by Frost Kay
“Must you drone on and on?” a husky female voice asked.
Casually, he placed the book in his lap and lifted his eyes to the woman in the cell. “Do you have anything else to do?”
She stared stonily at him.
Tehl shrugged. “If you don’t mind, I’ll continue.” He plucked the book from his lap and picked up where he left off.
Unbeknownst to the other kingdoms, Scythia’s warlord had grown increasingly obsessed with perfection, and began to covet something that was not his. A woman. One who was promised to another.
Rafe sniggered. “Sound familiar?”
Apparently, the rebellion leader wasn’t asleep.
Tehl raised a brow but kept reading. “Time passed, and the warlord’s experiments continued from just healing his people to attempting to alter them so they would never get sick. And he succeeded. His people never became ill. But that wasn’t enough; he kept searching for ways to fix his people, to perfect their race.
When the other kingdoms became aware of his tampering, they immediately sought the warlord of Scythia. He smiled and placated the kings with lies and promises of healing draughts from their lands. But slowly, the Scythian people stopped marrying into any other race, worried that their children wouldn’t be healthy. They began to distance themselves, withdrawing back into their jungles, fearing imperfection would infect them.
That was the first sign of danger. The Sirenidae saw the danger and calamity ahead, but no one paid them any mind. So, they pulled back into the ocean and disappeared altogether.
After years, it seemed normal that the Scythians didn’t leave their kingdom, and the Sirenidae became a myth. But there was still peace.
As time passed, the warlord became more obsessed with perfecting the world. He hated the bond shared between the people and dragons of Nagali. It was unnatural in his mind that the death of a beast would break a person and change them forever. So, he offered the Nagali king a draught that would heal and alter his people, but the king refused. This angered the Scythian warlord, so much so, he decided to cleanse the Nagali people from the land.”
A snort.
Tehl ignored her and kept on.
“Scythians crept into Nagali like thieves in the night. They swarmed the land like locusts and destroyed everything in their path. In a matter of days, an entire race had been murdered, down to the last ruby dragon. Aermia and Methi rallied and moved to meet Scythia in battle. But Scythia never planned to battle them. They had created a sickness that would spread through the people. It was only because of one man that this didn’t happen.”
“The traitor,” Blaise spat.
“Many consider Alexander a hero.”
Somehow, she managed to look down her nose at him whilst sitting down. “He betrayed our kingdom. I assure you, he was no hero. Every year, we celebrate his death by dancing on his grave.”
Rafe tipped his head forward and looked at Tehl. “They’re more demented than I expected.”
A mocking laugh poured out of the woman. “The only thing demented here is you. Don’t think I can’t smell what you are, Methi.”
Tehl froze, keeping his face schooled. Methi?
The rebellion leader smiled arrogantly at the woman. “With senses like that, you’re no better than an animal like me.”
Blaise lunged to her feet, only to be jerked back by her cuffs. “I’m nothing like you.”
“Don’t be so sure. Who do you think your warlord was trying to imitate when he started experimenting on his people? He was jealous of everyone else’s abilities.”
She spat at him and sat on the floor again, her chest sawing heavily.
“Charming,” Rafe remarked.
Tehl watched her as she tried to calm herself down.
She pulled in one final breath and opened her eyes. “Even in this kingdom, staring is considered rude.” A pause. “You won’t break me.”
“I’m not trying to break anything.”
“Liar,” she hissed.
He crossed his arms and cocked his head. “Truly, nothing broken is useful.”
A long blink. “Agreed.” Another pause. “Where’s the woman? I enjoyed her last visit. She’s interesting.”
“Come now. Surely, you can use her name?” Rafe needled.
“Sage. I want to see her.”
Then the Scythian woman wasn’t aware. “So do I,” Tehl replied.
Two little wrinkles appeared in her forehead. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean, Blaise.”
Her attention jumped from Rafe to himself and back again. “Is she dead?”
“No, she’s been taken by a man I originally met as Serge,” he explained, then took a risk. “A man you’re acquainted with. A man named Rhys.”
She didn’t fidget or look around. She just froze. But her gaze held a glimmer of fear.
“Are you familiar with him?”
Silence.
“Answer me.”
Anger, frustration, and panic churned in his gut. All he wanted were a few answers. He didn’t want to play the bad guy. He hated it.
He uncoiled from his spot and walked to the bars, never losing eye contact. “Do you know what happens to political prisoners like yourself?” No answer. “Let me tell you. We marry them off.” She pulled in a sharp breath through her clenched teeth. Good, she needed to understand the stakes here. “It hasn’t been done in many years, but don’t think I wouldn’t marry you off to the highest bidder. That is your future if you don’t speak.”
