Page 78 of A Sky of Storms
“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” she hissed.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I spat. She flicked her hand lazily and suddenly I was dragged back by the shoulders and slammed hard into the wall. I groaned, my arms barking and my ribs smarting at the impact with the stone. Yeah, I could definitely use my power right about now.
One of Victoria’s lackeys brought a chair over and she sat down in front of me, her position forcing me to look up at her cold-hearted face. Her copper eyes glinted dangerously and the smirk on her face showed how much she delighted in having power over people.
She was such a contrast to her sister. In my short time of observing both I’d concluded that Fallon used her power to help people. Victoria used it to instil fear and punishment. The Auger family was well known in Terrulia thanks to being one of—if notthe—wealthiest families in existence. They mined and sold energy crystals and were influential beyond belief. From what my mums have said, Victrus and Eliana were ruthless business people. If Victoria’s actions were anything to go by, I’d have to say that ruthless was too kind a word. But Fallon … there was definitely more to her than meets the eye. She seemed genuine, caring, and kind—beautiful, inside and out. An image popped into my head of her lips when she smiled, and the sparkle in her eyes when she was teasing. I cocked my head.Interesting. Elevated heart rate, rising temperature, a surge of jealousy if my instincts were correct. Not ideal during a torture session, but then again I was only a rookie at these sorts of things.
“Why were you and your little friends in the meeting spot instead of Mark?” Victoria asked, leaning forward in her chair with her hands on her knees. Even after nearly a month in the marshlands, her nails were near perfect and her blond hair was coiled neatly in a bun on her head. She was flanked by two Potentials and a third stood by the door, pulse gun in hand directed at me.
I held her hateful gaze, refusing to say a word.
“Why are you making this so hard for yourself? You’re going to be dead soon. I could make it quick and painless. Why drag the process out?”
“Maybe because I give a shit about other people, not just myself.”
“That’s not the answer I was looking for,” she replied with a pout.
Victoria flicked her wrist and the Potential on her left pounced towards me. I turned my shoulder, aiming to block the blow, only to have excruciating pain burn through my foot. I bit my lip, drawing blood as I clamped my mouth shut. It had been a fake attack that had left me open for the other Potential to shatter the bones in my foot with their bat. My heart rate kicked up and I kept my eyes from my foot, refusing to look at the damage.
“Let’s try again. Tell me why you were there instead of Mark,” Victoria said calmly.
“Mark was busy. He asked me to go for him,” I lied through gritted teeth. Might as well try and get some information out of her while I was here. Despite her saying I’d die here, there was still a chance I would survive. I’d fight with everything I had.
“I know you weren’t working together. Mark hates the Hawthorn family and I share the sentiment.” She sneered. “So much wasted potential, it’s disgusting.”
“That was a ruse. Another layer to keep our business under wraps,” I said. “How else do you think he had access to all the stuff he was selling?”
Victoria tapped her chin. “Where is he then?”
I raised my chin, letting a smile grace my lips. “I believe he had a run-in with your sister. I assume you’re smart enough to know how that turned out.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That bitch has always been a thorn in my side. She isn’t worthy of the Auger name.”
“I agree with you on that,” I replied with a huff that had pain shooting through my chest. To be worthy of the Auger name was to be evil and Fallon was far from it. I didn’t voice that part aloud though. “I had to get close to her, especially after she murdered my business partner.”
Victoria started laughing, the sound hollow as it reverberated around the room. “You’re a poor liar, Hawthorn. I’ve seen you looking at my sister like a lost puppy since we arrived at the House of Ascension. It’s pathetic, really. She’s manipulating you; don’t you see? And you’re blinded by, what, her pretty smile? Or has she just fucked you into submission?”
Heat rose within me at her words. How could someone speak of their family that way? My family meant everything to me and my community as a whole was the reason I was in this trial in the first place. I didn’t want to rule Terrulia. I had no interest in power. Victoria’s greed and animosity towards her family, even her people, was so foreign to me.
“I can see you’re not going to tell me the truth about Mark,” she said, steepling her fingers. “Perhaps you’ll be more accommodating about why you were at the meeting spot with Kayden Hale and Atticus Warner?”
I raised a brow. Ace’s name was Atticus? I locked that one away and clamped my lips tighter together. At first Ace had said he wanted to be back-up, but he didn’t do anything without something in return and, judging by the Drake’s emblem on that helicopter, there was definitely more going on than he’d said. Even if he’d told me he didn’t know about the Drakes being involved, I’d be stupid to fully trust him. As for Kayden’s help, I didn’t have a clue. He may have given an excuse, but I didn’t believe him either.
“Has Atticus betrayed his Drakes?” she pushed. “I’m sure Cormac would be very displeased to hear one of his members is working with the enemy.”
Was she telling me that Ace actually knew about the Drakes’ involvement in all of this? Were Victoria and Ace working together?
“Pity,” Victoria sighed, when I didn’t answer. She leaned back in her seat and both of the Potentials by her side moved towards me.
They swung their fists in unison, which left me only one option. I curled in on myself as best I could to protect my head and as much of my body as possible. It was a feeble attempt—each blow brought another bruise or broken bone. Agony fired through my body with every hit, but I refused to cry out. I wouldn’t give Victoria the satisfaction. When they were finished, I hadn’t the strength or desire to move from where I lay on my side.
“Lift him up,” Victoria ordered, and I was hauled back into a sitting position. She looked me in the eye, the hard set of her jaw betraying her anger. “Talk now or I will have them cutting off body parts. And believe me, these things will be missed,” she said, eyeing my crotch with a wicked smile. “Now, what do you know about Mark?”
I kept my mouth shut. I’d known Mark had been involved in some really bad shit, and I’d felt disappointed about what had happened with the meet-up that morning. Victoria’s reaction to finding out I was on Mark’s trail was a balm to that. Yes, I was being tortured for information, but she was unwittingly giving me what I’d been searching for.
If what I’d gleaned so far was correct, Mark was in the slave trade business and it appeared Victoria was in deep as well. The Drakes seemed to have a stake in it too. Were the people of Verdant Plateau being sold to the corporations in Stormcrest City and Damascon Hollow?
Did Fallon know and was simply acting like she didn’t?
