A Tale That Dawned [Book 4 of Selvina's Tale series]

Chapter 51: Agony of Pain

"S...Selvina," Rhiannon forced out of her broken body. "Kill me...kill her..."

Hot rage warmed Jack's cold body and he nearly impaled the empress then and there. This could all be a bluff, a desperate trick to save her own life. He knew it could be, and it most likely was, but what if it wasn't? What if, amazingly, the empress was right and she did have Selvina? He could end the war now but if he did so he'd lose the one person in his life that meant more to him than anything. Could he take that chance?

Then, as he thought of Selvina, a feeling colder than the wind and rain pierced through his heart. It embedded deep and remained there, weighing him down. His mind raced and panic built up within him. He didn't know what was causing it or what was going on but something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. The more he thought of Selvina the more powerful the feeling became. He looked down at the empress, the spear shaking in his hand.

"You feel it too," Rhiannon said, fighting to speak every word. "Something...happened. Selvina...something is wrong...with her."

Jack's grip on the spear tightened. It couldn't be true. "What did you do?! What have you done to Selvina?!"

"I...am not to blame. I did...not do this..."

Lies, all of it! The empress had done something to Selvina, Jack was certain of it. If only he knew what. Judging by the cold feeling of fear and panic rising within him, it wasn't good.

"I should kill you, Rhiannon," he said through clenched teeth. "Most of the people in Faeryum would agree with me."

"Yes," Rhiannon said. "But you need me..."

"Curse you, Rhiannon! I don't need you for anything! Tell me what you did to Selvina!"

"It was not me," replied the empress. "Believe me..."

"You have Selvina and you did something. I can feel it, Rhiannon. Something has happened to Selvina. I...feel like a part of me...is missing. WHAT DID YOU DO?!!!"

"You...are hurt," she said, eyeing Jack's left arm.

He only just realized that it was dislocated. The pain in his soul overwhelmed any other physical pain he was feeling and it took a few moments before he could register the discomfort coming from his arm. He tried moving it but a fresh spasm of torment pulsed out of the shoulder and Jack winced.

"I...can help," Rhiannon offered.

"Stop talking, witch," Jack growled as he stabbed the spear into the rocky ground a hairsbreadth from the empress's face and tried to pop his arm back in place. It was incredibly agonizing and after several unsuccessful attempts he fell to his knees and stopped trying. He was on the verge of fainting from the pain and did not trust to do so in front of the empress. It was highly likely that if it happened, it would be the last time he fainted forever.

The rain began to intensify and Jack shivered again. He looked down at the dying empress and had a great urge to simply walk away and let her die. It was so tempting that he stood up and prepared to do just that.

"Selvina needs you," Rhiannon said. "Now more than ever..."

"I won't kill you, empress, but I won't help you either. I'll make it to Corbeau before you are ever discovered dead and take Selvina far from there. Whatever you did to her, I'll undo it. You have nothing to threaten me with."

Rhiannon closed her eyes and did not open them for several minutes. The rain pattered on her smooth face and dripped down her cheeks and lips, pooled between her eyelids, and flowed into her nostrils. Jack wondered if she had suddenly died on him and was prepared to leave to find Selvina when the empress spoke softly. "You don't understand, Jack. Something...something has happened. I can feel it. The magical balance...well, there is none. It's swaying wildly. Faeryum will feel it soon."