19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

N o one came for days. I wasn’t sure if it truly had been days or if it only felt that long because of the pain and darkness of the cell. My head pounded harshly, and my whole body burned with pain. Finally, I heard the door of the cell open, but I couldn’t see who was coming through my swollen eyes. I curled into a ball, trying to make myself small and shield myself from an attack I knew would be coming again.

“Darling,” Jesper muttered softly.

I was shaking uncontrollably, whether from shock or the cold—I wasn’t sure. Maybe both. When his fingers touched me softly, I cried out, terrified. He lifted my face to his, and I could barely make out his features through the damage that had been done to me. The smell of whatever he had recently eaten clung to his clothes, making me feel nauseous with hunger.

I whimpered softly at the small movement I made. Jesper’s fingers brushed my blood-crusted hair from my face.

“You’re filthy,” he tisked at me, as if I could help it. His lips pressed to mine quickly before standing up and grabbing something. Cold water drenched me when he tossed a bucket toward me. I cried out for someone to help me, and it only made him laugh as I trembled on the ground. Every shiver felt like a knife gliding across my skin.

I heard loud footsteps coming toward me again, and I curled myself into the wall to get away from Jesper.

“I think you need more time to think about your behavior,” he spoke somewhere near me. Then he walked away from me and locked me in the cell again. I begged for anyone to please save me, even if it came in the form of death. My stomach growled violently, and my head pounded from pain and hunger.

I closed my eyes and hung my head, my hands still tied to the iron circle in the wall. Yes, death would be a mercy. I cried to the gods and stars above, but no one came as I fell into darkness again.

★★?★★

Jesper shook me awake, and I had no idea how much time had passed since he had been here last. A day or two, maybe.

“Still alive,” he sighed, like he wasn’t sure.

I couldn’t even open my mouth to say anything. He untied my wrists, and I fell to the floor without having the energy to catch myself.

“Pick her up and bring her to her room,” he told someone. My head bounced and flopped as they carried me with little gentleness. I was so far gone in pain that I couldn’t really feel it anymore. I was numb. I felt my bed as the guard lowered me to it.

“Fuck, Thea.” It was Leer. “Are you alive?”

I nodded slightly, but he didn’t say anymore when someone walked in behind him. Jesper.

“That’s all, now go,” he dismissed Leer, and the door shut. I felt the bed dip somewhere next to me, but I couldn’t even open my eyes to see if I was about to be attacked. He didn’t say anything as his fingers traced over my face softly. “You rest. When I come back, I’ll have the maids run you a bath.”

My head swarmed with thoughts, but none of them made any sense. The poison was making me feel ill and confused. Then, like a light beckoning me through the darkness, I saw him. Cassius stood in my broken mind, holding out his hand for me. I grabbed it as he pulled me along in the darkness. I couldn’t see where he was taking me, but I knew it would be better than here.

Suddenly, the darkness faded, turning into his bedroom at Crimson. He laid me down on the bed before lying down next to me without saying a word. I could feel tears pricking my eyes as I stared at him.

“Why are you crying?” he whispered to me. His hand gently pushed my wild curls from my face.

“Because I wish this was real.”

He just pulled me to him and wrapped me in his arms as an answer. This wasn’t a memory or a visit to my dream. This was my broken mind trying to escape the hurt and darkness by making a scenario where Cassius saved me. I buried my face in his hard chest and breathed in the familiar scent of rain and forest. I had missed him terribly. He wrapped the dark green blanket around us and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

“Let’s sleep until you feel better, my love.”

I nodded as I dozed off into a peaceful sleep.

★★?★★

When I woke up, I was confused about being in my room in Cerithia. Had I not been in Crimson with Cassius? I didn’t feel much better than the last time I had been awake, but my eyes could crack open a bit more. I froze when I saw Jesper sitting in a small chair next to me, like he had been waiting for me to wake up.

“Thea.” He stood so he could grab my hand and kneel next to me. “Fuck, I thought you were going to die.”

I was confused by his worry.

“Your father would have killed me.”

That made sense. He didn’t care if I died, just that he didn’t die consequently. I tried swallowing, but my throat felt dry and itchy. How long had I been asleep? I couldn’t even muster up the strength to ask.

Jesper looked over my face thoughtfully as I looked around confused. He gave me a small smile, like he cared about me. If I had my dagger and strength, I would have slit his throat open.

“You haven’t been conscious for nearly a week, darling.”

