Page 188 of Of Blood and Banes
My face falls as I realize what she’s implying. “You will not become like your father. If you tortureanyof them?—”
“What? Tell me what you’ll do, Kat? You became blinded as soon as you started fucking the Arterian prince! If anything, you’ve betrayed us by proxy!”
Rage swarms my chest like angry bees, begging me to release them. As I storm up the steps toward her, two guards capture my arms and tug me back.
“Go ahead,” she continues. “Lie to me. Tell me you only fucked him once.”
But as I hold her gaze, my limbs trembling and breath heavy in my chest…I can’t. I can’t lie to her, even if I’m pissed. And maybe there’s a small truth to what she says. Even if it hurts to swallow.
“That’s what I thought. If it’s him—if he’s the traitor—I’m going to kill him. Slowly. And you can be the first one to watch,” she seethes. “Now, if I have to tell you to get out one more time, I’ll throw you in the dungeons with the rest of them just to show you I can.”
“Then do it. Who’s to say you have any authority over me? Any authority to make these calls?”
Gods, does fury twist her features into something sharp. “I am Sethan’s next of kin. And since he was killed by the actions of a traitor, that means I call on how to avenge him.”
I fight against the two guards until I lose my balance and they tug me backward away from Melaina. I call to her, “You touch any of them, and it’ll be the last thing you do!”
She snorts as they drag me out of the door and close it.
As I get to my feet, I turn my attention to the two guards and offer them my wrists. “Take me to the dungeons.”
When they hesitate, I realize they’re weighing my word against Melaina’s. Which means they know who I am. I lean into their knowledge of me as the prophesied one, and they comply. I convince them to shackle me, and they lead me to Nightfort’s dungeons. On the way there, they fill me in on Melaina’s plans of questioning everyone overnight, with the hopes of cracking a traitor by daybreak.
I call out to Daeja,“Don’t freak out…but?—”
“What have you gotten yourself into now?”Her voice is low. Sad. It breaks my heart that she’s hurt by A’nala’s passing.
“I’m going down to the Nightfort dungeons. Melaina has everyone detained for questioning. She thinks someone in our group has betrayed us. But don’t worry about me, Melaina and the soldiers won’t hurt me. They can’t.”
“That’s not to say someone from Nightfort won’t try to kill you to end the King.”
“Fair point. I’ll call you in for backup if I need you.”
“I’ll stand guard. The other fire dragons aren’t happy the riders are being detained, either. I’ll gather them and wait for your command, if you need us.”
“What’s one silly little underground dungeon against seven dragons?”
“Exactly.”
“And Daeja? I’m sorry about A’nala.”
“Me, too.”
When we enter the dungeons, the air is cold and wet, with water dripping from somewhere in the shadows. The stone prisons are lit by torch lights at the end of the long path. Lining it are at least twenty cells bared in iron. Every one of them full with Vitalans and Arterians. The guards lead me past each one, and I watch as head after head snaps up, eyes wide as they realize I’ve come to join them.
I stop at the cell with Archie, Cole, and Darian, the soldiers a half-step ahead pausing as they realize which cell I’d like to be put in. They turn and unlock the creaky door, swing it open, and usher me in. When they lock it, they look at me. I nod. Then they disappear down the corridor, a door slamming shut before a key locks it.
“What are you doing here?” Cole whispers.
“She came for us!” Archie grins when I turn to face them.
Darian is sitting in the corner, calmly, like he’s done this one too many times. Our eyes connect for a split second before he looks down. I scan the cell and find Gavin and Nolan in the darkest corner.
Taking a seat next to Archie, I relay the information about Melaina’s intent to question everyone, with the possibility of torture. Archie waves me off, claiming Melaina would never. But I remind him of who her father was. Archie never witnessed how much he beat Darian when we first arrived, and I have a hard time trying not to glance Darian’s way.
“She won’t,” Archie whispers. “I know her. I love herbecauseI know her.”
“You’ve known her for two seasons,” Nolan grumbles. “We’ve known her for years. So yes, I wouldn’t hold your breath on the thought she won’t.”
