by Frost Kay
The rebellion leader scoffed. “That woman hasn’t forgiven me for anything. I have fought tooth and nail for her. I even bribed her with what she wanted most in life, and she still wouldn’t leave with me.” Rafe glanced to the floor, and ran a hand through his wine-colored hair. “She was mine before she ever met you. Mine. If Rhys hadn’t betrayed both of us, she never would have been your wife.”
Tehl arched a brow. “Rhys wasn’t the only one to betray her.”
“You’re right,” the rebellion leader growled. “She was everything I ever wanted, but duty demanded I take care of my responsibilities before my feelings. You understand that.”
It was something Tehl understood well. “Duty is important,” he acknowledged. “What were these responsibilities that kept you from her?”
Rafe blew out a breath and ignored his question. “She says she forgives me, and yet she holds me at arm’s length. I can’t help but feel that if I listened to her the first time, none of this would have happened.”
“We can’t go back. It’s useless to dwell on the past, unless it’s a lesson to be learned.”
“Very wise.”
Tehl smiled. “My father used to say that when we were growing up.”
Rafe cracked a smile. “He’s an interesting old man.”
“That he is,” Tehl said. “What are you doing in my kingdom?”
The rebellion leader studied him for a long minute. “The Methi have never forgotten the stories of old. They are even part of our education for our young. We’ve watched Aermia for a long time, and then things started to change in your kingdom.”
“The kidnappings,” Tehl said.
“Among other things,” Rafe answered vaguely. “Then your mother died.”
A sense of loss filled Tehl. It had been years, but the loss was still there.
“Your father, in his grief, lost his grip on your kingdom, and things became worse. It was then decided that something had to be done.”
“Why? Why meddle in Aermia’s affairs?”
“Your kingdom is all that keeps the Scythians from us. If your kingdom falls, Methi is vulnerable. To keep the Scythians at bay, you needed a leader to take charge.”
Both Tehl’s brows rose. “And that’s you?”
“No, it just wasn’t your father. We needed someone who would fight for your kingdom and unite it.”
“Sage.”
Rafe dipped his chin. “One of several possibilities. Everything was going according to plan until you captured Sage. Even then, I thought it would be great for information, but then…”
“Rhys.”
“Rhys,” the rebellion leader hissed. “That double-crossing son of a whore. He destroyed everything.”
“He needs to suffer.”
“Indeed.”
Both men stared at each other, wearing matching grins, and, for the first time, it seemed like there was no animosity between them.
Tehl took one step closer and held his hand out to Rafe. “This is not the path either one of us planned on traveling, but tragedy, unexpected events, and Sage have shoved us together. For the sake of my wife and the woman that you love, do you suppose we can get on together? For her?”
Rafe eyed him, then clasped forearms with him. “For the woman we love.”
“For Sage.”
Sage
Sage groaned. Everywhere hurt.
When she finally got up the strength to crack her eyelids, she blinked, and then blinked again. Was there something wrong with her eyes? She saw only darkness, not even a sliver of light. Sage ran her hands along the rough surface upon which she lay. The familiar rough texture of stone met her fingertips. Where was she? A dungeon?
She tried swallowing and found her throat burned as if she were swallowing fire. After a moment, she was able to croak out, “Jasmine?”
“Here,” her friend’s voice was a whisper, and it came from somewhere on Sage’s right.
“Are y— ?” She broke off, seized by a sudden coughing fit. “Are you alright?”
“Well, I haven’t really moved around, but my ribs don’t bother me as much, so I guess there’s that.”
Sage shifted to sit up but stopped short, cool air caressing her skin. She gasped and grabbed at the soft cover around her. What the hell had happened? “What happened to my clothes?” she grumbled out loud.
“They took them and washed you. I watched the whole time. Nothing horrid happened.”
She shuddered as the image of Rhys’ hungry, soulless eyes flashed through her mind. Shaking her head, she rubbed at her forehead, as if the motion could somehow erase both the memory and the fear it created. “So where are we now?”
“My guess? Some sort of cell.”
“How long have we been here?” she asked, turning toward the sound of Jasmine’s voice.
“No clue. I’ve slept on and off, and there’s no light. No one’s visited us since they left us here. If I go by my throat and belly, I’d say it’s been at least a day.” A pause. “I’m so glad you’re okay. When the warlord grabbed you, you went limp. I fought to get to you, but that Scythian wench held me back. I thought he’d killed you.” Her last words were a broken whisper.
“I’m so sorry, Jas. That must have been horrible for you.”
Jasmine sniffed. “There was nothing I could do! I’ve been so damn helpless this entire time!”
Sage sat up and clutched her head as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Once she’d regained her equilibrium, she tugged on the edges of the fabric covering her and tied them into a knot. Even if Jas couldn’t see her, there was no way she was going without clothes. Sage scooted in the direction of Jasmine’s voice, and paused as something smooth and cool on her ankles halted her. Her breathing quickened as she ran a shaking hand toward the object brushing her skin. Her fingers discovered cool metal encircling her ankle— a manacle.
No…
She was chained… trapped....
“Sage?”
