Page 97 of This Monster of Mine

“Well, we’re the most powerful men in all Ur Dinyé.” Aelius cupped her cheek. Her flesh screamed at his touch. “If the gods gave a damn about you or those who’ve found out before you, they’d have struck me down. But they’ve only given me more.There’s nothing wrong with making coin, and I’ve brought them more devotees.” He considered her and chuckled. “You commoners all hate the wealthy, but fantasize of joining us. I gave you a chance to do so. You chose transgression. I’d normally give you over to Tullus to use you and kill you but …” He trailed off with a crooked smile when she began struggling at her bonds in a panic. “You’re in a rather favorable position, so let’s try this again.”

His thumb halted at her jugular, digging in.

“You’re going to search Kadra’s tower and bring me anything that I can frame him with,” Aelius said amiably. “Or I’ll file the warrant. You’ll be found guilty, whipped until your blood glues you to the post, and die a pariah.”

Her eyes were hot with fury. “If Cisuré knew who you really were—” Her words were lost in an onset of laughter as Aelius doubled over, clutching his thighs. Even Tullus chortled.

“My dear girl.” Aelius wiped a tear, tapping her cheek with the scroll. “Who do you think signed your warrant?”

Her heart stopped.

It shattered when he jabbed a finger at the signature beside his.

“Bless her, I think she believes she’s helping you.” He tutted. “Here’s how this will work. We’ll hear your silly little accusations in—how long did I give them, Tullus?”

“They’ve two more weeks.” The other Tetrarch leered.

“Splendid. At the trial, I’ll initiate a no-confidence vote to have Kadra unseated as Tetrarch. You will bring me everything in Aoran Tower to support this vote. Ruin Kadra, and I’ll destroy this warrant. Turn on us, and I’ll destroy you.” Aelius’s grin was all the more terrifying for its lack of malice. He truly thought he was being reasonable. “This is truly fortuitous. He’s given you all the rope to hang himself with by letting you in his home. Every Tetrarch and Petitor must be in unanimous agreement for a Tetrarch to be removed from office. And in two weeks, we will be, won’t we?”

I must have lived through this before. What choice had they given her then?

At her silence, Tullus moved in. Fire winked at his fingertips, wrenching her from her shock-induced haze as agony seared its way across her skin.

“I won’t—” She screamed when Tullus seized her throat in a grip of molten iron. Smoke rose from her clavicles.

“One word and you can walk away.” Aelius’s voice was whisper soft. “I don’t want to hurt you. Just give us Kadra.”

Her flesh sizzled. Blood ran down her neck, pain and terror blinding her to all thought. Her pulse battered against her eardrums.

“Yes! Yes!” she heard herself scream from far away.

Tullus tore his fingers from her skin, sending spots across her vision. He rubbed his fingertips, burnt shavings of her skin littering the floor.

“Excellent.” Aelius looked relieved. “Report to me through Cisuré.”

When she found her voice again, it was a croak. “You can’t believe the gods condone this. You assaulted—”

“Ah, but I haven’t touched you, Petitor Sarai. Tullus got carried away, but that’s his peace to make with the gods.” He shot Tullus an irritated glance. “Arrange for a large donation to the Temple to atone, and toss her back outside.”

Tullus scratched a grizzled cheek. “The students might say something if they see her outside Sidran Tower.”

She wasinSidran Tower? Her eyes darted around the room until they found the outline of a balcony.The balcony. Darkness seeped across her sight like fog. She strained at her bonds, vaguely hearing Aelius ask Tullus what was wrong with her.

“Theatrics.” Tullus sounded bored. “Are you sure I can’t fuck her a little?”

“I said no.” Aelius crouched beside her. “We aren’t the villains here, Petitor Sarai. This wouldn’t have happened if you’d behaved. So, you see, this is really your own fault.”

She tumbled into unconsciousness with those words ringing in her ears.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Sarai woke to the cold stone floor of an alcove, remnants of rain dripping down the walls. Her neck throbbed relentlessly. Weakly raising a trembling hand, she shuddered at the five whorls embedded into her shoulder, sinking through skin into muscle.

He would have melted me.Had she kept refusing, they would have thrown her off Sidran Tower for the second time. Her broken body would have ended up atop some Lugen’s examination table. Another dead Petitor.

She couldn’t feel anything. Pushing herself up on one knee, then the other, she swiped a finger through the mess of blood on her neck, using her last dregs of magic to clot some of the burns. She didn’t even know if she could heal them. Forcing one foot before the other, she stumbled forward, a single inescapable truth reverberating with every step.

You’re going to have to choose.

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