I stepped back, shaking my head. “No, Mother, he’s not the same man.”
Lilitha’s brow furrowed. “You’re sure? I brought you to see this one with your own eyes this time, so there would be no mistake.”
“There’s no mistake.”
“So there is still another one out there.”
My gut twisted, and I looked down.
“Where is your brother?” Lilitha stalked toward the chained man, her face a cool mask of indifference.
The Outlander flashed a grisly smile, displaying broken teeth and split lips. “Waiting.”
The empress hissed, her fingers curling around the instrument clasped in her hand.
His smile grew. “I might not have the honor of claiming your last breath, demon whore, buthewill.”
“Who will?” I interjected, hanging onto every word as I leaned forward.
The man’s head swung around, his eyes raking over me. “Death, little princess of darkness.”
I shuddered, taking a hasty step back.
“You will suffer for your insolence.” The empress growled and turned to face me. “Kaleah, would you care to do the honor of administering his punishment?”
My eyes widened, and I stumbled back, glancing from the instrument in her hand to her blazing eyes and back again. “What does that do?”
“It’s poison. It tears apart his mind from the inside.”
My eyes flicked to the prisoner, and I shuddered. “I-I can’t.”
“No? You said you wanted to learn to fight. If you can’t even stomach this. . .”
I gulped and shook my head.
“He is not innocent, Kaleah. He almost killed your father and would kill you without a single thought. Do you not want to punish him for his crimes? Make him suffer as he would have made you?”
My breath hitched in my throat, panic gripping me. “I-I. . .” I stared at the man, my heart racing. My mother’s words were true; he was my enemy, but no matter the reasoning, I couldn’t bring myself to hurt him. “Paying for one's crimes should not entitle torture,” I finished, bowing my head.
My mother pursed her lips. “A true ruler does what needs to be done, no matter what. We need answers from this man, regardless of the cost. You are a coward and weak, Kaleah.” With a sniff, she turned away.
My face burned, and I swallowed hard. A hand brushed along my arm and I jumped, looking up to find Marshal standing beside me. His green eyes held a deep sympathy.
A string of unintelligible curses rang out, and I jerked back around. The empress stood beside the man who’d slipped back into his own tongue as he thrashed against his chains. A cruel smile spread across her face, and she jabbed the needle into his neck. He continued to fight and shout as she pressed the end of the plunger down, injecting something into him.
With a laugh, she pulled away. “Now for the fun part.”
I stiffened, watching the man for the slightest sign of discomfort, but nothing happened. My mother returned her instrument to the table, rejoining us, her gaze never leaving her prey. The man stopped struggling, panting as he hung there, glaring at his audience. He dropped his head against his chest, and I feared the worst.
“Is he—”
The man’s head whipped up, his eyes going wide. His pupils grew so large they covered most of his iris as tremors rippled through his frame. A horrifying shriek ripped from his throat, and he started thrashing once more. His shrill yells increased, and I covered my ears with my hands, shaking uncontrollably. Blood dripped down his wrists as he wrenched against his restraints, trying to get away from whatever terror his mind had conjured.
Laughter cut through the nightmare, and I stared up in horror at the woman standing beside me. A feral grin covered her face, her eyes drinking in every second of the vision of pain before her.
Gagging, I turned and fled, running as fast as I could, his screams echoing behind me.
14