Page 6 of The Lost Siren

“I thought you wanted to walk on your own power?” The threat was thinly veiled, but there. I took a few steps forward but froze at the sea of unfamiliar creatures in front of me. They were happily heading towards the loaded tables lining the edges of the hall, but the sight of them combined with the smell of food was tipping the battle with my nausea against me. Benedict’s lips thinned, and I wondered what I had donethis timeto make him mad.

“I imagine you’d prefer to dine in your chambers?”

I would have preferred to curl up in that massive bed and never move again, but it was a start.

“Yes,” I whispered, no shame as I practically begged him. “Please.”

He rolled his eyes but gave me a pointed claw in the back as he nudged me towards the hall behind the dais. He gave a wry grin to his men, raising his voice enough to make my previous headache seem like nothing.

“She is eager to begin creating the next generation!” The men cheered, roaring their approval loudly at this idea. I froze, terror squeezing my heart until I couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t possibly mean what Ithoughthe did, did he? I WAS NOT A BREEDER! My headache throbbed in time with my heavy footsteps over the stone path. We made it into the tunnel before my body and nerves joined forces against me. I wavered on the path and grabbed onto his wrist in desperation. He shot me an annoyed look that turned worried as my eyes rolled back into my head.

“Wren?”

I threw up bile all over his boots, losing my battle with consciousness.

I woke up not in my bed, but on one of the lounge chairs in my sitting room. Benedict sat across from me, swirling a cup carefully as he watched me through hooded eyes.

“More concussed than I realized.”

I tried to sit up, then fell back down as a wave of nausea overtook me. He shoved a porcelain basin at me and I dry-heaved into it, since there was nothing in my stomach to come up. I hadn’t eaten since my meager breakfast at the breeding house, which had been a slice of bread and a bite of an apple.

“What; you couldn’tsniffit on me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Drink this; it will heal your concussion.”

I didn’t know what aconcussionwas, but I’d drink anything to make it go away, even if it was offered byhim. It was becoming a habit, taking strange drinks from him. I took the cup from his hands and threw it back as quickly as I could. It tasted the same as the vial in the entrance chamber, except for one difference. This one was hot and slid down my throat much easier. I made a face, but already the pounding of my head and its accompanying nausea were fading. Benedict stood over me and gave another tentative sniff.

“Stop that!” I batted him away, but he caught my wrist in his hands.

“It’s how we determine if someone is injured. You can cease your female dramatics.”

Female dramatics?My hands balled into fists, but I managed a deranged grin.

“Where’s my knife?”

He twitched away what may have been an inappropriate grin.

“That’s more like it. You will need to be surer of yourself around the other Drakens.”

He gestured at the ridiculous spread of food in front of us. “Eat.”

The food looked rich and creamy, and much too heavy for my starved stomach. If I ate any of that, it was likely to come right back up. Benedict caught my wary expression, and his face hardened.

“If it is notgoodenough for you, then leave it.”

I had no idea what to do with his anger, so I just looked away. He growled and stomped to the wall that held the passageway.

“Wait!”

He tensed, pausing in the passageway.

“You told your men that you would…that we’d…” I trailed off, flushing in embarrassment. I had to know; I couldn’t wait all night, terrified he would return to finish the job, to force me into something I’d had nightmares about since I was young enough to understand what went on in the upstairs rooms of the breeding house. I felt his gaze scrutinize me from head to toe, and I forced myself to glare back. In one burst of motion, he ripped the traveling cloak from my shoulders, his eyes traveling up and down my body. I tried to cover myself, but nothing could shield me from the coldness in his eyes.

“The Draken Games begin tomorrow. In exchange for a carefree life here, you will serve as theirprize, and you will do sowithoutcomplaint. Seven days for seven Drakens, each will win the right to your bed and coveted place on my Court. My only advice is to remember that they are not allowed to touch you without your permission. They are towinyou over. As forme…”

The look of disdain on his face made me flinch.

“I won’t touch you while you look likethat.”

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