Page 99 of A Tongue so Sweet and Deadly

The anticipation of pain was almost equally torturous as receiving it.

Frayson waved toward the chair. “Merrick, please help secure her.”

She made her way over to it and sat down on the solid wood, keeping her face a mask of neutrality as Merrick pulled the clasps of the icy chains into place: one wrapped across her chest, one around each of her wrists, and two around her ankles, to ensure she could barely move an inch.

Before he stepped back, he checked the chain by her chest again and breathed, “I will do my best to make this as painless as possible. Remember that you’re stronger than you think.”

She eyed him as he backed up.

At least they weren’t at risk of being discovered because he wouldn’t meet her eyes. Everyone here believed she’d brought him as a trusted companion, and as such, it wasn’t strange that he shouldn’t want to look at her as he inflicted her pain.

As long as she told the truth as much as possible and lied convincingly when she had to, they would hopefully both get out of this in one piece.

Even if hers might be a bit more broken.

The two soldiers didn’t bother introducing themselves as they took their places on either side of Merrick. Both men wore dark hoods to veil their faces—probably to instill more fear—and while neither was as tall as Merrick, they were both massive.

Probably chosen for this very purpose, because they were intimidating enough, even without the theatrics.

The man on Merrick’s left pointed to her. “Break her finger.”

Merrick hesitated.

And Lessia could have kissed him for it.

When he slowly took the step needed to reach her, she lifted her chin, and the smile that spread across her face wasn’t forced.

Somehow, she and Merrick had formed a strange kind of truce.

Perhaps even the beginning of a friendship.

And while it wasn’t necessary, having him on her side might aid in the little progress she’d made in finding information for the king.

Unless the truce remained only while the king was back in Vastala.

She drew a deep breath when his hands gently wrapped around hers.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

The crack of her finger bending backward until it snapped echoed through the room.

Lessia hissed through clamped teeth at the pulsating pain, staring straight ahead.

Forcing her mind to think about her friends and the children she needed to protect kept her breathing.

In and out.

In and out.

“Good.”

She raised her eyes as the man who’d commanded Merrick spoke again.

Merrick remained by her side, his shoulders hunching as he stared at her hand, where the middle finger stood at an odd angle.

“Elessia Gyldenberg, we do not think you’ve joined this election purely for selfless reasons. Why are you truly here?”

She fixed her eyes on the hooded man. “I am here because I want to make Ellow a better place for everyone.”

---