A Court of Beasts and Shadows >ACOTAR Fanfic

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Rhea..."

I turned my head, glaring at the cell walls, refusing to look at the certain male behind me. I was not going to look, or listen to him, or even acknowledge him as my cell-mate. He was nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

"You've been here for five days. You have to talk to me at some point."

Don't look, don't listen, don't talk.

"Rhea, your acting like a child!"

Don't look, don't listen, don't talk.

"Rhea!"

Don't break, don't give in.

"Rhea, we're stuck in a cell, we have to talk!"

Bastard!

I swung around, ready to give him a piece of my mind.

"Oh, I'm sorry are you talking to me, aka the damaged goods?"

Tamlin sighed, rolling his eyes. Well one eye. The other eye was...gone. A reminder of what Bryaxis had done, out of rage for Tamlin calling me damaged goods. The sole reason of why I hadn't spoken to him for five days.

Until now.

"First off, I'm crippled for life. I have worst things on my plate right now, like the fact I'm trapped in a cell with my mate who slept with another male. I have no left eye, I can't put any weight on my right leg, and it looks like I had an attack from a fucking crow."

"The reason why you're a cripple" I hissed, fury filling me, "is because you made the mistake of insulting me in a room full of males that care about me. Azriel, Cassian, my father, Bryaxis, Eris, Kallias...its your fucking fault you're the way you are. But you have always been the fault for mistakes, haven't you? You offended Amarantha! You brought that curse down upon your court!"

A snarl ripped from Tamlin. His hand pulled on the chains, eyes darkening. "Don't you dare insult me."

I snarled back at him, not pulling away. "No, I won't! You're the one who brought up the topic of being raped by Keir Darkbringer in a goddamn meeting! It's your fault you have to turn to see things on your left side!"

The chain ripped from the wall and Tamlin struggled to stand, growling. I leaned against the far wall and raised an eyebrow. "Need help?"

"No!"

I stifled a laugh, sliding down the wall, losing my anger at seeing his clear struggle just to stand. It was almost pitying, to see the jagged stump where his hand used to be, the twisted scarred leg peeking out through the torn pants, and the horrible twisted scars etched into the left side of his face, the gaping eye socket visible.

I had to admit, I had never seen worse.

"Let me help, Tamlin."

"No! Stay away!"

Shit. For some reason I felt guilty.

I watched him struggle, his one good hand gripping the cell bars, his good leg slipping, trying to find grip. Sweat was streaming down his face in mere seconds. His bad leg was dragging uselessly behind him and I could see dried blood on the sleeve of his crippled arm. For the first time, I saw the pale skin, and his green eye was bloodshot.

Were his wounds infected?

I put aside my anger and walked over, wrapping my arm around his waist, supporting his weight, helping him over to the bench. I could smell the sweat and blood off him. His skin was hot and clammy, warm against my cool skin. I wrapped my other arm around his chest, struggling against his heavy weight but I managed to get him to the bench. I could feel his heartbeat, and it was beating too fast.

Was Tamlin going to die if I didn't get him help?

Tamlin was silent as I walked away and didn't talk to me for the night.

***

The prison got cold at night.

Winter Mountains cold.

I shivered in the corner, arms around my knees, face on my knees, trembling from the freezing temperatures. It was too cold, I wouldn't be able to last the night. The same thought I had every night.

I closed my eyes, thinking of everyone I loved. Rhys...we had left things so awful, with what I had said. Bryaxis...we had confessed our love for each other and had slept together. Bryaxis probably thought I had gotten nervous and had ran off.

If Bryaxis thought that...

They had to have realised by now that something was wrong. I hadn't returned, hadn't talked to anyone before leaving except for Rhys...

What I had said to him. He had looked like so broken...lifeless. I felt like crying. I was alone...except for Tamlin. But no one I loved was here with me. They didn't know where I was, how to find me...

If Savitr was going to enter my mind...I couldn't go through that. Not again. The mental trauma Amarantha had put me through had left scars, mentally. I had to fight against Savitr, I had to fight against him.

But how could I do that? I had none of my powers. Nothing.

I looked over at Tamlin, who was breathing heavily as he slept. His skin was slightly blue, the cold affecting him more than me. How long had he been here for? Since the disastrous meeting?

***

I awoke to freezing cold water being thrown over me.

I yelped, eyes shooting open, my dress soaked in water. I looked up at Savitr who was standing outside the cell, the door open but he was standing in the entrance. I glared up at him, wishing I had my powers so I could turn him into an ice statue.

"Time to begin" said Savitr and I began trembling at the thought of him in my mind.

"Please" I begged, but his eyes remained cold and my back suddenly arched and agonising pain filled my body, coursing through my very bones, and I screamed, as I felt claws in my mind, ripping away my weak mental barriers and slicing into my memories. I thrashed, as Savitr dove into my memories, and he began the process of breaking me.