Page 93 of Ruled By Magic

Adante pulled another device from his pocket, similar to the ones his henchmen held. “You were interested in my tech. You’ll like this. It’s very effective.”

He pointed the small device at Leo. To my eyes, nothing happened. But Leo screamed, body twisting, face contorted.

“Leo!” I launched toward him. The bartender intercepted, his thick arms an iron vice. I thrashed in his grip.

Leo’s scream cut off, and he collapsed as the tension left him.

Adante glanced at me, irritated. “Lock her in the cold room. I’ll bring her out when I’m ready for her.”

The bartender yanked my arms behind me and marched me toward the door at the back of the room. I struggled, helpless, as he threw me into the freezing dark.

In the freezing, pitch dark of the cold room, hysterical sobs tumbled from my throat as I leaned against the sealed door. Leo, helpless in the power of that madman. What did he hope to gain from the torture?

A small part of my mind—the lizard brain that only cares about survival—rummaged through Adante’s words. Searched for a way out. He meant to add me to the palace collection of girls or give me to one of his cronies. A deep terror awakened at the thought. I’d done that. I’d been helpless, at the total mercy of a man. I couldn’t go through it again.

Leo. Was he screaming? Was Adante hurting him? The cellar left me deaf and blind. My blood pounded so fast my head spun. Hands clamped over my face, I forced my breathing to slow. The dark pressed in, a thick velvet blackness with no relief. A few slower, deeper breaths, and my brain started working again. I had time. That was a luxury. Make a plan. Do something. Fight back.

I inched along the wall, picturing Leo in the same situation. He’d wave his hand, and light would appear. I’d often envied those with magic, but in here, trapped, I coveted it with all my heart. But if I had magic, I might already be dead. Adante viewed me as useless, weak and pathetic. Able to be left unobserved. It gave us a chance. Four men had devices trained on Leo. If I could distract just one, would it be enough to break the lock on his power?

If Adante didn’t lose control and kill Leo before he let me out.

The thought drove into my gut. A knife of solid, vicious terror. Bile coated my throat, still raw from the effects of the poison. My hands trembled from the drug or the chill. Maybe both. Moving along the wall, my hand found the smooth round shape I sought.

Wine bottles.

My shaking increased as the cold bit deeper. How long could I survive in here? A couple of hours before hypothermia set in? My fingertips and toes were already numb.

I secured a bottle from the shelf, clutched it in stiff fingers, and fumbled my way down the wall as far from the door as I could get. When stone met my outstretched hand, I backed away. I planted my feet, wound my arm, and threw, jumping back. If wine splashed onto my pale-gold dress, Adante would notice.

The bottle shattered with a crash, deafening in the small space. I panted, fists clenched; sure someone would come running in, see the broken glass, and laugh as they realized what my flimsy plan entailed. My heart slammed against my chest, but the door stayed closed.

I fumbled in the smashed mess on the floor until I found glass shards the size I wanted. I collected two and shook them, holding them out as far as possible. One sliced my thumb.

Fuck.

I sucked it, the metallic tang of the blood bitter on my tongue. Please let no one notice.

Please, please, please.

A shard in each hand. Not ideal weapons to fight a powerful mage, but it would have to do.

With careful, slow steps, I worked my way back to the door. Smooth metal met my fingers. I pressed my ear to it and imagined I heard the faintest echo of a scream. My already chilled blood ran colder. Stupid. I couldn’t hear it through this door. It must be in my head. The cold was becoming its own kind of torture. Shivers racked me, and the spreading numbness rendered my hands into useless blocks of ice. I kept moving, shifting from foot to foot.

I needed to get close to the prince and hope he was so distracted by Leo he’d miss the danger until it was too late. If he restrained me, all was lost. But would he bother? He seemed to view me as less than human, beneath his notice. Only useful for the effect I had on Leo. If he didn’t come for me soon, my fingers wouldn’t be able to hold the glass anymore.

The door swung open.

I jumped back on instinct, blinking in the sudden light. Adrenaline flooded my body, lit up my nerve endings. This was it. One chance.

The bartender stood outlined in the doorway. “Are you going to come quietly, or do I need to drag you out?”

“I’ll walk.”

Meek. Quiet. Submissive. Don’t let them think I could be dangerous. I walked out on unsteady feet.

The bartender looked me over with icy blue eyes. He leaned in to whisper, “Just do what he says. Don’t give him a reason to hurt you.”

I blinked in surprise and nodded. The man took my arm, leading me over to where the prince waited. Pain rushed into my extremities as the warmth from the fire drove the cold from my bones.

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