Page 25 of Between Despair and Hope

The bastard only laughed.

“Now, now, is that any way for a king to act? Stoicism, Rainier. That will be a lesson I can teach you. It will go easier if you bottle those emotions and just tell me what I need to know.”

“I told you, I don’t—” He cut me off, brandishing the switch I hadn’t yet noticed. Emma was rousing, and I heard her moan as she struggled to sit up. “Don’t fucking touch her.” My voice was hoarse as I screamed at him. When he brought the switch down across her back, she screamed and collapsed to the ground—low, rasping sobs breaking free. My own matched hers. She wanted me to be strong for her. She’d clearly taken steps to protect Cyran, but I couldn’t—wouldn’t—watch this happen to her. I’d have to tell him something else, something he’d believe. “She was probably trying to lure you to Astana.” He tsked and brought the switch down over her back again. I would kill him. I would fucking kill him.

“I won’t hit her again, Rainy. I’ll just fuck her mouth instead. You think you’ll break and answer me before I make her swallow my seed?”

No.It was enough—he’d won.

“Fine! Fuck! Elora loved him. She’s probably trying to protect him because of that.” It seemed enough of a truth that he might believe me. Enough that he might spare her and still be unaware of his brother’s deception against him. He stopped, turning his body to face me, and I watched his lips spread into a sickening smile.

“I knew the little whore spent the night in his bed. Like mother, like daughter, hmm?” He nudged Emma with his foot, and she flinched away from him. I would kill this man, rip him limb from fucking limb. “Do you think she was pregnant when she died?”

“Shut your gods damn mouth. I swear on fucking Hanwen himself—” He held the switch over her body, and my jaw slammed shut.

“That’s what I thought. So emotional.” He crouched down next to Emma and pulled her head back to look at him. The sound which crawled up my throat was inhuman as I saw the tears on her face, her skin flushed. “I think I’ll have my way with you as my brother had his way with your daughter. Won’t that be fun?”

He dragged her out of the room by her hair.

I wished I ate the gruel.

Chapter 11

Emmeline

Afterdiscussingouroptionslate into the night with my most trusted circle, I rose with bleary eyes, stumbling as I readied myself for the council meeting which would decide my fate. I knew if Shivani had decided to sacrifice Cyran, I would offer to go in his stead. While Lavenia and Thyra had hoped she’d come up with a different plan, pushing General Ashmont into action, I had little optimism when it came to Shivani. Especially after our parting words.

Dressing quickly in breeches and a simple button-down shirt, I took a moment to look at my daughter. Still asleep, hair braided to prevent matting, she looked peaceful. The faint scar on her neck still hadn’t disappeared, despite my best efforts, and I wondered how she’d feel about it upon waking. I would probably never know, as it was unlikely I’d be here to see it. I had faith she’d wake up, though. As long as Cyran was still here, working with her through illusions.

Once I got Rain back, if he used his resources to find anyone who could help, she’d be alright. I’d already entrusted my letters for them to Mairin, the merrow being the only person who I believed wouldn’t act to thwart me at the meeting. The others knew my intentions but argued with me at every turn. Mairin had only nodded, understanding in her eyes. I looked down at my little girl, overwhelmed by my emotions. She’d be in good hands. Better, more capable hands. Hands that could protect her and never would have let her fall into any of this mess to begin with.

I’d never felt more guilty or questioned my abilities as a mother more than I had in the last few weeks. I was a child myself when I had her, but I was so tormented by what happened to Lucia, I didn’t think. I hid her to keep her safe. Gods, if I only knew about Rain, our lives would have been so different. The guilt of it was something I wasn’t sure would ever leave me. Yes, the Myriad would have possibly still been involved, but Rain would have done anything to protect us. Even if he wouldn’t have been able to marry me back then, he would have moved mountains to protect his daughter. I had to trust that turning myself over to Declan would return Rain to Elora and to Vesta.

Leaning down, I brushed loose curls from her forehead and cupped her cheek, watching her white eyelashes flutter against her skin, knowing that if hope alone could wake her, it would have by now. Lips pressed to her brow, I allowed myself one moment to break down, and when a tear trickled down my cheek, I caught it so as not to disturb her.

Pocketing the small shell Declan had sent from Rain, I trudged to the door leading into the rest of our suite, just as the outer door leading to the palace slammed open.

“He’s gone.”

My stomach dropped as I watched Dewalt’s hands fall to his knees as he bent over, breathless. Panic threaded through me. I could not bear it if—

“Who? Who is gone?”

“The boy. Cyran. Shivani sent him to Declan,” Thyra supplied, jogging into view behind Dewalt, her face flushed crimson.

I hadn’t stopped pacing in the hour since Dewalt and Thyra’s discovery of the empty dungeon cell. I was at a loss. I didn’t know what to do. Perhaps it wasn’t out of any fear for his wellbeing, or, worse, it was possible I cared about the boy who slit my daughter’s throat. But he was my best shot at bringing Elora back from this in-between state of life and death. She’d shown massive improvements since he’d been entering her mind, and I’d been able to go with him. To see her, to talk to her. Even if she didn’t understand, even if she didn’t wake, even if it was all I had with her for the rest of my days, losing Cyran was devastating.

“We can go after him. They were only rifting him to the Cascade, then riding from there,” Dewalt said, eyes dark. He seemed to take the loss as a theft.

“And then what? Have Shivani throw us in a cell too and send him back to Declan anyway?”

“We won’t bring him back here. We’ll take him to the estate, ward it, bring Elora there too.”

I pondered the idea; it wasn’t a bad one.

“Do you know when exactly they left? Can we even catch up to them?”

“Early this morning, before dawn. Rivvens isn’t as strong as you or Rainier. It will take him longer to rift. If we leave now…” he trailed off.

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