Page 11 of Bound in Violet Ink
He’s been sent to the Carrows, so that means the world would rather forget he exists.
His death would mean nothing.
I take a moment to stare at him before rising back to my feet, taking a few steps within this silence, catching a glimmer of concern in his annoyingly blue eyes. “And why areyouhere?” I ask.
“That doesn’t matter.”
I stop only once I’m within arm’s reach of him, aware of all who are present in this yard and that those loyal to me outnumber the rest. “Then neither do you.”
The wrangle that follows is quick as I grasp the Seelie’s throat, feeling the satin texture of his skin under my fingertips as they dig into him, closing off his airways. The sounds of gasps and muffled struggles fill the utter silence, accompanied by the sickening scent of iron from both of us—he claws at me, but I don’t move, my arm completely flexed as I focus solely on this. Then, I smell the blood from his mouth. I witness the fear reflected in his widening eyes, a silent acknowledgment of realizing he will die, and it was so uncomfortably sudden, while none of the other Seelie come to defend him. Gradually, the resistance weakens, the spattering for air fading. His eyes lose their vitality, and I find peace knowing that one more pompous cunt is removed from this world that broke it in the first place.
Releasing my hold, his body collapses limply to the ground, a heavy thud echoing through the stillness as he sprawls on the ground with no fight. Casting a steely gaze at his companions, they freeze in apprehension. Blood drips down my arm and fingertips from where he clawed deeply, my skin burning, but it’s a sensation that means little to me anymore. “Clean this mess, or the duskborns will. They don’t like cleaning duties, so choose your battle wisely.”
“Youkilled him. We shouldn’t clean it up,” a voice, brave and slightly trembling, sounds off from behind one of the Seelie.
“Theron, continue to cull them until they understand their place here,” I say, giving them my back to return to my seat, lying down after gripping the weights to begin a long, arduous day of training to keep my body as capable as possible.
The sound of the Seelie males quickly changing their words to apology as I hear the many footsteps of my men approachthem is the fuel I need. They’re so afraid of what’s coming, and theyshouldbe. Above, the sky is a bruised, grey canvas, heavy with the promise of rain. They’ll quickly understand who reigns supreme in this shadowed place. Whowillreign supreme over these lands.
As I focus on flexing and building my body, I move to the sound of another Seelie—sounds like the one who spoke out against me—screeching while he fights for his life, until the only sounds left are of someone dragging multiple bodies.
The ones that survive can live as prisoners inmynew world.
And Victoria—thoughts of her almost derail everything within me, my awareness of the surrounding area vanishing almost instantly. No, I cannot let her go to another. Not now that I know she exists, and that she reaches out to me. I don’t know what she’ll think of this world I will create, but as long as her mate soothes her, she will learn to adapt.
Sheets soakedin sweat are what I awake to that morning, the fabric cooling when I reposition myself.
Sitting up to pull back the hair from my face, my hearth barely kindles to let in any light. Once on my feet, my night sweats mean nothing to me as I begin to freeze, wrapping my shivering body with a wool blanket as I stoke the fire.
It’s my damnheat. It’s been a week since I wrote Kane, and it’s as if smelling his damn parchment made my body ignite. Itold Gingerno oneis to come near me, especially nothing from the Carrows. Not while like this.
The only blessing is that Silas stays so far away from me when this happens that it’s like he never existed. It’s just me and my shadow in here, with Ginger periodically making cold baths for my body to rest in. Riding out a heat alone is one of the cruelest jokes.
My gaze flits to my desk, knowinghisletter is there. Yesterday was the first reprieve, and my anticipation for his words couldn’t handle any more delay, especially when Ginger informed me that Kane wrote almost immediately. It did something to my soul to hear that, which unnerves me. It’s why I didn’t read it right away. I still haven’t. It’s just sitting on my desk, waiting to continue our conversation.
This night sweat is much less than the previous night, so I know by tomorrow I should feel closer to normal. It couldn’t hurt to look now, right?
After adding another log onto the fire, I stare at the open letter I refused to look at as if the very act will take me away from here, like I’m terrified it will stop existing. What is it like to live outside the confines of Silas? To stoke a fire within walls much different than here?
To be free?
At least freer than I currently am… to find someone to ride out these heats with. Tochoosesomeone. Or no one. Maybe with each heat I’ll fuck a different man.
Kane is using me, that’s undeniable, but I can use him. I can try to dissect his words so I can manipulate him to let me out of here. I can serve as a healer, oranything.
My only hesitation as I stare at the piece of parchment is that its stagnation is one of the most comfortable things I’ve experienced in so very long, the pause in our communicationwaiting onmeto write him back, instead of obsessing over when his reply will come.
I remind myself how grateful I need to be for this. At any moment, Silas could become aware. Waiting too long could ruin this small connection to the outside world.
Fuck it. I’ll give Kane all of Silas’s information if it gets me out of here. He can use me if I can usehimfor freedom. The unwritten unfolding of events only comforts me because I don’t yet have to face failure, but I alsomustface reality. It’s the only way out.
Once I pick it up, I hurriedly move next to the barely breathing fire for light, and I can’t stop myself from immediately consuming his words:
Victoria,
That is not an unintelligible answer, but unfortunately, wrong. What I want from you is entirely selfish, I admit. So selfish, that I fear it too much for you. And yet, you cannot escape it, I do not think. You have been hidden from yourself for far too long, little flower.
What do you do in the castle all day? What men currently court you?
