Page 76 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

Tavish’s, Eiric’s, and Finnian’s guards kept them in place at the door as Lorne walked toward a wall where more chains for wings hung. My stomach dropped as he picked up three, but then I paused. He’d forgotten about one of us.

Nightbane’s eyes opened and flashed a lime green as he jumped to his feet. He snarled, but the sound was broken as if they’d injured his throat. He limped to his spot beside me.

“Do you need to learn your lesson again, death beast?” asked the dark-brown-haired woman who held Finnian hostage. “The only reason you’re alive is because of the bad luck bestowed upon the race that kills your kind.”

My heart heavied and my mouth dried. I needed to know everything they’d done to this poor animal. Nightbane was fierce, but only to those who mistreated him… Tavish included. To me, he was the most loyal friend in the palace.

“Don’t antagonize them.” Lorne sighed as he placed the chains on Tavish’s wings first.

Tavish tried to break free from the guards, flapping his wings and attempting to force the chains off him, but Lorne secured the lock in seconds.

Lorne continued as if Tavish hadn’t fought him at all. “Not until we have everyone secured in the cell.”

The bond pulsed in tune with his rapid heartbeat, and our connection clenched from his panic. I remembered my panic the day I’d had my wings restrained, and I’d had them back for only a day. Tavish had used his wings his entire life and didn’t know anything without them.

The navy-blue-haired guard mashed his lips together, and the dark-brown-haired guard shoved Tavish inside the cell toward me, causing him to trip over Nightbane.

Nightbane whimpered, and I bent to help my mate. My wings moved again, and more pain shot through me as my wing ripped even more. Tavish dropped to his knees while Nightbane dropped to the cold stone floor.

Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them back, refusing to cry in front of the guards.I turned to help Tavish and pushed my agony away.Are you hurt?

I’m fine,Tavish replied.Better than you are. The more you move, the worse your injury will be. I just bruised my knees.As if to support his claim, Tavish quickly climbed to his feet and turned to face the guard who’d shoved him.

“You will pay for that, Ecoar.” Tavish bared his teeth.

The guard snorted. “I don’t fear you. Eldrin may keep you alive because of your blood, but that doesn’t mean we view you as true royalty anymore. You picked a sunscorched over us.” He spat on the ground, barely missing Tavish’s black boots.

My blood boiled, and it had nothing to do with the insult he’d lobbed at me. The fae part of me that had been dormant for so long came rushing out. “I can’t wait to slit your throat and replace that cocky grin with the knowledge that you’re dying.” This guard had gone too far. Turning on Tavish hadn’t been enough. He’d had to belittle him, physically abuse him, and taunt him just to make himself feel better.

“You expect me to feel threatened byyouwhen you mourned an Unseelie who tried to kill you during the games?” He rocked back on his feet, expanding his wings. “We all know you’re weak.”

“I’d rather be weak than use a horrible opportunity to pretend to have a big dick.” My mouth was running again, and there was no stopping it. I almost felt like I had when I first got here. “I’d threaten to cut it off, but I doubt I could find it quickly enough. So I’ll settle for your throat.”

Finnian laughed as he was led in by his guards. Unlike Tavish, they weren’t manhandling him, which I assumed was because Finnian had never had any say over them. They resented Tavish for so many reasons, and this was their first opportunity to act on it without immediate repercussions.

“Good point, Lira.” Finnian smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve never heard anyone compliment his lovemaking. That has to be why.”

Ecoar expanded his wings, which were below average in size. “Insult me again. I dare you.”

“Well, if you insist—” Finnian started.

Not holding back, Ecoar threw a punch at Finnian’s jaw, but Finnian ducked, and the guard caught air, further embarrassing himself.

“Enough,” Lorne snapped, shuffling Eiric inside.

My sister’s face turned a sickly yellow as her wings ruffled under the chains. Lorne didn’t manhandle her, but that didn’t lessen my sense of betrayal as he turned his back on me. I hadn’t realized that I felt like we had forged some sort of mutual respect during the trial. If not for him, I’d be dead.

“We have priorities that require our full attention, like watching for the Seelie who could show up at any second.” Lorne turned his back on us like we weren’t a threat. “All of you are aware of the risks, and we need to speak to King Eldrin about that threat on the horizon.”

Ecoar’s wings lowered to his sides, though a vein bulged between his eyes.

Lorne stepped back into the hallway and locked the cell door.

“What about the princess?” the woman guard asked, gesturing to my wings.

My pulse galloped. I’d hoped that no one would notice I was unchained. If they didn’t bind my wings, I could use my magic toheal myself, which I desperately needed to do if we were going to get out of this place… somehow.

“Let her suffer for a while longer. We’d have to remove the arrow to get the chains to sit properly on her. The others will try to help her, causing her pain and then feeling bad about it.” Lorne looked over his shoulder at me and wrinkled his nose. “When I come back later to check on them, I’ll put the chains on her. Her wings will be more raw and bloody.”

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