Unknown Heir (ACOTAR)

THREE

WARNING: rape and torture present in chapter

Sleep never came naturally for me and they were usually plagued with bad memories. I knew I needed to sleep though since the tonic would wear off some time tomorrow. No sleep would not help against hiding my power. I slowly closed my eyes and drifted into unconsciousness.

I walked into my dad's study and saw the naked man on the table, chained down at his hands and feet. He was pleading with my father. He called me over. "Today's lesson is about how to torture someone while keeping them alive for as long as possible," my father said to me. I looked at the body before me.

"But father, what did he do?" The man pleaded with me to set him free.

"That is none of your concern. Sit here and watch me." And so the lesson continued. My father showed me all the places that would cause excruciating pain without killing the victim. The screams of the man were confirmation enough and they haunted my mind. It went on for the entire day. My father making incision after another on the man's body until it was so bloody and mutilated that you could barely make out certain areas. The man had stopped screaming a while ago and was just crying and praying. My dad gave him one look and suddenly his neck snapped, killing the man.

The next thing I knew I was in my room lying on my bed. One of the guards entered my room. He sat on the edge of my bed and placed his weapons on the floor. I looked at him confused. He just smiled and grabbed my wrists. He placed them above my head and climbed atop of me. I struggled against his grip but he pulled out a knife and placed the cold metal on my neck. I stiffened. "Don't tell anyone about this sweetheart or you'll find yourself without a few limbs," he threatened. I shut up and he slipped the dagger back into his boot. He lifted my nightgown up to my neck and covered my face with it. I whimpered but he shushed me harshly. He placed his fingers against my core and started rubbing. I squirmed and tears slipped through my eyes. He stuffed the fabric of my nightgown into my mouth to shut me up and unbuckled his belt and pants. "This won't hurt- a lot," he said as he suddenly entered me. I screamed at the pain, the blinding pain, he caused me. I screamed and cried for him to stop but he continued. Until he found his release and left without a word. He came back a moment later and used a knife to make incisions on my hips and above my core. I cried in pain but he slapped me to shut me up.

I woke up with a start. Tears flooded my eyes. I felt my powers pushing against my veins. Within seconds the cot was destroyed, ripped to shreds and there were deep gashes along the walls. I sank down in the corner of the room and cried silent tears.

An hour or so later I sensed the shadowsinger's presence. He appeared in front of the bars and halted in his tracks. "What happened?" he said through gritted teeth. I did not reply. He appeared in front of me and grabbed my arm. I pulled away sharply.

"Don't touch me!" I spat in his face. He pulled his hand back. I glared at him, his hazel eyes staring straight back. I looked away quickly as the tug in me started to rise again. He went to grab my chin and but decided against and instead disappeared into the shadows. I let my mind wander to the High Lord's mind and slipped in. I saw him with his mate at the breakfast table with their other companions. Azriel appeared in the room and took his seat. I sifted through the High Lord's thoughts and found the one I was looking for. I silently left his mind again. I winnowed out of the cell and into the medical room. The healer was luckily not here. I sensed the tonic in the cabinet on the far wall. I opened it and growled lowly.

"We knew you'd come for them," someone said from behind me. I turned abruptly to find the Illyrian warrior standing there with the High Lord. His face was pulled taut. I looked back into the cabinet to find only a drop in a small cup. All eight vials had been disposed of. Suddenly Azriel was at my side and grabbed my forearm. I tensed against my will and his grip loosened slightly. I snarled at him but he didn't let go.