Page 7 of When Storms Ruin

Not yet.

“It’s good to see you, Diana. How was your visit with my father?” she asked, tapping a pointed fingernail against her cheek thoughtfully.

I didn’t reply. I simply fixed her with a cold stare. The taste of blood filled my mouth once more. I felt it trickle down my chin, unable to wipe my face clean with my hands still bound. I rubbed my bloodied chin against my dirt-stained shoulder before fixing my glare on Donika once more.

“No progress? As I’m sure he told you, I grow tired of you. If you insist on holding out, I don’t have a use for you any longer. Or Tess. Think carefully, your decision not only condemnsyoubut also those you care about.”

“Why haven’t you gone to search for it yourself?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. “If the grimoire is so important to you, why don’t you go find it? Instead, you sit here on your false throne with your sniveling soldiers at your feet. It certainly can’t be that hard to find. Iammerely a worthless little Stormshade, after all.”

Something flashed in Donika’s lifeless eyes, something like fear. Had I guessed correctly? Was Donika not able to visit the mortal realm herself?

“If I don’t have the grimoire by week's end, you have decided your own fate,” Donika sneered. She uncrossedher legs and descended the stone steps towards me. “After all, if you are dead, the grimoire has to pick another Kotova.There aren’t many left.”

My blood ran cold in my veins as her words settled in, but I set my jaw as she approached me. “When is week's end, pray tell? You have us locked in a windowless dungeon, and I’ve simply lost track of time,” I replied coldly.

“Two days,” she spit out, her shadows snaking out to take hold of my chin and turn it upwards, forcing my eyes towards her.

I was on my knees before her, blood trickling down my chin, my breaths coming shallow. I feared the damage her shadows were doing to me each time they attacked me, and if I would ever be able to fully recover from them. Zionhadbeen warning us, then. Donika would only give us two more days before she executed us.

Nik had to have some inkling of where I could have hidden the grimoire. Why hadn’t he found it and brought it to her himself? Had she done something to him? Or had she sent him back to the mortal realm to search for it himself?

“I’ll admit, you’re equally as stubborn as our mother.” Donika smiled, but it never reached her lifeless eyes.

How dare she speak of our mother, the mother I would never meet.

The mother she killed.

I fought her shadows to turn my chin down and rain blood-soaked spit down onto her satin dress, specks of it flying against her perfectly manicured feet. Donika did nothesitate. She backhanded me so forcefully my head turned sharply and a cry left my lips, blood splattering Tess’ shirt.

I was stunned into silence, my cheek stinging as blood flowed from my open mouth to drip onto the floor. Oh, how I craved my magic at this moment. Just a touch of it to send Donika flying back against her precious throne. I met her eyes with a deathly stillness as she threw her head back and laughed.

“Why don’t you unshackle me and see if you’re still laughing,” I suggested.

“Little Stormshade, I’ve been practicing magic since I was born. You have been practicing magic for months. Innorealm would you be able to stand against me,” she replied.

“Then why don’t you let me try?” I smiled, revealing my blood-stained teeth.

Donika was thoughtful as she peered down at me. She had expected to break me by now. She underestimated my will, my thirst for vengeance. I only had two days left to figure out how to manipulate my way out of the Stormvault, or Tess and I were dead.

“Wouldn’t you rather run home to your mortal mother and leave this all behind you?” Donika asked with a shake of her head.

Even if I was willing to part with the grimoire, I wouldnevergive it to her now. Not after she revealed she was my sister. That she ruined any chance I had of meeting my birth mother. After she tortured Tess and me endlessly. Starved us. She hadn’t even scratched the surface of my willfulness.

“And leave you to my throne?” I asked with a wicked smile.

“It was neveryourthrone,” Donika spat, raising her hand again to strike. This time I flinched back, the sting on my cheek still fresh.

“Stop!” Tess called out, halting Donika as she swung towards me.

“The little mouse finally found her voice.” Donika laughed, turning towards Tess with her raised hand.

“Do. Not. Touch. Her.” My voice was cold and foreign in my own ears.

I could take Donika’s questions and her abuse, but I wouldn’t let her do the same to Tess.

“Or what?” Donika replied, turning her attention back towards me. “You aremyprisoner. I will do with you both as I please.”

It was the same conversation, over and over again. How many times had Donika brought us to the throne room to torture us, and how many times had we stood fast against her?

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