claw realta? Tell me!"

I'd been reduced to whimpering, breathing shallow to keep from feeling too much, but I forced myself to fill my lungs and answer her.

"I don't know what you're talking about...you fairy bitch!"

I was prettysure someone stomped on my head.

At least it felt like it when I started to come to. The pain in my head and the pain from my right arm competed for my attention. I fought to ignore them both so I could hear was what happening around me.

Shouting? No, roaring. Outside the car.

The floor bounced beneath me and the air shifted. The doors opened, finally, finally! Booted feet kicked at me, then were gone. Cold air flooded over my bare body like water and the resulting shiver awakened the pain in my arm, in my head.

If only the clothes beneath me could be on top...

Cursing. Lots of cursing.Then nothing.

18

House Of Pain

Pain took my breath away, wouldn't give it back. I tried to rise from the blackness to the surface.

I kicked my legs and was rewarded with a new wave of pain.

Gave up. Let myself sink again.

"Lennon? Lennon."

Someone patted my face. I turned away and prayed they'd take the hint.

"Lennon, I need ye to sit up a little. Ye need to drink this. It will make the pain go away."

I tried to sayYou go away, but I only grunted.

"That's it, sweeting. Stay with me. Drink this and ye can go back to sleep."

I drank. I choked, coughed, then wept when the pain punished me for trying to escape it.

I openedmy eyes and found blessed darkness. A lack of light, not a haze of pain. My arm ached. My head throbbed. I barely breathed for fear of making the pain worse. Unfortunately, I needed to pee.

My eyes adjusted quickly. I was back at the big house, back in my room. The bathroom light was a vertical yellow slit near my feet. The hall door was closed. If I was alone, I would never be able to get out of bed. If I moaned, would anyone hear me?

The glass door to the balcony glowed slightly behind the curtain. A dark shadow sat in the chair beside the bed, its head back, its mouth open, snoring softly. Deep voice--Kitch or Wickham?

Either way, I wasn't going to ask them to help me pee.

Pillows propped up my arm. Hell, I was thrilled it still resembled an arm, though I could barely make out the pale layers holding it together. I tried to clear my throat quietly, but the shadow started, jumped from the chair, and came to hover over me. Wickham.

"I..." I put more effort into clearing my throat, then spoke as clearly as I was able. "Need. To. Pee."

He grinned. His white teeth glowed brighter than the window. "I'll get the nurse."

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