No, no, no, no, no! The words echoed over and over in her mind. This couldn’t be happening, not again.
“Sage!”
The harsh tone snapped her from her trance. Pushing her now-dampened hair from her brow, she gave voice to her thoughts. “We’ve been caged and bound,” she whispered, her heart galloping. “We’re trapped.”
“I’m so sorry.”
She started tugging on the iron. “There has to be a way out.”
“I already tried.”
She pulled harder and pain shot up her fingers.
“Sage…”
She stopped pulling. Suddenly, she felt faint. Why was there no air in the room?
“Sage!”
“What?” she yelled.
“You need to calm down.”
“I c-can’t breathe, there’s no air!” she wheezed. “I can’t breathe!”
“Yes, you can. You just need to calm down first.” She heard metal slithering across stone just before she felt a hand grasp her arm. “Sage. Inhale through your nose and out through your mouth. I’m going to do it, so you just copy me, okay?”
Clasping Jasmine’s hand, she tried to do as her friend instructed, breathing in and out. In and out. She focused solely on accomplishing those two things, and how long they sat in the dark, just breathing, she didn’t know. Slowly but surely, her breathing slowed. Sage patted Jasmine’s hand when she finally managed to speak without wheezing. “Thank you.”
Sage felt her friend shrug beside her.
“My nephew has had episodes since his parents died in a Scythian raid a few months ago. I’ve since taken charge of their care, so I’ve had to learn how to calm him down.”
She shifted and pulled her sheet tighter around her. “Your nephew?”
“My brother and his wife had twins, a boy and a girl, but I’m raising them now. Or at least, I was…” She trailed off.
“I’m so sorry.” She squeezed Jasmine’s hand. “You will see them again.”
“And you’re a damn liar.”
A snort. “You know how ridiculous that sounds?”
She did, actually. A chuckle slipped out, and then another. Sage laughed and laughed and laughed, until tears streamed down her cheeks and her belly cramped.
“It wasn’t that funny.”
She wiped her eyes and stared into the darkness. “It’s this ridiculous situation. Everything about it is surreal.”
“I understand what you mean.”
She opened her mouth to continue when she heard what sounded like a shoe scuffing against stone, followed by the scraping of stone as a door was pushed open, and the two girls were left blinking in the newfound light. Sage rubbed at her eyes and then squinted as her eyes tried to adjust. She was barely able to make out the two masculine shapes standing in the doorway. “What do you want?” she demanded.
They ignored her and moved into the room. As her eyes began to adjust, one of the men approached Jasmine and knelt beside her, removing the chain connecting her feet to the floor. The girl attempted to scramble back away from him, but was held immobile by a large hand wrapped around her ankle.
“What are you doing?” Jasmine yelled.
Sage’s hand tightened on Jasmine’s when the warriors remained silent, trading a look. This didn’t bode well.
“Get your hands off me!” Jasmine commanded.
In a coordinated move, the men placed themselves on either side of her and plucked the small woman from the ground, holding onto her arms and feet.
“No!” Jas yelled as she fought.
Sage surged to her feet still holding tight to Jasmine’s hand. “Let her go!” Her fist struck out, smashing into the taller of the men. He grunted but didn’t release her friend. Sage’s sheet fluttered to the ground, leaving her body exposed, but she didn’t care about her nudity.
Jasmine let out a pained cry when the shorter one wrapped his arms around her damaged ribs.
“Careful,” the taller warrior warned. “Don’t hurt her. Can you handle her?”
“Yes.”
The taller warrior dropped her flailing feet to the floor and turned to Sage. “Do not make this difficult. We do not want to hurt you.”
Sage wrapped her other hand around Jasmine’s arm and gave him a defiant look. “Let her go.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, before he pushed her and tore her grasp from Jas.
“NO!” she screamed as the shorter warrior hauled her friend, kicking and screaming, into his arms. She lunged toward Jas, only to be jerked back by large arms.
“Sage!” Jasmine screamed and reached for her just as the warrior disappeared through the door.
Sage spun on the taller warrior when his arms released her, and sprang at him, only to be tripped by her shackled feet. Her bare knees slammed into the stone, her teeth clacking together at the impact. Tears sprang to her eyes. “Bring her back!”
His lips turned downward. “Forget about her.” He picked up her sheet from the floor and tossed it to her. “Cover yourself. Not all are gentlemanly.”
She caught it with numb hands, still unable to believe they had stolen Jasmine. “What will happen to her?”
“She will be disposed of.”
Disposed of? Her panic doubled. “What are you going to do?” He gave her a sad look and moved out the door. “Tell me, damn it!”
“She’s never coming back,” he said and closed the door, shutting all light out once again.
“Bring her back!” she screamed, completely blind. Without hesitation, she started wrenching at her shackles. “Come on, you bastards! Bend, break, something!”
No matter how hard she screamed and pulled, they didn’t budge. It was perhaps hours that she went on like that, but to no avail. Her breath see-sawed from her chest, and her hands throbbed in time with her heart when, finally, she collapsed against the cool floor, tears streaming down her face. They’d taken her friend. She should have fought harder. Done something.
And now they were both alone.
