Page 23 of The Surrender

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"It is our duty to possess you, to protect you in all matters."

QUINTESSA

The raindrops tumbling upon my naked back are the first sign that I’m no longer in the warm, fluffy feather bed in Kyan’s tower.

When I open my eyes, terror—bone-crunching, blood-curdling, heart-exploding—rips into my skin. I choke on a scream. A thousand reasons and excuses scramble through my brain. But they’re weak compared to my thundering pulse terrorizing my veins and electrifying my nerves.

I’m chained. And kneeling. On the edge of a pinnacle. Thousands of feet high.

Brutal wind lashes me and pulls tears from my eyes. The utter horror of it all would be enough to cripple me without the chains.

When undefinably cool breath roams across the side of my neck, I almost lurch from the relief. But the chains paralyze my body. I can't...I can't move.

“Little dove, little dove.”

I want to face him. I want him to see my tears, the anguish bleeding all over my face. But I’m suspended on the edge of this cliff with my face thrust forward—body arched, so my upper half dangles in midair. I can’t even turn my head on account of the metal bite of the collar and the tight chain fixing it in place.

“Drago prefers the heat of spankings, but Kyan and I had something much colder in mind for your punishment.”

“Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleeeeeease—” my panicked words ramble together, and I hiccup from the fear. “I’ll do anything, please!” I try to scream, but it leaves like a raspy squeal.

It feels like I’m frozen in time, caught in the middle of a suicide jump. And even if I risk my life every second with the king, I’ve never had a death wish. No, it’s the opposite.

“Yes, you will, Quinny dear,” retorts Kyan from the other side, and while Merikh offers no comfort, no encouragement, the fallen angel at least brushes warm knuckles along my cheek. “You will take your punishment like the good girl we all know you are. You will stay here on the highest edge of the Waste world.”

Goosebumps, without number, clot my bare skin as he continues.

“The air may be rarified, but I’ve given you a magical inhibitor that shields you from the thin oxygen. Just as I’ve coated your skin in the oil of the angels to prevent it from freezing, though trust me...you will feel every inch of the cold lashing your lovely, spectral flesh. Nor will any lightning bolts strike your body, thanks to the guardian chains.”

He pats my bottom and imparts a tender kiss on the back of my head. “I trust this discipline will serve as a worthy reminder of how dangerous the regions surrounding my Court of Storms are, my pet. And to obey the words in any of my notes by harnessing your curiosity and flighty impatience enough to wait for my escort next time.”

Hot, shameful tears burn my eyes but turn to steam at the collision of icy air. I quake at the thought of him leaving me here and leaving me alone most of all. “H-how long?”

“That is for us to know and you to find out, little dove,” Merikh responds, his words the darkness of thunder vibrating into my being.

Out of my peripheral vision, I discover him leaving, abandoning me. On my left, Kyan remains with those knuckles draping my cheek again before they settle upon my lower lip, stilling the trembling and the chattering of my teeth.

“Do you know why I love the mountains so much, Quinny?”

I flick my eyes down, then gulp, regretting it with vertigo overpowering every other sense.

“You become one with the adrenaline, but beyond that primal and visceral thrill that feeds on one, it’s the deep emotion of the mountains. If you close your eyes and surrender, Quinny, they will give you all the power you will ever need. But you must also respect such power. As you must respect my word.”

He pauses, but the pressure on my lower lip increases, giving me no choice but to open my mouth. I gasp from his claw tapping my tongue and drawing a thin line along the curve without shedding blood.

“We angels have a code. I gifted you with beauty from my own realm that was lost to me. And the first thing you did in your glee to show yourself off was not to wait for me and my brothers to greet you in your splendor at breakfast. Instead, you left the safety of the castle grounds to explore on your own. The punishment must fit the crime, my sweet pet...”

A sob breaks from my throat. Nausea surges in my stomach while the stain of self-loathing coats my insides. Drago’s explanations were so blatant and abrupt, followed by such physical fire that I never had much time to think about what I’d done.

As Kyan’s hand departs from my skin, I sense I’ll have much, much more time now.

“And fox or no fox, Quinny. You are of the utmost importance. And it is our responsibility to keep you safe. It is our duty to possess you, to protect you in all matters. As great as this grieves me, remember this: you are the strongest and sweetest girl I’ve ever known...”

I blink snowflakes from my lashes. It’s the only form of shock I may truly express, but it’s enough to dam the fear from sending my whole body into a bone-deep panic. The emotion in his voice, the way it breaks...it’s enough to strengthen me. The words are meaningless compared to the raw emotion behind them. Kyan bewilders me. How he can be so loving and tender with his words, gifts, and care but subject me to such a dark place. Is this Kyan or Merikh who has chosen this? Or someone else?

“Shadow?” I whisper.

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