Page 68 of Shifter King
The ammonia scent burned the insides of her nostrils. Coughing, she covered her face with one hand and pushed the offending odor away with the other. It even stung her tongue. Not much of a way to fake not smelling that. Tears blurred her vision as she struggled to sit up.
"Easy there," the physician said, gripping her shoulder. He was a round-faced man with braided brown hair, pike teeth tattoos along his jawline, small silver glasses, and a surprisingly warm smile. "You'll be all right. Have some water. Drink as much as you can."
Still coughing and blinking, she accepted a mug of water and drank it slowly. Time. All she had to do was stall for time now. Naatos was looking for her. All of them were. And they'd find her eventually.
"How long has it been since you left Dry Deep, Neyeb?" the physician asked.
"A few days," she whispered hoarsely. "I still can't run."
"No, I imagine not. Though it looks like an encounter with some long leech venom as well if I know the scar patterns." He adjusted his glasses. "Rather advanced case too, I'd guess." He glanced back at Zorna who sat in a chair directly across from the low-lying couch. "Cardiovascular weakness as well as heart palpitations and other similar symptoms are fairly common with both of those. I—"
Zorna held up her hand. "Leave us."
Amelia continued to nurse the mug of water, her gaze fixed on the turquoise-and-red painted reed rug though she remained aware of Zorna. With her shoulders drawn in and her body tight, she hoped she had made herself look as small and unthreatening as possible. Certainly not someone bold enough to try to humiliate the queen of the Reskal Bealorns.
"Well, dear Neyeb." The iciness in Zorna's voice cut through her despite its sickly sweetness. "What is it that happened to you?"
Amelia shook her head, lifting up her hand to shield her eyes as if she was actually struggling to focus instead. "I'm not certain what happened. I just suddenly felt so lightheaded and weak."
"Hmmhmmm." She folded her hands over her walking stick. "What could it have been that caused that?"
"As the physician said, I'm still recovering from Dry Deep as well as long leeches. And there are a lot of people out there. I'm not used to being around that many people. Especially not when they are so expressive and have such expansive thoughts."
Zorna tilted her head as if weighing this. "I suppose you and your skinchangers were out in the wilderness."
She took another small sip of water. The refreshing liquid did help clear her thoughts. "It is a lot. I mean no offense. But as you can imagine, even twenty people in a room is different from five when you are aware of everyone."
"Hmm. Well, that is something you will have to do better with. You are in the heart of our city, and there will be many more people for you to meet and speak with. Do you understand?"
She winced, allowing it to be more visible than she usually would. "Yes, of course. I am so sorry. Perhaps I could rest, and we can talk more about how I can help you in the morning."
"Of course." Zorna beamed as she stood. "You can rest as soon as you finish dealing with the Vawtrian woman."
Blinking, she looked up. "But, your Majesty—"
"You will do as you have been commanded because I am the one who commanded it. Otherwise you make me your enemy. Do you understand?"
"I understand that I am very confused. You said that I was of your sister race, that you wanted to honor the treaties and understandings between our peoples. I don't understand—"
Zorna's eyes had become dark wells of rage that drowned out what sorrow and pain remained. "You do not have to understand. You only have to obey. Make no mistake. I do not care for you at all beyond what you can do for my people, Neyeb. Why would I care for the bastard child of a race long gone except to benefit my own?"
"So all that talk of sister races was nothing but an attempt to lure me in?"
"You are already here." She gave her a smug smile. "And how you are treated from here on out is entirely up to you. It will go better for you if you listen. Especially since no one knows you're here. Well, no one of note. No one will believe the word of skinchangers, wild or docile. You will be treated with enough honor and respect to satisfy any reasonable individual, and you will be part of something far greater."
"But—"
"You likely think me a hard woman, and I am. The Abliatos stole my children from me. When we were taken, I had only three left. They told me to pick one to die, the other two would live. I chose. They spared the one I chose and killed the other two. This is what they did to all of us and worse. They cut down my lovers and spouses so that none were left to me. They brutalized my brothers and sisters. Where once there were many, then there was one. I was tortured and flung out into the wilderness with one child who hated me. And the only way back required almost as much cruelty and pain as what was shown to me. This world is harsh. I do not blame it for demanding that from me, nor should you. It is simply the way things are. So if you like, you may cry, little girl. Cry for the wounded, the dying, and the dead. Cry for those whose lives were cut short or forever altered in some horrific way. But understand that I have no pity for you. No pity for any but the worthy among my people. And you are not one of them. Nor will you be for a long, long time and not until you prove your worth. If you aren't smart enough to ally with the strong and the righteous, then you will be broken into whatever it takes to make you useful. So save your appeals for that skinchanging sack of bones out there. She is dead or mind dead, regardless of what you do. I will see to that. Reserve your strength. You will need it because you will serve my people. You will make us strong, and you will give what you are required."
"I don't even know what to say to you." Amelia stared at her in shock. The hardness that came off this woman was almost enough to obscure the deep sorrow beneath, but she could not excuse it. Every word this woman had said was true. It was all exposed like some filthy wound whose scar had been peeled back. "You want me to marry your son, and yet you speak like this already?"
Zorna chuckled. "Oh, you will not receive the honor of marrying him any longer. You lost that privilege when you resisted. You will be well cared for, but your role is simply to bear children and do as you are told. Starting with that slave out there. And if you don't…" She leaned closer, her eyes narrowing. "I have heard Dry Deep is exceptionally difficult to endure after a point. Do you remember what happened in there?"
Amelia shuddered. "It's hazy, but I remember enough." Enough to know she never wanted to go back. No matter what the benefits might be.
A smile twisted over Zorna's full lips. "Fail to do as you are told, and I will make your time in Dry Deep seem a pleasant dream. And I will ensure you remember every moment of what we do to you. Even if your sanity is eventually destroyed, it will only be after we have wrung every moment of suffering and sorrow from your soft little soul. And it won't even be hard. Do you know how easy it is to make someone like you suffer? I don't even have to try."
"What do you gain from this?" she whispered, searching the woman's face. There was only hardness and rage.
