Page 42 of Destiny Redeemed
I clamped my mouth shut, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Gareth’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Who else knows about it? The prince?” He pressed.
Still, I said nothing. The cell was oppressively silent, save for the distant drip of water and my ragged breathing.
“Ah, so we’re playing mute, are we?” Gareth’s hand lashed out, striking me across the face with enough force to snap my head to the side. I tasted copper, my lip split and bleeding.
I spat a glob of blood at his feet, cursing my poor aim as it splattered on the dirty stone floor instead of his polished boots. I fixed him with the iciest glare I could muster.
“Go. To. Hell,” I snarled, enunciating each word with venom.
Gareth’s hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking my head back painfully. I bit back a cry, refusing to give him the satisfaction.
“Red’s given me full freedom to deal with you as I like,” he hissed, his foul breath hot against my face. “So don’t think I’ll go easy on you.”
I summoned every ounce of bravado I had left. “What will you do?” I challenged. “Kill me? Torture me? Go ahead. I’m not afraid.”
For a moment, I saw uncertainty flicker in Gareth’s eyes. He released my hair, shoving me back against the wall. I stumbled but managed to keep my feet under me, glaring defiantly.
But my victory was short-lived as a cruel smirk spread across Gareth’s face, his eyes gleaming with a sadistic light that made my blood run cold.What now?
Gareth’s eyes glinted with malice as a new thought seemed to strike him. “Oh, speaking of accomplices… maybe I should find that little street rat who was with you.”
My heart seized. “No!” I lunged forward, but he was already out of the cell, my fingers grasping at empty air.
He smirked, clearly relishing my distress. “Or perhaps I should hunt down that pretty little maid of yours. What was her name again? Laurel?”
“Don’t you dare touch them!” I snarled, hurling myself against the bars. “Get back here, you bastard!”
Gareth gave a mocking little wave before disappearing down the corridor. His voice drifted back, addressing unseen guards. “No food or water for our esteemed guest.”
Bastard.
With that, he sauntered off, leaving me alone with my rage and mounting panic.
I paced the narrow confines of my cell like a caged animal, my mind racing. There had to be a way out, some angle I hadn’t considered yet. But as the hours crawled by, marked only by the gnawing in my belly and the growing ache in my bones, despair began to set in.
Think, Ilyana. You’ve gotten out of worse scrapes than this.
Have I, though?
I slumped against the wall, sliding down until I hit the floor. The stone was cold and rough against my back.
How long has it been? A day? Two?Time blurred, punctuated only by the occasional echoing footsteps that never stopped at my cell. The silence was maddening. My stomach twisted with hunger, but it was nothing compared to the weight in my chest.No Gareth, no Red… does that mean they haven’t found Tommy and Laurel?I clung to that slim hope like a lifeline.
The not knowing was worse than any physical torment.
As fatigue and hunger wore away at my defenses, my thoughts drifted to Anderic. What would he do in this situation? Probably call me ten kinds of idiot for getting myself into this mess in the first place. I could almost hear his voice, that perfect blend of exasperation and fondness.
“You impossible, reckless woman,”he’d say, before crushing his lips to mine.
The memory of our kiss that night flooded my senses - the heat in his eyes, the possessive press of his hands, the way the golden prince had come undone at my touch. For a moment, I could almost believe he was here, that any second he’d come bursting through that door to save me.
The memory was so vivid I could almost feel his breath on my skin and taste the wine on his lips. The way he’d looked at me, like I was the only person in the world. For a moment, it had felt like the mask of the perfect prince had slipped, revealing something raw and hungry underneath.
Stop it,I chided myself.Daydreaming about the prince isn’t going to get you out of here.
But oh, what I wouldn’t give to see him burst through that door right now, all righteous fury and flashing eyes.
