Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(30)
“I’ll watch for Boss,” Jasper muttered, quickly turning his back on the three of us and herding the other onlookers out of the room. He shut the door behind him and a sudden golden, shimmering glow encased the walls—a Mage privacy spell to keep my screams unheard from outside the room.
Dell stepped next to Bruno and placed a stake in front of my face. The pointy half was made of solid silver, the back half of it made of black spelled wood. I flinched as he ran it over my cheek, the silver sizzling against my skin as he crooned, “Come, Caro, squeal for us.” He grabbed my broken hand, slamming it straight on the wall and making me grunt on a choked cry…right before his arm blurred as he slammed the stake through my palm.
I grunted hard, my body jerking as I gurgled a sob.
“Now, that wasn’t good enough,” Dell hummed. “I guess I’ll have to try again.” I gritted my teeth, groaning through the shout that wanted to escape as he jerked the stake out only to slam it into another spot on my hand. My mouth opened on a silent scream and my vision dimmed for a moment before returning. My body trembled, blood pouring from my pinned hand. “Again, I guess.”
“Not enough time,” Bruno muttered.
“Fuck, between you and Jasper, my time with her is always f*cking ruined,” Dell mumbled in irritation. I sobbed silently…then shouted as he blurred around Bruno and slammed a stake into my other palm, pinning my hands completely to the wall. “There, now she’s making some damn noise.” He elbowed Bruno as my sobs racked my body. Another shout escaped me as Bruno moved, all of my weight hanging from my pinned hands and good leg. Dell lifted the silver spear, which was made sadistically the same as the stakes, and placed it against my stomach right above my navel. He grinned with hilarity right before he pressed the three-inch-thick, burning silver spear into my stomach.
I screamed.
I screamed as Dell and Bruno had wanted to hear, my cry piercing through the room. Twice the memory cut out as my vision went black, my screams resuming each time it returned. Bruno and Dell were laughing merrily while Dell drew out the stabbing, sliding the spear through my body inch by slow inch until he was standing flush against the front of me, the spear’s silver half only showing out of my skin an inch. He jerked it inside my body, blood pouring from my stomach and my mouth. My head dropped, my vision going black again.
Only I was brought back to life when my head was jerked up by a rough hand in my hair. It was the Bossman staring me in the face, a tiny smile lifting his lips. “I’ve missed you, my pet. Wherever have you been?”
I spat blood on in his eyes.
His gaze narrowed as he gently wiped his face with his free hand, smearing the blood in long streaks. “Now, that wasn’t nice.” His wolf growled quietly. “Do you want me to kill Sin?”
I choked hoarsely, “Get…him…down.”
“No, I don’t think so. Not yet. After all, you are the reason he’s here.” Bossman chuckled quietly. “When you apparently disappeared, he naturally came looking for you here…and, well, you can see how that ended up.” Black eyes wandered over my face. “I want to know how you suddenly flashed into this room, and where the f*ck you’ve been since you escaped the last time.”
I laughed, the sound choked. “Go…f*ck…yourself.” I paused. “Or…Dell.”
“Yes, well, I can see this is going to be fun,” he murmured, sounding irritated and gleeful at the same time, before he glanced over his shoulder. He barked at Bruno, “Get her down and have Jasper heal her. Then I’ll do this again, since I hate missing out on the fun.”
The screen went blank.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
I wasn’t even entirely sure Mrs Damon was still conscious inside Mr Damon’s hold, as his arms were wrapped around her tightly where she had buried her face against his chest. All the Rulers still stared at the screen, unblinking. Elder Farrar flicked his wrist, the barest movement, and the screen completely disappeared. He let his head drop, staring at the ground. Roselle and Reese were both still staring where the screen used to be, keeping their attention off of me…and Leric.
Because Leric had moved at some point during that memory. He was now sitting on the edge of the bed, closer to where the screen used to be, with his back to me and his strong muscles straining his white shirt. His elbows rested on his knees, and his arms were crooked so his chin rested in his hands and his fingers steepled to cover his mouth.
And there was the bitty fact he was glowing bright white, his crown of the galaxies sitting on top of his head.
I cleared my throat, oddly feeling detached from having to watch that special event. “I think I’m going to order room service.” I pulled the menu from the end table. “I’m starving.” Which was no wonder since I had puked all the food I’d eaten earlier. “Does anybody else want anything?”
King Collins’s gaze snapped to mine, very careful to not look anywhere near Leric, but he still stared at me like I was crazy. “You can’t be serious.”
“She is.” Queen Ruckler cleared her throat, also glancing at me and keeping her gaze off Leric. “She’s telling truth.”
“I’m hungry,” I mumbled, staring down at the menu and reading the meals on it as I shrugged a shoulder. “Seeing that wasn’t anything new or shocking to me, it was a pretty tame experience, really.”