A Crown Of Shadows And Secrets - Sloane Murphy Page 0,85

empty the contents of my stomach over him. He goes to leave the room, but stops and turns back to me. With a wave of his hand, my pain disappears again and I suck in a breath, taking the small relief. He smiles again and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

“Please get me out of here,” I whisper to Deacon, but he looks unaffected by my plea.

“Where is your friend?” He asks and my heart sinks. It was foolish to think he was anything more than a Demon. Of course he isn't going to help me.

“I already told him, I don't know,” I sigh, and he moves towards me, his hands raised. It takes every measure of strength I have not to flinch as his hands move to my temples.

“This is probably going to hurt,” he says softly, so softly I almost think he might be sorry, but my thoughts are ripped away and pain unlike anything I've ever encountered rips through me and my screams fill the air.

I curl up on myself in the corner of the room, having been freed from the restraints while I was passed out. I'm not sure which of them did it, but as Deacon tore into my mind, I know he saw what I'd seen when he'd shown me the ring of fire days before. At least I think it was days, I've lost track of time completely. My meals have gone back to nothing more than bread and water, another of Azriel's ways to break me I assume, but he has no idea just how stubborn I can be. I will never give him what he wants.

Though, if Deacon can tear into my mind the way he did, I might not have a choice. I can still feel his claws on the edges of my mind. My body shakes as I sit, watching the door through the darkness of the room. The only light from the bottom of the door where it doesn't quite meet the floor.

I close my eyes and try to slow my breathing, try to stop the shaking. It takes a while, but finally I still, my mind calmer, though fear still grips me. What Deacon did was worse than anything Azriel did. Hurting my body, that I can survive, but breaking into my mind. The violation is greater, and harder to recover from. While I'm grateful my body doesn't hurt right now, I'd rather take the pain to my body over my mind every single time.

I have no idea what else he managed to get from my thoughts. I tried to shield myself against the onslaught, but even with every shield practice I've ever done with Mama, nothing has ever torn through me the way he did.

I shudder at the thought of it.

I never want to deal with that again.

Footsteps approach my door and I go rigid. I hold my breath, and send a prayer to the goddess to protect me. I don't know if she can reach me here, if she can even hear me, but I cling to it. They stop at my door, the light broken by the feet of whoever is out there.

“I'm sorry.” I only just hear the words, said so faintly, I wonder if I imagined them before the person moves away from the door, and the footsteps grow quieter the further away they get. I let out the breath I was holding slowly, trying to hold on to my sanity, telling myself I didn't imagine it.

I move so I'm lying on the ground, it’s hard and cold, but it’s still better than being trapped in that chair, and try to get comfortable. Closing my eyes, I try to drift off to sleep.

I feel myself falling when I hear a scream, and my eyes spring open.

Who the fuck was that?

I scramble to my feet and move to the door as the screams get louder.

“Please, please, just let me go,” the voice cries and my heart stops.

That can't be Rebel.

I won't believe it.

There is no way Mama would have left her alone after I was taken. Colt wouldn't have let them get her. I pound my fist on the door and shout for Azriel, Deacon, anyone, but no-one comes, and her screams go on, filling my ears, breaking my heart, breaking me.

Azriel might not have broken me, but I'd happily give myself over for my sister.

“Stop it!” I scream, pounding on the door again when I hear that insufferable chuckle on