Page 103 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

I pause my hand on the bookshelf I'm perusing to face them. My little phoenix is filthy, her once-crimson tresses now a drab brown with dirt, and her dress is torn and tattered. Her once vibrant aura diminished, replaced with a thick wave of misery. Tear tracks streak her cheeks, yet she no longer holds any of the grief in her eyes. Instead, fury pools in those depths.

A whiff of dampness hangs in the air, mingled with the combination of sweat and soil from Morte’s dirt-caked body. Beneath that, a faint trace of smoke from outside, carried in on the evening wind.

A fire of longing sears through my veins, urging me to go to her and embrace her, whispering promises of safety and security. Yet I remain still, knowing if I give into my desires, I will bring destruction upon us all. My heart screams in anguish, as though it could pierce the hollow silence that falters between us.

"My Lord." Irid bows. "If she doesn't eat, I'll have to drag her upstairs, and her necklace won't like that."

Exhaustion mars Morte's features, and her once supple lips are now cracked and bleeding. But there's a flare of anger beneath the hurt expression on her face, and that's what I use to fuel my ire.

"Go hose her off before she gets an infection and get her a slice of bread and a cup of water," I order.

"Yes, my Lord." Irid bows her head in resignation and ushers Morte away. I'm left standing in the silence, the weight of my emotions almost too heavy to bare. My vision blurs as tears threaten to spill over, but I remain standing until they're long gone. When the echoes of their voices have faded away I finally collapse to the ground, sobs shaking my body as I confront the truth of what I must do. I know Morte needs to hate me, but it doesn't ease the ache in my heart.

My knuckles turn white as I clench my jaw, desperately trying to hold back my sobs. My tears form a river of salty despair that burn deep trails down my cheeks, no matter how tightly I press my palms against my face. I feel like my heart is slowly being torn in two and the pain is almost too much to bear, but I eventually gather the last of my strength and make myself stand tall.

Morte's eyes are dull and distant when she saunters back into the library, her lips sealed together with a determination that could cut concrete. Even after Irid leaves, Morte still refuses to say a single word to me, her silence echoing in the vastness of the room like a screaming thunderclap.

"I made the mistake of promising that you can sleep in our bed while you're here for the next few days, one I regret immensely, but—"

"Then I'll go back to my hut in the woods," she spits, holding up the chain around her ankle. "Let me out of this and I'll leave now."

The air around us sizzles with tension as I snap, "So quick to give up on me already? Good riddance." My magic swirls around me as I let out an icy laugh and I hurl a shadow at her that sends her chains flying off her body. Before she can make for the door, I thrust my arms forward and use my power to slam the door shut with a reverberating thud that shakes the walls of the room. Morte stands there, trapped, fear and panic in her eyes.

"Not so fast." I stalk towards her. "Tomorrow is the Wild Pursuit. Keep your doors locked." Just because I can't have her, doesn't mean I want anyone else to have her, either. Least of all any of my fucking demons.

"Nah, I think I'll let your mate take my virginity, actually."

Her words leave me so stunned, I don't stop her when she rips the door open and sprints out into the night.

I stand in the doorway, my fists clenched at my sides and tears shining in my eyes as I let the door slam shut behind her.

* * *

Morte

I stumble into my small,dark abode a few hours before midnight, my heart heavy with grief and my mind racing with worry. Aggonid's treatment of me has been nothing short of a nightmare. The god who was once so good to me in Romarie now acts as though I am nothing but a burden, a nuisance he can barely tolerate.

He had me mucking stalls like a common servant, and then chained me like a prisoner. The memory of his disdainful gaze and cruel words still haunts me, sending dread down my spine. How could he treat me this way, after everything we've been through together?

I know I can't stay here much longer. I'd rather take my chances in Romarie, where at least King Valtorious didn't hurt me. But even that is a daunting prospect, given the current state of affairs in the kingdom. I'd need to convince him to release good people like Oceana from his captivity.

My thoughts swirl in a dizzying blur as I lock the door behind me, cutting myself off from the outside world. If Finn can't come through for me, I don't know what I'm going to do. But one thing is clear: I can't stay here under Aggonid's thumb any longer.

Fury boils in my veins as I stumble to my bed and fling myself onto it. Hot tears burn my cheeks as they cascade down, and I press my face into the softness of the mattress, rage smothering me like a thick blanket. The bitter taste of betrayal lingers on my tongue, and disbelief and pain twist my gut into a painful knot. How could I have been so foolish? So easily tricked?

The memory of Aggonid's face flashes through my mind like a thunderbolt, all shock and hurt. My cruel words had stung him to the core, and the icy hatred in his eyes had burned into me. If he loathes me so much, he had no business being kind to me. He should've left me where I was.

So now, I'm going to fuck his mate.

I don't know why I've been hanging onto my virtue so long anyway. I'd been hoping to give it to Wilder, but merfae only sleep with their mates.

And that's not me.

So what if Aggonid tortures me for sleeping with Caius? Kills me again? Maybe it'll force his hand to get creative and figure out a way to send me back to Bedlam.

It's that desperate glimmer of hope in the darkest night that keeps me from succumbing to the terror that lurks just beyond the shadows. I don't hear a whisper from the monsters after midnight, but I do hear the relentless pounding on my door that brings me back to reality with a start the next day.

I stumble out of bed, gasping for air as the hunger pangs gnaw away at my stomach. Every step feels like torture as my legs wobble beneath me, and I make my way across the floor. The blinding light of the sun forces its way into the room, and I throw my arm up to shield my eyes from the punishing glare.

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