Page 83 of The Sacred and the Tormented

The city itself was a dank place, with too much gray stone where life and greenery should have been. Drums collected rain water on every other corner, but even it looked dark and unwelcoming.

The slanted roofs were all slightly crooked, each one with oddly colored shingles.

She wrinkled her nose at the scents that drifted by, the smoke and sweat, and iron.

People walked through the streets with their shoulders hunched from the weight of their cargo. Some with wood, others boxes or sacks of grain.

A loud voice echoed across the expanse as one Fae cursed another when a rope snapped and logs rolled everywhere. Another kicked the firewood, and none bothered to help the male that was scrambling to pick it all up.

Arianna studied their haggard faces. This wasn’t a place of prosperity. It was a prison and the holder of the keys held no love for its inmates.

They appeared to have adequate food, clothing, and shelter, but the fire had left their eyes. As if slowly chipped away by the rudimentary schedule of an unchanging existence.

For the Fae who lived forever, it was as good as dying. To never know change. To never travel and see the far places of their beautiful continent. Everything surrounding her was gray and colorless, as if rain had dripped on the pages for so long that it’d washed all the vibrance away.

The winding roads continued in a maze, each building seemingly placed at various puzzling intervals that were designed to confuse any attempting to infiltrate. Gavin had said Vairik was rather proud of its construction.

Talon and Rion had memorized the paths, leaving her to follow their lead. She’d focused on memorizing the quickest exits, though if it came down to running, they all knew to head straight for the ocean. It’d give them the best chances even with the dark creatures that swam in the icy depths.

A scream echoed across the expanse, and Arianna bristled against the sound.

Her first instinct was to run toward whoever might be in pain but a light tug on the bond kept her walking.

To her utmost horror, no one else reacted. The citizens didn’t even seem phased by the sound. As if they heard it every day.

The world stilled again and the trio continued weaving through the maze-like pattern of the buildings. Talon veered down what appeared to be an alley, then emerged on the other side of a busy market. He turned again and she was certain they were heading away from the castle until another sharp turn had them moving in the right direction again.

Talon paused a few times, as if studying his surroundings. A ploy so they looked like a normal patrol. She resisted the urge to glance at the bracelets on her wrist.

The first one’s beads had faded altogether, the rocks dull once more. They’d been late entering the city. Not by much, but enough that she wanted to run to that channel and get inside as fast as possible. Any minute they could spare was another minute to search for Ellie.

Another scream pierced the air. Arianna’s head whipped toward the sound. There, in the distance between two buildings, she caught a glimpse of a group of people in chains.

Arianna couldn’t tear her gaze away. Her eyes traced down their new clothes, their bodies that were still healthy as they pulled against their restraints and fought their captors.

Humans.

Humans that were fresh from the northern continent.

One hit her knees, begging for them to just kill her and get it over with. The Fae surrounding her laughed, pointing and jeering. Then a boot collided with the woman’s ribs and she rolled through the mud.

Another human beside her lunged and grabbed one of the males, doing everything in her power to bring him down. She kicked and screamed and bit into his flesh. The scene felt all too real.

The Fae male sneered down at her in disgust but mostly seemed annoyed before he threw her to the ground. Arianna recognized that fire in the woman’s eyes. The face of a warrior willing to die before allowing herself to be used like an animal.

The male drew his sword. Arianna took an involuntary step, but it was too late. The blade came down, severing the woman’s head from her shoulders in one movement. Rion stepped into her line of sight before the woman’s head hit the ground. Arianna still heard it. Her body shook with rage. The magic in her veins did the same, pushing against its invisible cage.

Rion guided her away, urging her forward through their bond. He willed a sense of calm through her, but it did nothing to ease that burning fire or the memories it drug up from the recesses of her subconscious.

Just a few months ago, that had been her, kneeling in the mud, accepting her fate. It’d been a miracle that Lan and hadn’t killed her then. Miracle, or divine intervention.

Maybe the gods did look down on them. Maybe they’d brought her and Rion together on purpose so they could liberate these people from their hardships.

Maybe Ashling was exactly where she’d needed to be.

Arianna gritted her teeth and forced breath through her lungs. She tried to ignore the rattle of chains and the pleas for mercy. Soon, she promised. She’d free them all soon.

They rounded the next set of buildings and her heart sank all over again. Lines upon lines of humans and half-breeds filled the square. All were in chains. All were tied to one another, each waiting to step onto a platform where Fae would call out bids.

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