Page 98 of Captive of the Stolen Empire

The chair scraped as Ryszard pushed it back before coming around the desk. His long fur cape swished about the stonework around his boots. “Such a clever girl. Though how do I know you didn’t pass off information to them too? Once a thief…” he drawled.

“I didn’t.”

“His word against yours then. How do we get to the bottom of this?” Ryszard glanced over to Lucien. Waiting.

“Punish them both. Neither can be trusted.”

Lucien’s words knocked the breath from me. My mouth gaped, eyes pleaded.

My Ilya.His words taunted me. The memory of his hands on me, his mouth, the way he filled me body and soul. I gagged, unable to hold in the horror that seized me.

I’d stolen from him, and he knew it. And now he turned his back on me. On us. On everything we promised to be and could have been.

“My first, take them to the cells to await their punishment.”

Lucien didn’t move. Instead, Orson stepped down from the raised platform where he’d stood next to Ryszard’s desk. A glimmer of eerie light sparkled in his eyes. Kasida followed.

Orson stepped around Fernand, his leering eyes never leaving me. Screams echoed in my head, my silent voice crying out into the void.

Metal dug into my arm as he wrenched me to my feet and pulled a cry from my lips. “To the cells, where you should have been all along.”

No. No, no, no.

Fernand cried out as Kasida hauled him up by his hair, pushing him toward us. None of the other captains intervened as we were led away.

Lucien.

I shoved against Orson, twisting my body until I caught his gaze.

Cold. Uncaring.

My heart cracked as he looked away, all the fight leaving my body in a rush of ice. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes as a wave of pure terror overwhelmed me. Sorrena’s hope and future vanished in a moment, all my efforts gone to waste and futility. Watching my city burn and fall had been less painful than this. Slow torture would have been easier. Preferable.

The world crumbled around me until only cold darkness poured into the space left by my shattered heart.

Chapter44

Ilya

The steadydrip, drip, dripof water and the occasional squeak of a mouse were my staunchest companions within the damp, musty cell. They’d placed Fernand in the one across from me. The whole time I watched him through the metal bars, he didn’t move from where he huddled in the corner. Perhaps Kasida had knocked him out when she flung him into the little stone room and locked him in with the echo of her taunts. Not even my attempts to free myself from the cell, useless as they were, roused him.

At least Orson hadn’t lingered. Or returned. Yet.

I hugged my arms about me as the damp chill sunk into my skin. What I wouldn’t give for a blanket, a bed, or a view of the moons. The low-burning torch down the hallway provided little in the way of light, and if the dim flickers were any indication, soon that, too, would be gone.

I considered countless accusations to fling at Fernand if he were awake to hear them. Not one left my lips. What good would they do now? I’d gambled and lost.

A sharp rock bit into my back as I leaned against the wall. But I deserved the pain. People would suffer and starve for my actions. How much would the emperor tax them? Would they curse my name in the streets for their suffering? They should. And poor Justina… I’d broken my bargain with Lucien. There was no reason left for him not to summon her to Zhine to suffer as a hostage at my side.

Worse than the chill or my despair was the flicker of hope burning in my heart. I huddled against the stone wall, watching the direction of the entrance. I imagined Lucien coming down the hall, keys in hand. He’d apologize, tell me how all of this was part of some greater plan and that he’d never leave me. He wouldn’t uphold our bargain and force my sister to come here as punishment for my actions. He’d kiss me like his very life depended on it and steal away all the pain and sorrow of the day.

Anytime now he’d come.

I couldn’t allow myself to think of anything else, or what tomorrow or the next day might bring if he didn’t. Those days would never come. They couldn’t, because then everything would be truly lost.

Without meaning to, I’d fallen for him. Hard. So much more than I realized or ever expected. Much more than I’d told him.

I’d loved him in a way. I knew that now, but he didn’t, and now he might never. Even if I told him, would he believe it?

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