A sneer pulled at Lilitha’s beautiful face, turning it into a mask of disgust. “The Ascension is in three days, you have no choice in the matter—”
“Actually, I do.” My eyes darted to my father, and he gave a slight nod as he stood there, leaning against the bars for support, his eyes never leaving me.
The empress seemed to catch our brief exchange, and her eyes narrowed to slits. “It would seem someone’s been telling you things they have no right to know.”
Anger boiled under my skin like lava, and I was tempted to reach out and see what my powers would do to her, but I refrained—barely. My life still had some value that I could barter with. I wouldn’t throw it away quite yet. “You can’t force me to be your heir—”
Lilitha charged forward. With a swipe of her hand, the cell bars glowed with light and flew open with a clang. She shot forward, her hand gripping my throat as she shoved me into the wall making me gag. Ari and my father screamed their protests.
“Listen close and listen well, you ungrateful brat,” she spat, her face shoved close to mine. “I made you what you are, and I can take that all away just as easily. So you have a little power now? Do you think you’re stronger than me? Where do you think that power came from? My blood flows through your veins. You arenothing, and I could obliterate you this second if I so willed it.”
“Then why don’t you?” I choked out as I fought for breath against her tightening grip.
Her lip curled. “Because I get what I want. I haven't suffered your presence these past seventeen years just to be denied the body I deserve three days before the Ascension. Make no mistake, willing or not, youwillbe mine.” She released me, taking a step back as I collapsed to the stone floor, gasping for breath.
“I won’t give in to you.” I panted, rising to my feet. “I’m not weak.”
“Maybe not now, but anyone can be broken.” She shot me a cruel smile, then motioned for Marshal. “Bind the Princess and take her back to her rooms. I’ll be there shortly to begin her new… regimen.” My heart stuttered. What hell did she have planned for me?
Marshal bowed. “And what would you have us do with Lady Ariadne?” he asked, heading toward me.
Lilitha wrinkled her nose, finally sparing a glance for the hunched over figure clasping the bars of her cell. “Leave her. I had planned to give her a private execution, the least I could offer for her crimes, but now thanks to Kaleah,” her eyes panned back to me, “I think that a public execution before the Ascension will do just fine.”
My blood ran cold, and my knees buckled under me. “No,” I whispered. Marshal’s hands gripped my arms, steadying me, but I wrenched away. “No! You can’t hurt her.”
“Marshal, stop her!” the queen screeched.
He reached for me again, and I reached for my power. It hummed at my fingertips, just as Marshal’s fist connected with my jaw. Stars exploded in my vision, and I crumpled, a jolt of pain slamming into me as my head hit the floor.
“Stop it!” Ari screamed, and I was surprised at the pain I heard there. My father’s curses joined the melee, but both went unheeded, and thin fingers wound around my throat.
“You just don’t give up, do you?” the empress’ hissed.
Forcing my eyes open, I stared at her. “Never—”
A scream replaced my voice, and my back arched off the floor as a thousand bolts of lightning raced through my body, searing my flesh and turning my vision red. An eternity passed, her power flaying me alive; every second, every heartbeat, pure agony. Black stars danced in my vision. Time did not exist—Idid not exist—only pain. It wasn’t until I was barely conscious that her power finally left me, but the pain did not. It remained in every cell of my being, begging me to just die.
“I warned you.” Lilitha scoffed before releasing me, the sound of receding footsteps announcing her departure. Marshal hauled me into his arms. I tried struggling, but a whimper escaped my throat as every raw nerve within me protested.
“I’m sorry, Princess.” Marshal’s words echoed through my skull as sweet oblivion found me at last.
28
The Price of Defiance
Eachbreathsangwithpain, reminding me I was still alive as the black fog faded and reality returned. Trying to move as little as possible, I lifted my lashes. Sharp light filled my vision like razor blades being shoved into my eyes, and I bit down on my lip to keep from crying out. A copper taste filled my mouth, and nausea rolled in my stomach. So much for her being weak. Whatever Lilitha had done to me, I wasn’t sure I was capable of recovering on my own.
Taking another shallow breath, I tried to get my bearings and my heart fell when I recognized my surroundings. My bedroom. The remaining piles of my golems were gone—all save for their heads, which were displayed across the room on my dresser. Rocky’s stone, helmet-covered head and Judex’s broken griffin skull face. Beside them stood my little clay golem Calculus, the purple feather sticking out of the top of his head.
My mind flickered back to the sweet little child who had given me her precious toy. Dawn. Even though she didn’t know me personally, she loved me. She trusted me to do what was right and to keep her safe. And to show her gratitude, she’d given me one of her most valuable possessions.
Heart sinking, I stared at Calculus. The light from the chandelier reflected off his tiny black-beaded eyes and the sequins on his fake black armor. Dawn was innocent in all this. She believed as I had most of my life.
“You’ve known him for less than a month! How can you believe his lies over things you’ve been taught and known to be true your whole life? You need to think with your head, not your heart.”Marshal’s words drifted back to me. He was right; when it came to Ryker, Ihadbeen thinking with my heart. But why would Ryker lie to me? The hate he and the other assassins portrayed was real. It made sense.
But I’d also been raised surrounded by good and light. Besides the empress' recent change of heart, I’d never noticed her to be cruel or unjust, and not one of the hundreds of people I’d grown up with, who’d loved me, cared for me and taught me—who raised me—were evil. So what was I supposed to believe? What was the truth?
I choked on a weak sob and looked away. Whispering ensued, and I glanced to the door where two guards stood, one with his head stuck out the half-open door. Probably relaying that I was awake so the empress could resume breaking me. Not that there was much left to break. I could barely move without screaming.