emitting this much power and he’s not even using it. He could level this entire room without even a second thought, and I just unleashed him.
When the guards come to collect me several hours later, I expect to be beaten like I had previously, their eagerness and need for violence shining clearly in their eyes. However, as soon as they see my limping, exhausted form, they turn on Vaeril.
“What did you do to her?” the guard in charge bellows, taking a few menacing steps towards Vaeril, but he stops when the elf levels a glare at him. I don’t blame him, it’s a look that promises bloodshed. Even a restrained elf, as they believe him to be, would be a formidable opponent, and they don’t even know that his cuffs are now obsolete.
The head guard’s companion watches me with disdain as I push to my feet and stumble towards them, stopping a few steps away. “If we beat her now it will be obvious, and the priest was explicit. No one can know.”
“Taking all the fun out of our job,” one of the guards from the door calls out, his crossbow pointed at Vaeril’s chest. For a moment, I think he’s going to shoot and cause the elf pain to make up for the violence they missed out on with me.
“Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time to play with her another day, but right now, she’s expected,” the guard in charge says in a placating tone, striding forward and grabbing my arm as he drags me towards the door. I want to shudder at the implication that I am nothing more than a plaything, but I don’t have the energy. With Grayson gone, I’m sure I’ll be down here every day. The only thing stopping them from holding me down here indefinitely is the fact Wilson is keeping an eye on me, which I now understand is exactly why Grayson instructed him to do it.
The sound of banging stops, and I raise my head just enough to see Vaeril watching me, his face set in a heavy frown, his hands balled into fists.
I want to snap their puny, worthless necks and watch as the life drains from them. The thought floats through my mind, and I frown as I’m dragged farther away. That wasn’t my thought. I must be so tired that I’m hearing things now. There’s no way I can hear Vaeril’s thoughts, and I’m sure he didn’t say it out loud, the guards would have said something if he did.
Vaeril’s staring at the guards with a look of pure hatred now, and I’m worried he’s going to do something stupid. If he attacks them, we will never escape, especially with me as exhausted as I am.
Look at me, I think, wishing I could talk to him, assure him I will be back, and to my surprise, he does—his eyes instantly flick to mine. I don’t have time to dwell on it, but I know this will consume my mind later. I shake my head. I’ll be fine, they aren’t going to hurt me. I wish there was some way to project my thoughts to him, but instead I simply hope he can read my expression and hold back his rage—at least until it’s time for us to escape.
He dips his chin slightly, and to anyone who was looking, they wouldn’t have noticed the slight movement, but I know he was agreeing with me.
Not yet.
Wilson met me at the end of the corridor where he’d left me this morning. His frown was severe when he saw my exhausted state, but thankfully he didn’t bring it up when I gave him a look. He helped me back to my rooms, with more assistance than I would like to admit, and left me in Jayne’s very capable hands, saying he would return for me later.
It was only when I was soaking in the bath that I remembered what the guard had said. “She’s expected.”
Expected by who? I hadn’t thought to question it before, but the thoughts plagued me while I was bathing. I was also worried, wondering why Wilson didn’t stay for supper like he usually would, instead returning for me later.
I look at myself in the mirror as Jayne combs and styles my now golden curls, the magic clinging to me. I find myself here often with her steady, gentle, calming hands, and I realise I quite enjoy this process of getting ready. It’s obvious I’m going somewhere for