Page 80 of Cages and Crowns
“Name only, Nithe. I am not offering you anything else.”
“I don’t care what we do or don’t do in this room, but to them,” he gestures to the rest of the palace, “tothem, we need to look like we are trying. We have to give the people hope. Hope that we will get out of this war with Tobias and out of this questionable period of time. They need to believe that we are united.” I nod before letting another bout of dry heaving wreck my already exhausted body.
It takes a while before I am well enough to stand. I clean my face and brush my teeth before climbing back into bed. I pushed Nithe away, telling him I was fine, and he curled up on the too-small couch. The candles are blown out, the fireplace unlit. The only light funneling in is coming from the stars.
Starlight.
I curl up on my side and open my palm. It only takes a second and a small ball of light forms on my palm, seeping out of my skin. Relief washes over my body at the sight of it. It sparkles as if it was made of a million little stars. I hear movement and close my fist. Nithe is sitting up on the couch, staring at me. He shakes his head and sighs before dropping back onto the cushion.
Darkness. All I see is darkness. I can hear the sound of leather meeting stone, footsteps echoing in the chamber. I’m cold, freezing. The only things on my body are the metal chains around my wrists and ankles, biting into my flesh.
“You never should have run, Ela.” His voice is soft, hurt, but I can hear the anger hidden underneath. “Why did you leave me?”
“I had no choice.” My voice croaks and I swallow, trying to ease the scratchiness in my throat. I’m so thirsty. When was the last time I ate anything?
“You had a choice, my love, and you made the wrong one.” He’s closer and I can feel his fingers gliding up my bare thigh, up and over my breast before gripping my chin. “Now you are going to pay for it.” His lips slam into mine just as something stabs into my arm. I scream against his lips, his tongue invading–
“Elaenor, wake up!” I gasp as I sit up, my forehead hitting something hard, throwing me back onto the mattress. “What thefuck?” My hand brushes my forehead and I wince. “You just headbutt me!”
“Why were you leaning over me like a creep?” I snap as I rub at the bruise that is no doubt going to appear.
“You were crying in your sleep; I was trying to wake you up.” He mutters, rubbing his forehead too. His eyes look tired.
“Oh.” I say softly, blinking through the pain radiating down to my eyes.
“What were you dreaming about?”
“Nothing.” I mutter and drop my hand.
“Well I know that’s a lie, but good try.” He snorts and falls back against the pillow next to me.
“Go back to the couch.”
“No, you are just going to wake me up again.”
“Nithe.” I complain.
“Tell me what you were dreaming about, and I’ll leave.” I groan and roll my eyes.
“I was dreaming about the time I ran.” I admit after a secondof silence.
“You ran?” He seems surprised.
“Yeah, of course I did.”
“Tell me about it.” I stay quiet again. Letting my thoughts build, organize themselves. How much do I want him to know?
“I don’t know how long it had been at that point, but I woke up unchained. I think Tobias was too drunk and forgot to lock me back up.” I snort. “He was asleep and the guards were outside the door, so I slid off the balcony and ran.” I shrug.
“Really?” His eyebrows raise as if he’s impressed.
“I didn’t get very far. I was caught by one of the guards patrolling the courtyard and he brought me back to Tobias. He kept me in the dungeon for a bit after that. He would keep all the lights off so I couldn’t see, and he would do things…”
“What kind of things?”
“He would draw on my body with a scalpel. He would write his name, or whore, or something along those lines. It would always be gone when I woke up the next day.” My voice is quiet, pained, as I remember the feeling of the blade slicing through my skin. I shudder.
“Gods.”
