Blackbird Crowned (The Witch King's Crown #3) - Keri Arthur Page 0,65
realize we are more than one. Certainly the poor celebrant didn’t.”
A statement that suggested said celebrant hadn’t survived long past the wedding.
“We will be consort to your brother’s king,” Winter continued, “and quite soon, if all goes according to schedule.”
Not if I had any fucking say in it. Of course, I had to get out of the current situation before I wreaked havoc on their damn plans.
“To repeat, why couldn’t you take me through the gate?”
“That is an extremely interesting question and one we have no answer to. Yet.” Water splashed, suggesting he was moving closer. A vague sense of wrongness washed over me, then a hand forcefully grabbed my chin. I squeaked in surprise and instinctively kicked out—only to discover my legs were tied as well.
Winter didn’t laugh, but he did enjoy my reaction. I felt the ooze of it crawl across my senses and knew then there was far more pain yet to come. “What are you hiding from us, Gwen?”
I spat in his face. I couldn’t see the result, but his grip tightened so abruptly, I thought my jaw would crack.
“I’d personally kill you if the choice were mine. Fortunately for you, it is not. But such a restriction doesn’t mean I cannot inflict a whole lot of pain, and my people have a long history of doing so without causing permanent harm. Perhaps you’ll be more compliant after a little taste of what is to come if you do not give us what we want.”
“What I want,” I growled, even as my insides quailed, “is to see you suffer a long, slow, agonizing death. It will happen, Winter. I promise you that.”
He laughed and released me. “We shall see how long that bravery lasts. Give her ten minutes, no more.”
Meaning there was someone else in the room with us? Someone I hadn’t sensed? I swallowed heavily, but it did nothing to ease the rising tide of tension and fear.
His footsteps retreated. For several long minutes, nothing happened. Deep in the distance water dripped, a soft and steady sound that gnawed at my nerves. Then the whispers began. I had no idea what they were saying, because they weren’t speaking English. It didn’t even sound like any of the Darkside languages I’d heard over the years.
They circled around me, moving the air but not the foul water, spiraling ever closer, filling my nostrils with their acidic scent.
Something hit my face. I jerked away, felt warmth trickle even as my skin began to move, to crawl, with life. Dear god, something was burrowing into my cheek …
Horror erupted, and I snapped my face from side to side, trying to shake the thing loose. The whispers grew louder, more excited. Another sting, this time on my arm. I couldn’t move, couldn’t shake the thing from my skin as it dug into my flesh.
More stings, more life eating at my flesh. Then a dark heat began to crawl from the various entry points and flooded my veins with utter agony.
I screamed. Screamed long and loud. Screamed until my throat was raw and my voice broke. Screamed on in silence until the pain broke me and I collapsed into the welcome arms of unconsciousness.
Waking was another nightmare. My heart raced, my chest ached, and my body was slick with moisture. Whether it was sweat or blood, I couldn’t say and honestly didn’t want to know.
But deep in the pit of my stomach, a thick knot of determination had formed. I would survive this. I would get free.
And then I’d fucking make Winter, the whisperers, and most of all my brother, pay.
I was done playing nice.
But to do any of that, I first had to escape.
I drew in a careful breath and took stock. I remained tied to the post, though the tape around my waist didn’t feel as tight. Maybe I’d thrown myself around so much when the bastards had been burrowing that I’d stretched it.
The burning ache in my shoulders had given way to numbness. I wasn’t sure that was any better, given it was a sure sign the muscles—and maybe even the blood vessels—in my arm were under deep stress.
There was no sign or sound of the whisperers. Nothing to suggest I was anything but alone. There was no guarantee that was true, of course, especially since I hadn’t sensed their presence initially. The rolling wave of dark energy remained, but otherwise, the place was silent. Even the faint dripping had muted.