Page 185 of Daughter of No Worlds

There it was again: a faint, faint lurch at the back of my thoughts. This time, it was pronounced enough that I understood what it was, and my heart leapt.

Reshaye,I whispered, but received no response.

But if it was still there — I could draw it out. I couldforceit out.

“Influence,” I said, to Ahzeen. “You said you had requested the assistance of the Orders. They will give it to you in exchange for our release.”

“Yourrelease? I have the Second to the Arch Commandant locked up. I already have influence. Besides, slaves do not get to drive bargains.” He grabbed my chin, fingers pinching my face as he turned it, examining me. “Idoremember you. You were his favorite. I didn’t understand why, even then. You look like a piebald cow. And yet— he protected you over me.”

He released my face, only to grab my shoulder and spin me around. My skin crawled as his hands raked down my back, lingering over my scars. “But he rendered you useless with these ugly things.”

A plan unfurled in my mind.

“But in the end, he couldn’t kill me.”

Ahzeen was so, so easy to bait. He struck me again, sending my face slamming against the desk.

As I pushed myself up, I imagined what his life would feel like withering beneath my hands, just like his father’s had. My eyes bore into the desk. Thatwhitedesk. And I threw myself into my fear, into my anger, until it consumed me.

Reshaye,I whispered, again.

I felt it move, prodded by my anger and pain.

“You aren’t the only one with a penchant for the poetic,” he spat. For one moment, my eyes lifted out to the window, looking out over the stepped marble of the Mikov’s beautiful city, blocks of silver and shadow bathed in moonlight.

I listened to Ahzeen’s footfalls cross the room. Open a closet that I knew very well. I wondered if my old clothes still hung there.

Do it,I dared him, as his steps returned to me.

As the whip sliced through the air with a lethal whistle, and lit agony across my back.

Crack!

I forced my eyes open. I forced them to stare at that gleaming desk, filling my vision with white.

Nothing but white and white, for so many days,Reshaye had wept. I forced my face into everything that terrified it.

Crack!

Nothing but white and pain.

I thought of Esmaris, of his cold hatred, at the way it had struck betrayal into my chest. I flooded my thoughts with the agony of it.

Reshaye!

{Stop.}Its pain twined with my own. Distant. Faint.

The magic inherent in my blood was rendered useless, perhaps. But Reshayewasmagic. Maybe it pulled from something deeper.

And I would not —would not— allow Ahzeen Mikov to destroy me or the people I cared for. I didn’t have time to be afraid of the monster I’d have to summon to do it.

Crack!

Warmth spilled down my back.

{Stop!}

If you want it to stop, then MAKE it stop.

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