“Do you think I would betray my kingdom because of a threat?” she whispered, disgust clear in her tone.
“No, you’re too honorable for that. But I’m not asking you to betray your kingdom.”
“Lies, but for the sake of the argument, what do you want from me?”
“Why did he take Sage?”
“I don’t know.”
“Lies,” he repeated her words.
“I don’t. If he did, no good will come from it.”
“Who ordered her kidnapping?”
She hesitated.
“Tell him, or I swear I’ll come in there and rip your tongue from your throat,” Rafe growled.
Tehl frowned at Rafe. “Enough.”
The rebellion leader snarled but kept quiet. He turned slowly back to the prisoner to lock eyes with her. Her gaze bounced between them, and a half-smile curved her lips. “You’re both in love with the princess.”
“You’re right,” he allowed. “She’s part of my family.”
“The beast and the prince,” she murmured. “How scandalous.”
“Why has he taken her?”
“If he’s taken her, it could be many things. Someone may want her, or…he could have taken her for himself.”
“Why?”
“He needs a reason?”
“You’re being obtuse.” Time for a different tactic. “Blaise, you owe me nothing, but you owe Sage something. She’s made sure that your safety and health were a priority. You’ve been in this prison, but you’ve been well taken care of. No men have touched you. You haven’t been starved or tortured. She has been your champion. I understand Scythians have their own code of honor. Would you really leave your debt unpaid?”
Her fists clenched, and she tipped her head back to stare at the stone ceiling. “You don’t need me to tell you why she was taken. It’s common sense. She’s valuable. She was the most valuable thing in this entire castle.” Blaise rolled her neck and peeked at him from under her lashes. “She’s not in immediate danger, but she’ll wish she was dead.”
“Why is that?”
“Scythia is not kind to chattel.”
“Chattel?”
She looked him dead in the face. “The women used to birth our young.”
Rafe cursed and slammed a hand on the bars. “Why would they even want her? Scythians hate outsiders. She’s not one of the flawless.”
“There are ways to make sure the young she carries are flawless, even if she
isn’t. Plus, one can always close their eyes…” A hint of revulsion colored her words.
A wave of disgust washed through Tehl. “That’s sick.”
She turned away, hiding her face from him. “Flawless or not, no one should be used like that,” she admitted.
“I agree,” Tehl said, trying to keep his emotions locked down. “Thank you for speaking with us. When Sage returns, I’ll send her to you.” He pushed away from the bars and strode away.
“Don’t expect the same woman,” she called after him. “The woman you knew as Sage is dead.”
He sped up and wound through the hallways, trying to sort out the conversation in his mind and keep himself from killing the spy striding next to him.
“That woman’s toying with us,” Rafe growled from his right.
Tehl skidded to a stop and stared at the rebellion leader. “She’s not the only one.”
“What do you mean by that?”
He snatched his dagger from his waist and slammed his forearm against Rafe’s chest, pushing him into the stone wall. “Do you really think I would forget what she said? You’re a damn spy.”
Amber eyes narrowed on him. “Are you going to trust what that lying wench said?”
“She wasn’t lying, but you have been. Why are you here, Methian?” he demanded, pressing the blade against the rebellion leader’s throat.
“I’m here to help Sage, and make Aermia stronger.”
He snorted. “That’s utter rubbish. You started the first successful rebellion in Aermia’s history. Enough with the lies. What’s in it for Methi?”
The large man stared at him and then sighed. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”
A sarcastic laugh burst out of Tehl. “What makes you think I would believe anything that comes out of your lying trap? First, you’re the Methian prince, then you were the leader of rebellion, and now you’re on my council. How convenient.” His own gaze narrowed at a thought slithering through his mind. “Is she aware of who you are?”
Rafe held his gaze. “Yes.”
“Damn it,” Tehl yelled, and pushed back from the spy. He glared at the stone wall and pointed the dagger at Rafe. “How long?”
“The night before you wed.”
“Of course.” He laughed. “You were hoping to spirit her away.”
“She refused me.”
“Only because she has more honor in her little finger than most in their whole body.”
A bitter chuckle rumbled out of Rafe. “That’s what attracted me to her in the first place. She was so loyal and dedicated to her family. Then I saw her practicing in her meadow. She was glorious.”
Something flashed across the rebellion leader’s face that made an unfamiliar emotion stir in Tehl’s gut. It felt suspiciously like jealousy. “Why does she keep protecting you?” Tehl asked, feeling completely at a loss. “You’ve done nothing but put her in harm’s way, and betray her time and time again. And yet, she forgives you.”
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.”
Chapter Twelve
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.”