Page 102 of A Darkness So Sweet

The world tilted to the side, but she wasn’t injured. She didn’t feel any wounds. Maybe her shoulders and back were a little stiff, but only because she’d been sleeping on an uncomfortable cot. But the way everything was warping and listing to the side, all she could think was that they had given her something.

Some kind of magic or medicine had made her sleep.

Maia tried to reach inside of her magic. Just like Ragnar had told her she could do. He had claimed she could use his magic, and if she could, then that white light inside of her could maybe tell her if there was something wrong.

She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to heal like he could. There just wasn’t enough magic inside of her to do so, but she felt like she could at least diagnose what was wrong. So she tried to focus on the feeling of his magic. That icy cold water that dripped down from her head to her shoulders, and then slid down her spine as it worked its way through her.

And then she swore she could see it. The poison that worked its way through her entire body. It was in her stomach, in her veins, all of it slithering through her exhausted body as it tried to make her go back to sleep.

So they had given her something. She didn’t know what. But it felt like there was residue in her throat, which she could only assume meant they’d poured it into her mouth while she had been unconscious.

Memories filtered back. An explosion, the sound of people screaming and crying, the trolls groaning too far behind her. And then the sensation of someone grabbing the front of her dress and slamming her head into the stone stairs that had led up to the throne where the king had sat.

Was this all the king? Surely it had to be.

Still, she allowed the magic to flow white hot through her entire body. It burned through the rest of the drug that had taken up residence where it was not wanted, and suddenly the world steadied. She was far more capable of seeing what was right in front of her.

Cots with blankets that were tossed to the side, like two people had sat up rather quickly and then... left. She looked to her right, seeing a door with small bars for a window. The entrance to the cell, most likely, considering the guards would want to be able to look in and see if their prisoners were still alive. To her left, there was another door. This one had no bars, though.

Interesting.

Maia had no idea where she was. She’d never heard of a prison anywhere near the castle, which meant the king didn’t want the rest of his people to know that this was here. He had to be hiding something terrible here.

Her gut said that she was still in the castle. Maybe that was wishful thinking, but she could feel it. They hadn’t moved her far.

She sat there on her cot, waiting for something to happen until the mystery door opened. A woman fell through it on her hands and knees. Her hair was matted and tangled, full of dirt and red smudges that Maia didn’t want to focus too hard on. Her clothing appeared worn and torn, aged beyond reason as she slowly crawled toward one of the cots.

Maia couldn’t stop looking at the woman’s hands. Her nails were chipped and dirt streaked. There appeared to be blood underneath them as well, although she couldn’t guess why there was blood there. But the cracked tips looked like she’d been clawing at stone.

“Hello,” Maia said, trying to say the word quietly.

The woman’s head came up, her bright blue eyes wild with fear. This newcomer looked every inch a wild animal as she stared at Maia before suddenly flying backward. Her back hit the wall with a sharp crack that made Maia wince as the woman seemed to press herself against the stone as though she could sink into it and get away from whoever Maia was.

She had no idea what had caused this woman’s panic, but she could only assume it was terrible. Slowly, Maia drew her legs up onto the cot and wrapped her arms around them. She made herself even smaller, trying to not be intimidating.

Silence filled the room. Maia would not fill this void between them with more words, not when the woman was panting with terror and staring at her like Maia had screamed. Fear like that couldn’t be reasoned with, it could only be sat with until it eased.

Finally the woman blinked, her eyes barely visible through the tangled locks of her hair, and Maia could see the terror ease.

“Who are you?” the stranger finally rasped.

“Maia.”

“Why are you here?”

“I don’t know. I was hoping you might be able to answer that.”

“Oh.” The woman’s eyes filled with tears. They dripped down her cheeks in massive drops, sliding through dirt and grime to leave tracks there. “Oh, no.”

“WhyOh no?” Maia wasn’t sure she wanted the answer to that question.

“You shouldn’t be here. You don’twantto be here.” In a sudden burst of motion, the woman darted to one of the cots and threw the blanket over herself. She disappeared under the fabric, although even that shuddered with the weight of her emotions.

“No, I don’t want to be here.” Maia waited a few more moments before she moved from her own cot. She made sure that her steps made noise, so the woman knew she was coming over.

And then she crouched at the head of the cot, looking at the spot where the woman’s head should be. She’d completely hidden herself underneath the fabric. Biting her lips, Maia reached forward and picked up the smallest edge of the blanket. Just enough so she could peer underneath it at the woman with haunted eyes.

“What’s your name?” she whispered.

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