A Court of Shadows and Lightening

Chapter Four

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The sound lulls Auren into a safe place. Even though she knows that if she opens her eyes, she will see it's her own blood dripping from the table she lay on to the floor below.

Her back seared in pain, burning and aching.

She deepened her breath, forcing the pain into that old forgotten box in her mind.

Tavian had left, she just didn't know when. Within minutes or hours, it wasn't clear. He'd left a lamp burning by the door.

She hated it, hated the light that reminded her of the reality. The darkness made it so much easier to pretend.

Still, she cracked her eyes to the small dungeon that had become her home.

The whip laid on the floor, her blood coating it. A bucket filled with water sat beside it. She wanted to lift her body, to go to the bucket and drink but her mind no longer allowed her the use of her limbs.

The paralysis was always the worst part. It went away, even with human blood.

She didn't know if it was her minds way of protecting her or if Tavian sometimes severed nerves with the lashings.

At this moment she didn't care.

Her eyes fluttered shut again, this time pulled by the lull of sleep. She prayed it would be dreamless, that it would offer the darkness she craved.

Auren forgot that the gods never answered her prayers before, they certainly wouldn't now.

-

Auren woke to being pushed off her bed. The thunk of her hip on the floor reverberated across the room.

"Shhhhhhh" a voice whispered.

Annoyed, Auren got off the floor, placing her forearms on the soft duvet and mattress.

"You can't fucking push me then tell me to shush. That's idiotic."

Adie stood on the mattress, her long dark hair, a mirror to Auren's in a beautiful plaid down her back.

Her icy grey eyes twinkled with mischief.

"I mean, if Ragna didn't hear you snoring she probably wouldn't hear you fall like a sack of potatoes." Her sister pauses. "You should go to a healer, it sounded like a pack of wolves tearing apart their prey."

Auren, as fast as she could hucked a pillow at her.

Adalin with her lightening quick reflexes caught it without trouble.

"We are going to the Tavern." She announces, throwing the pillow back onto the bed. The black silk bedding was the only dark spot in the room.

Auren liked it that way.

Gracefully she dismounts from the bed, her feet not even making a thud with the movement.

"Helion's coming tomorrow." Auren gets to her feat, straightening out her sleep dress. "Do you really wanna risk us getting found out?"

Adie Tsks, waving her hand dismissing her sister.

"We'll be back before dawn we always are."

Auren growled crossing her arms.

"Just because you have a mate doesn't mean you can get my ass kicked by Helion. What if he discovers you and Eris?"

Adie's whole body softens, her eyes shinning with new light as they always did when Eris was mentioned.

"He won't."