twisted grin. “Would you like to beg leniency on her behalf?”
“What is it you want?” asked Will.
The king’s fist lashed out, and Will had to steel himself to keep from using a point-defense shield to protect himself, then he was falling. “That’s for showing disrespect yet again.”
Sullen anger smoldered in Will’s features as he looked up. “What is it you want, Your Majesty?”
“I have five questions,” said Lognion. “For each one you answer I’ll deduct two lashes from the punishment. For each question you refuse, I’ll give you the lashes instead.”
Stubborn and angry, Will responded, “Agreed.” He already had a bad feeling he wouldn’t like the questions, and he knew from past experience that the king was a seemingly flawless lie detector.
“Where is my daughter?”
Shock ran through him. He knows she’s gone! Will’s eyes widened, and he struggled to think. From the corner of his eye, he could see Laina studying him with combination of horror and interest, since she also desperately wanted to know the answer. Lying wouldn’t work. His mind ran in circles for ten seconds or more before he finally made the only choice available to him. “I refuse to answer that.”
Laina gasped audibly, and Lognion held up two fingers. “How delightful. Very well, here is my second question: Where is Selene?”
He started to answer when Laina broke in. “Will, stop. This is stupid. He’s her father, just tell him.”
You’re more worried about finding out yourself than you are with me taking your punishment, thought Will sourly. “I refuse.”
Lognion held up two more fingers. “Third question, where is my only living child?”
Will felt a cold sweat beginning to form on his body. He’d been beaten with a coachwhip once as a child, ironically enough because he had saved Laina from a snake the first time they met. The coach driver had thought he had attacked her and had laid into him several times before Selene had stopped the man. He still had the scar on his cheek.
He’d almost taken lashes while in the army, but Tiny had taken the blame for him. Will had seen the damage done to the big man’s back and he was sure it was worse than what had happened to him. “I refuse.”
The king arched his brows. “How noble of you. Before I ask the next question, you should know I plan on administering your punishment personally. I like to make every stroke count. I also like to soak the whip in brine. Some say that’s just cruel, but it’s a mercy really. The salt helps the wound stop bleeding more quickly, though it does make the cut agonizingly painful.” He paused to let his words sink in, then asked, “Where is your wife?”
Something snapped as fear overloaded Will’s mind. “Why don’t you summon her and ask her yourself?” The world went black as Lognion’s fist drove him into unconsciousness. When he awoke, he was being held by two men in much the same fashion that Darla had been a few minutes earlier.
“Are you awake?” asked the king. “I don’t like beating unconscious men. Too much effort for no reward.”
Groggy, Will answered, “Yes, and that was your fifth question.” Even as he said it, he knew the remark would earn him a more severe beating, but he couldn’t help himself. Probably too much time spent around the fae, he decided. That sort of thing would work with them.
Lognion remained still for a moment, then began to chuckle. “All right, fine. You made me laugh. I’ll count that one as a question answered.” The smile on the king’s face was genuine, which made it all the more terrifying.
He really is insane.
“This is why I love dealing with you, William. You’re so much more entertaining than any of my other servants or enemies.” Lognion patted his cheek affectionately. He nodded to the two men holding Will up. “Follow me. We’ll take him behind Lord Nerrow’s house.”
Laina squeaked in surprise. “Here? Now? You were going to take me to the square—”
“Remember your place, Miss Nerrow.”
She dipped her head. “Your Majesty.”
Lognion nodded happily. “The