Page 60 of He Who Ignites The Flame
“You. Are. Mine,” he growled in my ear, his body pressed against me. “You will always be mine, and youwillsubmit to me.”
Never.
My fingers twitched, failing to follow my command to ball into a fist as he slammed me against the stone again and again. Then, he stilled.
The stone beneath me shuddered, and the weight at my back vanished, air flooding my lungs as I was allowed to breathe. Every breath burned, every attempt to move sending electric shocks through my body.
“What’s going on?” he shouted.
Rushed footsteps filled the chamber, but I couldn’t find the strength to lift my head, to turn to see who had entered the room.
“We’re under attack, sire.”
“By who?” he shouted, his voice drifting farther away, the hiss of fabric reaching my ears, followed by the sound of a zipper.
“We aren’t entirely sure,” the guard admitted, barely able to meet his gaze. “They’ve breached the main gate.”
“You’re all fucking useless! Call the fighters. They will defend The Pits or they will die. I want...” The door slammed shut, and I was left on the floor, weak, unable to move, to speak.
The pain in my tattoo faded in his absence, but my magic didn’t return, the beast still cut off from me. How long had I been here? How much had he drugged me this time? In the past, he would drug me enough to make me weak, wanting me to be fully conscious for every second of his punishments. Did he plan to keep me here longer than usual?
Was Kish all right? Had she been taken as well?
My heart stilled at the subtle sound of steps, and boots appeared in my line of sight. Fingers laced into my hair, and my head was pulled up. I grimaced at the bite of pain but could do little more than that.
“You’re lucky he’s claimed you,” Santor said as he forced me to look at him.
Words bubbled up my throat, but I couldn’t work my lips, my tongue.
He leaned in closer, his whispered voice like poison. “That’s all right. We know what Rhyas has been doing for you and your immortal friend.”
No...
“Just wait until you see what Arden has in store for you once we’ve dealt with this inconvenience,” he said as he dropped me back onto the cold stone floor. My bones rattled as I grunted at the impact. The door opened and closed once more, and I prayed I was finally alone.
Every inch of my body ached, throbbing pain splintering across my head. I drew a shaky breath, trying to find my way through the haze to regain control of my body before he returned.
No matter the cost.
Silence stretched on, and the room shook as a distant boom echoed through the tunnels. Was someone breaking through wards? Were the tunnel systems collapsing?
“Fuck,” I rasped, trying to push through and move.
Arden would eventually return, and I refused to be here waiting for him like this—waiting to be used again. Kish needed me, the others needed me, and if Arden and Santor had plans, they needed to be warned of them. If Nastra was under attack, this could be our chance.
A growl slipped from my throat as I barely managed to lift my head from the ground, but no amount of blinking could clear the fog. No matter how much I reached out to it, the beast remained silent. Had he drugged me with Aethersbane?
The door slammed open, and I stilled.
“Gods.”
Air rushed from my lungs in relief at the sound of Rhyas’ voice, his heavy footfalls echoing through the chamber as he raced for me.
“Thalia!” He turned me over, averting his eyes from my naked, shivering body. “I’ve got you.”
He eased me onto my back before pulling his cloak off and draping it over me. He looked a mess, his gray skin coated in sweat, his hair disheveled, and his armor... Gods, his armor was covered in blood.
“What’s going on outside?” I rasped, fighting to sit up.