She cried and cried until there were no more tears, and exhaustion claimed her.
Sage woke up, still naked and on a stone floor. She groaned and rolled onto her back, a tear leaking from her eye as she stared up into the darkness above her.
“I’m so sorry, Jas. Sorrier than I could ever tell you,” she whispered, her heart so heavy it felt difficult to breathe.
She swiped her eyes with the back of her hand and lay her cheek upon the cool floor. She ached all over at the loss of her friend. It felt like someone had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart. Another tear snuck out. She’d only known Jasmine for little more than a week, but they’d bonded in an extraordinary way, having supported one another through the most gruesome of circumstances. She’d chosen to stand and fight, and Sage admired her for it. Even when she was badly beaten, she stood back up. That endurance and grit had made Sage feel like she could fight harder, too...
But now, her friend was gone, and she was alone. Hadn’t they just been laughing together, comforting each other in spite of their circumstance? How could she just be ripped away? Tears welled up in her eyes. It wasn’t fair, to either of them.
“Jasmine,” she whispered, her tears spilling over. “What did they do to you? How can you be gone? I need you. I need your iron will to keep me going. I, I-” Her throat felt tight, her voice raw. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you and-” She let out a sob. Her breath stuttered as tears streamed down her face, her words barely intelligible. “I’m s-s-sorry that your babies have to grow up without their momma a-a-and now you.” She wiped at her nose with the back of her hand. “I’ll miss you so much. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She was choking out breaths now, her cries echoing around her in the darkness. For the second time, she cried her heart out for her friend, her grief overwhelming her.
After her tears had mostly dried, she lay on her back, staring once again into the darkness above, just thinking. She thought of her friend and how it seemed so unfair that no one would know of the enormous sacrifice she’d made just to help a stranger.
“But I do,” she said softly, “and I’ll never forget it, just like I’ll never forget you.” She also thought of those two tiny children, the ones no doubt missing their auntie, with no one to care for them. She would do it if she could. She would give those children the love and care they needed and deserved. “And if, by some miracle, I get out of here alive, I’ll see to it your babies don’t, either.” Those children deserved to know about their aunt, and Jasmine deserved to be remembered.
A sense of calm came over her. The pain didn’t diminish, but the hopelessness did. She realized she still had a reason to fight and to live. She wasn’t just fighting for herself but for those babies who’d already lost so much. When she escaped, Sage could fully mourn, but first, she had to survive.
She was a survivor, not just a victim. Now she had to act like one.
Her tongue felt swollen in her mouth, and her lips were cracked. Her arms shook as she forced herself to sit up and lean against the wall. She was wasting away in here. A meager amount of bread and water were delivered each day, but it wasn’t enough to sustain her. It was just enough for her to die slowly. That she felt she could handle. It was the darkness that was bound to drive her insane. Her eyes roved the darkness, seeking any sort of light. How long had she been here?
“You’ve been here for five days, Sage.”
She jumped and glanced around, shocked to hear the sound of Tehl’s voice.
“Tehl?”
“You’re just having a nightmare. Go back to sleep.”
Sage blinked slowly. “I was dreaming?”
A grunt. “You have nightmares almost every night. It’s a miracle I haven’t been stabbed yet.”
“It seemed so real,” she said.
“Nightmares usually do. Now, go back to sleep. I’ll protect you.”
“But I…” Something wasn’t right.
She ran a hand along the bed and froze when cool air
whispered across her chest. Her bare chest. She jerked the sheet over her body and slammed her eyes closed. What was happening? She’d never slept naked in bed with Tehl. Why was she naked?
A masculine laugh rippled through the dark, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms. “You can sleep naked anytime you like, love.”
Sage tucked the sheet under her armpits, and pressed her palms to her forehead. She was hallucinating.
She felt a touch on her arm and jerked, opening her eyes only to find she was still surrounded by darkness. “Who’s there?” she croaked.
“Just me,” Tehl replied.
“You…you can’t be!”
“Why not? Think about it logically. How many times have I had to wake up and convince you that you were just dreaming? Thirty? Forty?”
This was starting to freak her out. Where was she?
“You’re at home.”
“Stop speaking to me! I can’t think,” she yelled. Sage wrapped her arms around her belly, and rocked back and forth. What had Gav said to do when she had nightmares? “Say what is truth,” she whispered. “My name is Sage. I am a blacksmith. I’m the crown prince’s consort. Lilja and Mira are my friends. I’ve never slept naked with Tehl. Rhys kidnapped me.” She swallowed. “Rhys is dead. You’re not real.”
“Very good.”
“You’re not real.”
“I thought we established that.”
“My mind is making you up.”
“Seems likely.”
Sage shook her head. “Why in the world would my mind create you?”
A snort. “Don’t ask me to decipher a woman’s mind. I almost never know what you’re thinking anyway.”
“But why?”
“I’m thinking that’s a question only you can answer.”
“Why couldn’t I have imagined my mum, Lilja, Mira, or Gav? Why choose you?”
“I don’t understand it, either.”
“But you’re me,” she pointed out. “I’m talking to myself.”
“It does seem that way.”
She slumped against the wall as her stomach cramped painfully.