Scorched Treachery (Imdalind, #3)(31)

“It was Ryland,” Sain gasped, his guilt making him take a regrettable back step.

Please don’t, Sain, don’t push him. I could see it in Cail’s eyes; he was going to take everything out on me.

For one split second, his face softened, his hand moving up to cup my face. Then it was gone, the gentleness I had seen before leaving as the hand on my cheek turned into a slap.

My arms flew above my head of their own accord, my shoulders stretched painfully as the shackles wrapped themselves around my wrists and the chains lifted until my feet left the ground. I felt my big toe release from the ground just as Cail’s magical restraints left me; leaving my shackled wrists to support my own weight. I screamed in agony as my body weight pulled against my shoulders and the heavy metal cuffs cut into my wrists.

My scream had barely left my throat before the flat palm of my brother’s hand moved across my cheek, sending my head to the side before it dropped down to my chest in defeat and weakness. I let my head hang there, my scream forgotten, not wanting to muster the strength to lift it.

“Leave her alone!” Talon’s weak voice echoed around the stone walls, making him sound much stronger then he actually was. My head snapped up at the sound of his voice, my eyes opening at him, pleading with him to just lay down and stay out of it, to save himself.

I knew he wouldn’t. He was slowly attempting to pull himself up, but his arms gave up halfway, sending him down to the ground. Cail moved away from me to squat down in front of Talon, the large slimy bars of my cell the only thing between Cail and my husband.

“I guess I need to teach you a lesson too.” Cail didn’t even move; he stayed squatted with his hands hanging limply in front on him when Talon started to scream. I screamed along with him, trying to plead for Talon’s safety, trying to fight back. My back arched as I screamed and tried to fight my way toward him, sending my body bouncing against the stone wall, my screams changing to my own agony at each impact.

Talon screamed as his body shifted on the ground, his weak muscles not giving him an option to fight back. Cail was hurting him without skin contact. I didn’t want to start thinking about what else he might be capable of. I knew it wasn’t his own magic he was using there – it was Edmund’s. And Edmund was capable of just about anything.

Talon’s screams died, and Cail’s eyes widened. I froze, my eyes stuck on my husband and on the limited movement in his chest.

“Talon?” I gasped, not caring about the consequences.

I stared at his chest, at the stillness of it. I couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not.

“Talon!”

“Shut up, sister!” Cail yelled as he pulled himself back to standing. “He’s only passed out. I wouldn’t kill a perfectly good body, not when there are so many other chances to torture him.”

He looked at me and smiled. I tried to control my breathing, I tried to settle down and scowl at him. I wanted to show him that I wasn’t afraid, but I couldn’t. For the first time, I was scared.

“Well, it looks like my work here is done,” Cail said as he strode out of my cell, leaving the door wide open.

“I’ll go get your reward, shall I, Sain? Be right back.” He spoke like a friend. But his words were more of a warning than anything.

I watched him as he left, leaving his light behind to brighten the disgusting prison we were trapped in. I watched him go, my shoulders on fire, my head spinning slightly as my body attempted to give into the pain.

Please let it give in soon.





Chapter Nine





“Is he all right?” Sain asked, his voice a whisper. I gaped at him, shocked he had the balls to say anything, and risk them coming back down to hurt us. It no longer mattered now.

“Yes.” I looked away from the staircase to Talon. I still could not see the gentle rise and fall of his chest, I felt the thundering in my heart, and for one brief moment it over rode the pain in my body. Please just be knocked out. Please.

“Are you all right?” Sain whispered from the other side of the jail, the regret I saw in his eyes earlier just as heavy in his voice now.

I was beginning to hate that question. I hated what it meant. I hated that it was the first thing we asked one another. I missed asking someone how their day was, or even talking about the weather. God, how I missed talking about the weather.

I didn’t answer Sain. I rested my head against the rock wall, my arms tight against the skin of my cheeks.

“It will be soon,” Sain said, and this time I looked at him. Something about his voice was different.

“What will be soon?” My voice creaked out slowly, the muscles in my throat burning as I forced air through them.

“When that life is lost, there will be a moment when you can do anything.” His voice was strangely deadpan, his eyes focused on Talon and not on me.

“Sain?” I asked, ignoring the throbbing of truth that was burning through me. His words seeped into me and rattled my bones with a sob that wouldn’t leave me. I pushed it to the side. I locked it away as my pride, my fear, took over.

“No, Sain,” I pleaded, not wanting him to continue.

“Follow the light, and you will escape. Follow the pain, and you will die.”

“Sain!” I screamed his name, not caring if I was heard, not caring what beating might follow. I just wanted Sain to take his words back. I didn’t want to hear them.