Page 139 of A Storm in Every Heart
Before I can ask what’s wrong, the bartender turns around and hands her two drinks.
“Who’s the other one for?” I ask.
“You, actually. I was going to come find you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” She hands me a glass, still looking anxious.
I sniff the drink. “What is this?”
“Something strong.” She laughs lightly. “I’m not much of a fan of ships. I thought it might help to take the edge off, so to speak.”
“Cheers to that,” I mutter, thinking of Odessa again. Taking the edge off seems like exactly what I need.
“Cheers,” Lyra echoes, clinking her glass with mine.
I tilt my head back and drink the entire thing in one gulp.
KASTIAN, PRESENT
Iwake up disoriented, with no idea where I am.
My head is pounding. There’s a needle of pain stabbing between my eyes, and I hear—no, feel—a high-pitched ringing in my ears that pulses with the beat of my heart.
My throat is dry, and my tongue is thick against my teeth. I force my eyes open and stare up at a ceiling ribbed with dark, uneven stones. Torchlight flickers in the periphery of my vision, reflecting off the glistening veins of water trickling down the heavy stone walls. Then, the smell hits me; sharp and briny with a sickly overlay of rot.
Where the fuck am I?What happened?
I try to sit up and can’t, which sends a jolt of panic through me. Something pins my wrists and ankles to whatever I’m lying on, and I can’t free them no matter how hard I pull.
Breathe. Don’t panic.
Deep breath in…
I choke. The horrible stench of the room breaks my usual calming ritual and sends my panic rocking even higher. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to lose my shit.
When I open my eyes again, I’m focused. Alert.
I shift my weight as much as I can, flexing my fingers, testing the range of movement in my shoulders.
I’m lying on some sort of table, my wrists and ankles strapped down. The table is cold under my back, but the air is wet and heavy, clinging to my skin. The straps bite into the bone, and no matter how many times I arch my hips and kick, twist, and struggle, the cuffs refuse to move.
I can’t use magic unless I can get my hands free. I try anyway, waving my fingers, but without the full use of my hands, nothing happens.
Someone’s gone to a lot of fucking trouble to keep me here.
I close my eyes again and try to remember something leading up to this moment. Anything.
The last thing I remember is Odessa; her beautiful face looking up at me as I came apart inside her. Then, the soldiers streaming out of the swamp and Dessa begging me to go along with it and not get myself killed.
I remember realizing that, while I could probably fight my way out of the circle of guards, I wouldn’t be able to do it before one of them grabbed her. I thought I’d have a better chance of both of us escaping if I waited until we were back in a part of Hydratta I was familiar with, so I let them put me on a horse, and waited. I was working on getting my wrists untied and my gag off, when something cracked against the back of my head.
After that, nothing. Everything is dark.
The soldiers obviously knocked me out and brought me here. That must mean that I’m somewhere in the capital of Hydratta. Under the castle, maybe?
I twist my head to the side and try to get a better sense of my surroundings. The chamber is bigger than I thought—at least fifteen paces wide. The walls are shot through with mineral stains and barnacles. I don’t see a door or any windows, but if I strain my ears, I think I can hear distant voices.
