Emelia approached me from the foot of the stairs. “I’m not sure what this means for the guild in the long run.” She glanced back to the top of her stairs where her twin brother, Iov, leaned against the railing. Born together, died together, and born again—together. “But I always thought it was stupid to pretend that I didn’t fear death—for myself or those I love.”
I nodded once to her and the rest of the assassins lingering along the staircase, fidgeting and waiting for guidance. Looking to the oil painting on the mantel, I could’ve sworn Talmage was smiling.
Iov slunk down the stairs to stand by his sister, dark feathered hair teasing his forehead, and offering the broadest grin I’d ever seen. “What’s the plan, boss?”
I took a steadying breath and faced what remained of my family. “First, we need to find Hireath.”
Twenty-eight
Leena
I’d once thought the shadows around Noc were the ultimate void, but the sheer whiteness of my cell, the total absence of color, was even more chilling. It was impossible not to cry. And yet, I couldn’t give up. Even if I died in this prison, I’d never let Wynn use me. Turning my focus back to my chains, I set to work on the screws. I’d been twisting them nonstop since he’d left me, and while only one had shown the tiniest movement, it kept my hands busy. Gave me purpose and direction.
I will make it through this.
The constant droning from the bird beast continued. His cacophonous call made it hard to focus, to think. But I could move. Turn a screw a little at a time.
The far wall shuddered, and the slab of stone leading to freedom cracked open. Morning. I stopped toying with the shackle and hid my hands. Disgust rippled through me as Wynn closed the door behind him.
He frowned, stepping across the room to crouch in front of me. “You’ve been crying.” Thick fingers wiped salt water from my cheeks.
My stomach twisted, and I jerked my chin away. “Don’t touch me.”
He dropped his hands. “You know how tamings go. Every beast is different. I might have to touch you to win you over. There will be some trial and error, of course.”
Wynn snapped his fingers, and the Havra who served me food appeared with a white cloth in her hands. Four blue eyes blinked at me, and she placed the fabric at my feet before disappearing.
Alone. We were alone.
With his weight on the balls of his feet, Wynn leaned over to unlock the shackle on my ankle. “Change.”
Momentary hope crested in my chest. Freedom. I lunged without thinking, bolting straight for the sealed door. Wynn snared my ankle with his hand, and I tumbled to the floor. Rolled onto my back and kicked him square in the jaw. Fury burned in his eyes. He pinned me and smacked my temple so hard my ears rang. Heat settled across my cheek, and he grimaced. Flexed his hand twice before dragging me back toward the chains.
“That was stupid. Change. Now.”
Bile soured my tongue. “No.”
“Now, Leena. Unless you’d prefer my help.”
He wanted me bare. Humiliated. Completely destroyed so it would be easier to break what little resolve I had left. He’d test out every emotion necessary to try to get me to submit.
He would not win.
Brown eyes narrowed with intrigue as I stripped, piling my clothes on the floor. I tried to be fast. Tried to give him as little time as possible to take in my flesh, but his piercing stare couldn’t be altered, and the burn along my breasts remained long after I’d donned the white shift dress.
“Good.”
If running won’t work… Before he could read the shift of my weight, I barreled into him, raining punches down on his face. Prayed for at least one solid connection. My fist glanced off the hard bridge of his nose, and he trapped my wrists with thick hands. One hard twist, and my muscles gave. I caved beneath his grasp, weak from lack of food and sleep.
“You really should stick to summoning beasts.”
“Fuck off,” I spat out.
He reattached the shackle on my ankle and pulled a second one out from under the bed, securing it to my other foot. Then, he reached into the front pocket of his trousers and extracted a small vial full of clear liquid. With a soft pop, he removed the rubber stopper. “Drink this.” He held it out to me, and the aroma of imperit met my nostrils. My hand drifted to