Page 152 of Frozen Hearts and Death Magic

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Debt

Naia lay on the ground, her body shaking. What had they done? She didn’t know any magic that could cause pain like that. Illusion. Pain was an illusion, like the visions. It was the weird hooded fae. And yet there was nothing she could do to make them stop other than plead, which she wasn’t going to do. Perhaps they truly thought that if they tormented her enough the dragon lords would come. And yet how could she convince them that it was nonsense?

Her hope now was that they would eventually see the futility of their ways and get tired of tormenting her. How long that was going to take was anyone’s guess. Meanwhile, she could still try to find an exit. She hated this so much. It felt awful to feel weak and helpless like that. All because she had been careful with her magic when escaping the first time. Had she killed that king, she would be running free. Sure. Right into River’s arms. How was that going to work out?

The ground then shook beneath her, and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for more horrors. Instead, she heard, “Naia?”

River was in front of her. A vision, of course. “You’re not real.”

He held her hand and pulled her up. “I am.”

It was him. He’d come for her.

“Father!” River yelled. “Let her go. She’s my chosen life companion and I ask you to honor her as such.”

“You’re not my son. And how did you get here?” the king yelled.

“It doesn’t matter,” River replied. “Now let us go. I am trying to set you all free. But keeping her is not going to help.”

River looked at her and pulled her in his arms.

The king sighed. “You know, I gave you one task. I guess you did fulfill it. For once you’ve done something right. You’ve brought a dragon’s heart.”

“She’s not…” River frowned, then looked at her and caught a breath. There was fear in his eyes.

“What?” Naia whispered.

He held her tighter. “I’ll get you out, I’ll find a way.” His arms were trembling, though.

The king’s voice echoed above them. “You want to be welcome to the Second Dynasty again?”

“No,” River yelled. “Just let us go.”

Naia wanted to ask him if he couldn’t just disappear with her the same way he had appeared, but he obviously couldn’t, or else he wouldn’t be asking for the king to let them go. And he was afraid.

“Well, that’s too bad,” the kind said. “Considering you’re about to fulfill your word. Get her heart.”

River let go of her and stepped back, or tried to, then stopped.

“Run,” he muttered. “Away from me.”

There were five hooded fae on the window up there, all of them looking at River. She realized they were going to make him do it, make him take Naia’s heart. But he didn’t even have a knife or anything. He had his nails. And Naia wasn’t sure she’d be able to fight him.

There wasn’t much space to run, but she stepped back, paying attention not to get her feet in any of the spikes.

River was trembling, his eyes wide in fear, until he had a half smile, as if he’d just had an idea. He looked at her. “Command me. Command me to take you away from here,” he whispered.

She wasn’t sure why he was saying that, but tried it. “Take me away.”

He trembled and stepped towards her. “Com-mand. Order.”

“Save me.” Her back was on the wall now.

River closed the distance between them, hopefully to get them through the hollow, but he was still trembling as he touched her chest. “Order me.”

She remembered then the night she had found him. Eternal devotion, she had asked him, but then they had agreed on the kiss instead. But what if? What if he had to do what she told him?

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