Page 42 of Winter Queen
“We never said we brought him here unharmed,” Storm shrugs unapologetically.
“Is he conscious?” I ask and Crispin concentrates for a moment.
“Yes, he’s just pretending to be asleep. He’s in pain but nothing life-threatening.”
I turn to the prisoner. “Look at me,” I command loudly, putting as much authority as I can into my voice.
He laughs roughly. “No.”
I grimace. “Did you know that while you can’t use magic in these cells, we can use magic out here to affect you? You won’t be able to defend yourself… you’re at our mercy, basically.”
“Then kill me and be done with it.”
His voice lacks all emotion, but for some reason, it makes me shiver. He’s speaking with Crispin’s voice, but it’s still not the same. Now that I know they’re two different people, I can easily keep them apart. Crispin is full of warmth and emotion, even when he tries to hide it. This clone is cold and full of darkness.
He finally lifts his head and looks at me.
“What are you waiting for?”
I meet his gaze, refusing to look away.
“I’m not going to kill you. But you’re going to answer my questions.”
“And if I don’t?”
“My friends here are all very talented.” I point at my four guys. “One of them in particular. Arc here would love to invade your mind and pull all the information we need, right?”
The kilted Guardian smiles grimly. “With pleasure.”
“Will it hurt, Arc?” I ask innocently, as if I didn’t know already.
“Oh aye, it will hurt. People say it’s pain like nothing else. Like your brain is sucked out through yer nose.”
“And will his mind be okay afterwards?”
He shrugs. “I dinnae ken, but usually, they end up a little stupid. Drooling, helpless, whining, …”
“Yes, I think we get the picture,” I interrupt him, and turn back to the prisoner. “Now, shall we start with your name?”
“Crispin,” the clone says through gritted teeth.
The real Crispin next to me growls and steps forward.
“No, you’re not. That’s my name, you can’t have it.”
The clone smiles, exposing a few missing teeth. My men must have been rougher with him than I realised. Serves him right.
“She told me about you,” he says, looking straight at Crispin. “Her failed experiment. She was very disappointed with you. Such a failure. When she lost you, she was happy. She finally got rid of you and had the opportunity to make me. An improved version. I’m you as you should have been.”
I put a hand on Crispin’s shoulder, holding him back from reacting to the prisoner’s words. They must hurt. Despite all the Morrigan did to him, I know that inside, he’s still not fully healed. He’s still not over the bond he had with her. He was an addict back then, addicted to her praise and approval. He would have done anything for a kind word from her. It makes my heart ache to see how he’s suffering even now. We shouldn’t have taken him with us, but I know we couldn’t have held him back either.
“How are you improved?” I ask the clone, keeping a neutral tone as if I’m genuinely interested.
“She wanted him to feel so that he could enjoy the pain of others like she does. It backfired and he began to feel the wrong things. She decided to make me not feel at all.”
I swallow hard at that revelation.
“But you’re smiling. Why are you smiling when you don’t feel anything?”
