Page 97 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

She had been tortured before; King Rioner’s Fae guards didn’t take well to finding out she’d killed one of their own, but they’d typically beat her too hard, too quickly, not realizing she wasn’t as strong as a full Fae, allowing her to float into blissful oblivion sooner than they’d expected.

Exactly like Merrick had done when the king ordered him to show her what awaited if she failed.

But if she was to be questioned, and by humans at that, she had little doubt they’d do it in a way where she’d stay awake, feel every moment of pain.

As she walked with hesitant steps toward the stairs, Merrick’s large hand closed around her wrist.

She glanced up at him, his face tilting over her shoulder as he whispered, “Don’t be afraid, Lessia. They are not allowed to kill you, and while there will be pain, you are stronger than you think. Remember why you are doing this.”

Her cheek brushed against his as she nodded, and her brows flew up when Merrick’s hand wrapped around her own. He led her down into the cellars, taking a path different from the one to the training room.

When voices hummed between the polished stone walls and light flickered ahead from a burning fireplace, Merrick squeezed her hand, and it was as if some of his conviction flowed into her.

Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she told herself she was strong enough for this.

She’d survived five years in a dark cellar, had survived moving to Ellow not knowing a soul. Had even survived what she’d done to her family and when she’d left for the streets of Vastala.

She could do this.

As they entered a large oval room with a huge marble fireplace and several lit chandeliers hanging from the low ceiling, Merrick had to bow his head not to hit the hanging lights as he walked over to join the other companions, taking up a spot next to Zaddock.

When she met his eyes briefly, Zaddock smiled at her before shifting them ahead to where Loche, Venko, and Craven stood huddled together with Frayson.

Loche’s eyes flew to hers, and a current ran over her skin when a half smile overtook his face.

Flicking his eyes between her and Zaddock, he inclined his head.

Confused, she bowed her own before sidling up beside him, facing Frayson and trying to ignore the electricity that crackled between them when Loche’s hand brushed hers.

She shifted an inch away from him, blowing out a deep breath as Frayson began to speak.

“I know this isn’t the best timing.” He threw Lessia an apologetic look. “I heard you were injured yesterday, Lessia. But we have only two weeks until the commoners’ debates, and you will need time to recover. We have brought in more guards after the attack yesterday to ensure it won’t be repeated. There will not be a single room in the castle unguarded while you rest up.”

Lessia cast a quick glance at Venko, whose face paled at Frayson’s words, and then at Craven, who stared straight ahead, only the vein throbbing in his neck betraying his fear.

Loche moved closer to her again, and when she stole a glance at him, his steely gaze slammed into hers.

“How badly are you hurt?” he whispered while Craven demanded more details on what happened last night.

“I’m fine.” She shrugged. “I just overdid it a bit when I tried to fight one of them.”

The need to avert her gaze when his hardened nearly overwhelmed her.

Icy rage burned in his eyes as they swept over her body, then back to her face, and his hand brushed hers again when his clenched into fists.

“If he hadn’t already taken care of it himself, be sure he would not have lived to draw another breath once I got to him.”

Frayson cleared his throat. “Loche, are you finished?”

Loche continued to stare into her eyes as he nodded and waved for Frayson to go on.

Finally tearing her eyes away, she tried to focus on Frayson, not on the waves of anger that rolled off the most confusing man she’d ever met.

“This year, we’ll do this part a bit differently, I’m afraid. As I hope you’ve been informed, you will be interrogated today, and the means will be unpleasant. Our law dictates that we need to ensure our regent wants to rule for the right reasons, and this is part of that process. But while we usually have our guards do the interrogation, it’s been decided this year that your companions will do it.”

Gasps reverberated between the walls, and Craven’s eyes widened as they moved to the enormous man who was his companion.

Venko’s eyes fell to the floor, and Lessia eyed the man next to Zaddock, whose features twisted with unease.

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