The Blood of a Nightlock

Chapter Twenty-Three

She lifted her eyes from the ground, but couldn't look at me.

"You can't even look at me." I whispered. "You can't even look at what he's doing. You know it's wrong. You know that all of this is wrong." I let the tears continue to fall as the pain seared through me again.

"If he doesn't do this, he dies too." Dr. Harden finally said. "Abrodon will kill him."

I slowly got to my feet and stumbled over to the door of the cell. I wrapped my hands around the bars and leaned towards her, forcing her eyes to find mine. "There's no version of this where you make it out alive." I whispered. "He will kill you for the power and the Dragons are going to kill you for treason. You're as good as dead. I just hope your brother doesn't kill me before I can see it."

~*~

I didn't get up the next day. I didn't move. I stared at the wall and prayed that they didn't come back. I noticed the black line along my left arm as soon as I woke up. I pushed the sleeve of my shirt back and traced the path from over my shoulder down the inside of my forearm, around my wrist, and to where it forked out on the back of my hand stopping just shy of my knuckles. Anyone else would have thought it was a tattoo, but it was the aftermath of Nightlock magic clinging to my veins.

The door opened and I didn't move. I dropped my sleeve into place as someone jogged down the steps.

"My Queen," Nathan said with some hope to his words.

I shut my eyes, tears returning.

"I thought we'd try a different tactic this time." He said as a clatter of a food tray sounded along the concrete floor.

I turned as he slid the tray through the hole at the bottom of the cell. He glanced up at me and gave me a sad smile.

"Have dinner with me. Let's get to know one another."

I turned back to the wall.

"It's been a week. Your mate hasn't come." He said. "Jimmy claims he's dead."

My heart fell into the pit of my stomach. "For your sake, I hope that isn't true."

"Well if he isn't then Jimmy is lying to me and that wouldn't bode well for Jimmy. Seeing as Jimmy seems to only care about Jimmy, I would find it true." He said around a bite of food. "Come." He said. "Sit and eat with me. You haven't eaten in a week, I'm sure you're starved."

I rolled off the bed and made my way over to the tray. He was seated on the ground, a tray of his own in his lap as he ate. It was spaghetti with a hardy red sauce. I stared down at the tray and then at him.

He smiled at me and lifted the fork back to his lips. "Sit, please." He encouraged me.

Instead of doing as he asked, I kicked the tray as hard as I could. The tray flew into the bars, the dish following it, crashing into the cell and splattering red sauce everywhere. Nathan fell backwards out of surprise and surged to his feet staring down at the red sauce covering his white sweater. He lifted his heated gaze to mine, anger lining his features. My expression was the ice to his heat. One straight out of Mitchel's book.

"You'll regret this one." He said as The Chosen members clambered down the stairs. "Get this cleaned up." He barked. "I'll be back for her once I've cooled down. There's no more asking, Wren."

I watched him, my cold look still in place.

"I'm telling you now. Tomorrow is the day." He moved up the stairs quickly as Selena and her friend cleaned up the dishes and followed him out.

I walked backward until my back was against the wall. I slid down it and curled into myself as I cried. "Dad," I whispered, "if you can hear me, please," I sobbed, "please help me." The sobs consumed me, my body shaking with each one. "Please, please help me."