Page 8 of The King of Frost and Shadows

“Woman,” Tavish interjected, his irises darkening to match his wings. “Yes, I have. Do you have the room ready for her?”

YourMajesty.Oh my goodness, please tell me I heard him wrong. I didn’t need some powerful fae royal wanting to torture me.

The guard straightened, his golden eyes meeting mine. He nodded. “It’s prepared as you requested.”

“Good.” Tavish lowered his wings and pulled them close to his back. “Come, Lira. It’s time to show you your new home.”

There were so many things I wanted to say, but I kept my mouth shut. I had no clue how to get out of here or what Tavish wanted from me. I needed time to form a plan before I said or did something foolish and made my situation worse.

Tavish strode down the hallway, not bothering to check whether I followed, but his guard growled at me when I didn’t move, so I begrudgingly obliged.

After a few steps, faint light from a nearby room caught my eye, and Tavish stopped at the open barred-gate doorway. He turned to me and gestured inside. “Welcome.”

When I glanced in, I wanted to cry. The room was dark except for one light right over a small, thin bed pressed against the stone wall. A fuzzy blanket lay on it, but no pillow and a bucket sat in the corner. It looked worse than a prison cell in my world.

“What’s wrong, sprite?” He smirked. “Not to your liking? I thought keeping you in a holding cell would bring things full circle.”

I wanted to scream that I didn’t understand, but he already knew that. My confusion was getting him off, and I refused to give him any more pleasure. The urge to flip him off surged through me, but I gritted my teeth and said, “It’s fine,nightmare.”

His head tilted back, and he grinned. Those irises lightened to a stormy gray as if he had let a little light in. “Then off to it. And if you use the bucket, you get to empty it in the morning.”

My stomach dropped. The bucket was for the bathroom.Lovely.I’d rather sleep with a full bladder than use it, especially as any guard could see through the barred door while I was relieving myself, which must have been his intention. He wanted to humiliate me. “Noted. Thanks.”

His head tilted back. “I’ll let you have that one because you don’t remember not to thank a fae. Next time, I won’t be so kind, and you will owe me.” He stalked out of the room and shut the gate with a clang. He didn’t look back as he walked away.

Shit. I’d have to break that habit fast. And even worse, I felt terribly alone when he was gone, even though I was safer with some distance between us.

I walked to the bed and lay down on it. I could’ve sworn they’d placed rocks underneath the mattress. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had.

I turned to face the stone wall, not wanting any guard to see me come undone. Placing my arms under my head for a pillow, I let my tears break free and stream down my face. Pressure built in my chest as a sob tried to escape, but I refused to let anyone hear my breakdown.

Instead, I swallowed the noise and closed my eyes, picturing Eiric’s and our parents’ faces. I pretended to be home, safe in my bed, with the calming sound of the ocean playing in my earbuds to help me drift off to sleep.

Soon, the darkness took me.

A boisterous laughstartled me from my sleep. I spun around, despite my back and head killing me, to find a menacing man opening the door to my cell and barging in, the blue-haired guard from last night right behind him.

“So this is the thornling,” the tall, muscular man with white wings said as he reached down and grabbed me by the neck with one hand. His eyes were as white as his wings, and a deep scar marred his cheek.

I tried to push his hand away, but his hold tightened, cutting off my air supply.

“That’s what King Tavish said.” The blue-haired guard nodded. “She was crying all night, and it was damn exhausting.”

“Sounds like we need to toughen her up.” He smirked. “I’m more than willing, seeing as her people gave me this.” With his free hand, he caressed the scar. “Time to return the favor.”

He lifted me up by my neck, and I choked, my ears ringing. My heart raced as I realized this man wasn’t as controlled as Tavish. Still trying to pry his fingers from my neck with my other hand, I reached for my dagger, but I couldn’t get to it.

With his free hand, White Eyes drew a sword. “I’m thinking I should cut her from cheek to neck. It only seems fair that her scars be worse.”

As the edges of my vision darkened, I could only think of one thing I could do. I drew back my foot … and kicked the guy in the crotch.

My toes met metal, and I felt something snap.

3

TAVISH

Eight hours and thirty-two minutes had passed since I’d left Lira in the holding cell. The fact that I was aware of each passing minute was driving me mad.

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