A week. I didn’t say anything because I couldn’t and I didn’t want to. I could feel my eyes wanting to close and rest again, but Jesper lifted me up and out of bed. I cried as my body ached. Maybe he was taking me back into the cell now that I was awake. Instead, though, he carried me up the stairs. My eyes drifted closed but opened when a door opened. A hot bath had been drawn, and it smelled like lavender.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.” He helped me stand on shaky legs as he pulled my ruined uniform from my body, turning me so I could see myself in the mirror. I immediately looked away from the blood and bruises, but Jesper moved my head back toward the mirror.

“You don’t like your tattoo?” He gave me a wicked smile. My eyes drifted to the words carved into my stomach: useless crimson whore marred my skin. “The back one says ‘traitor’ if you are curious,” he laughed.

And everyone thought I was the monster of Elloryon. I held the tears in, no longer showing them I was broken and weak. I would be fine after I healed. Besides, I had already decided on a plan. I would sneak out and head for Exile to free them. I needed to do that as soon as I could ride a horse again. Then we would get the fuck out of here and never return.

I flinched when the hot water scalded my cuts and bruised skin. Shit. Jesper sat in the bathroom with me and stared at me as I washed myself off. Was he worried I was going to run? I couldn’t even walk on my own. I stared into his eyes for a moment, and I decided then and there that I would plunge my dagger deep into his heart and stop it one day soon. Even if it cost me my life, it would be worth it.

“Care to share your thoughts?” he sneered.

I shook my head.

“You’re lucky your friends from Exile weren’t there anymore. I was so angry; I would have slaughtered all of them if they had been,” he said so coldly.

“Gone?” my hoarse voice whispered.

“My guess is Crimson killed them as soon as you chose Cerithia. They would have never let you rescue them, especially since they would all follow you into battle. They are loyal, if anything, but only to you for saving them the first time. Can you imagine elite magic fae in our war? We would be unstoppable.” His cold, unforgiving eyes stared at me. “I guess we are unstoppable with you. Your demonstration of magic was absolutely perfect.”

“You guys lied to me. You never had elite magic fae.”

“We needed you not to go crazy on us,” he shrugged.

“And now? There is nothing stopping me from killing all of you.” My eyes coated over with blackness. Jesper just smiled at me.

“Don’t worry, we improvised.” He ran his fingers through his blonde hair. “The elite fae have families in Cerithia still. We have guards stationed at every home, ready to kill them if you piss me off.”

“You found all their bodies in Exile?”

Tears fell from my eyes. Jesper had to be lying. Cassius would never do that to me or to them. Would he? Jesper wouldn't lie about killing them, or even taking them. It would only give him more power over me.

“No, but my guess is they burned them in their homes. All the structures had been lit on fire. Such a shit hole.”

The structures were all burned. He really did go to Exile just to slaughter them. Sybil and the twins' faces flashed into my mind. I pictured them standing in the small home in Exile as I headed for the trials. I would give anything to go back to that moment. Tears fell silently. Crimson couldn’t have done that. There was no way that Cassius would do that. He had elite magic.

I would still go and see for myself if they were there or not. I would not take Jesper’s word for anything.

“Our wedding plans are coming along nicely,” he smiled. “Soon you will be my wife, and we can put all this trouble you created behind us.”

“When is the wedding?”

“A week.” He cranked his neck and popped it. “Don’t worry, it’s customary to send invites to all kingdoms when a royal member gets married. Crimson should be getting their invitation today.”

“I do not care.”

“Yes, you do, but I like that you are willing to lie about it now. Maybe my punishment was effective.” He stood up and walked to the edge of the tub to stare down at me. His eyes narrowed on my face.

“You will get fitted for your wedding dress today. A traditional Kizar gown, but in gray instead of white. Since you spread your legs for that Crimson trash.”

“So, what if I did? Are you a virgin?” I hissed.

“No, in fact, I slept with your sister, Tally, this morning.”

“You’re a fucking pig.”

Jesper moved quickly. He grabbed my head and pushed it under the water. I thrashed as I tried to fight him off, but I was too weak. He let my head come up a few moments later. I had been gasping for air so desperately that I had inhaled water. My lungs burned as fear spread like wildfire in my veins.

“Do not test me, Thea. You will not win.” The sleeves of his shirt were soaking wet. “I will have consorts through our marriage. You will bear two heirs for me, and that will be the end of our sexual relationship.”

“Will I be allowed a consort?” I spat back just to piss him off.

“What do you think?” He glared at me for a moment longer, then yanked me from the bath. “I think you’re clean enough. Let’s get you fitted for a wedding dress.”