Page 56 of Lady of Darkness
My stomach tugs with nausea, and I know the medicine Alaric gave me is working. I pretend to cry as Jurgen gestures for me to sit.
“Now that the filth has taken itself out, we should enjoy our meal. Drink.” He holds his wine glass up, and I do the same with shaky hands. Tears are falling down my cheeks as I pretend to sip, but the liquid doesn’t touch my lips.
“You will pay for this,” I grit out, glaring at him. I know my mascara is running down my cheeks, and I attempt to make my hands shake even more.
Pretend, pretend, pretend.
He huffs a laugh as he chews a piece of bread. “Yes, yes. Luka mentioned you were all talk. You can threaten me all you want. At the end of the day, we both know your Lords sold you to me. They care about their lives more than yours. How does it feel to be betrayed like that?” he asks, his voice cruel.
“Fuck you,” I hiss. My stomach rolls again, and I lean forward. If I’m going to make this all believable, I need him to think I’m distraught. “I can’t believe this is happening,” I say quietly, my gaze drifting down. Gripping the edge of the table, I inhale deeply as my eyes flutter closed. “Oh God. I think I’m going to be sick.”
It’s not a lie. My stomach lurches, and I gag.
Jurgen jumps up. “Fuck,” he snarls. Grabbing my elbow as I gag again, he quickly drags me toward the back. “Get yourself under control,” he hisses, shoving me into the women’s restroom. “And don’t eventhinkof fleeing. I’ll be waiting for you right here. Disgusting,” he mutters as I retch loudly.
I fall into the bathroom from the force of his push, clawing my way up to hands and knees as I vomit all over the tiled floor. It’s intense–I continue vomiting, making sure I’m loud about it. My whole body is trembling as I finish, and all I want to do is lie down on the floor until my stomach settles. But I can’t. I have a job to do.
Standing up with shaky legs, I make my way to the sink, splashing water on my face. I look at myself in the mirror. Mascara is smeared all over my face, skin flushed and blotchy, eyes glassy and irritated. My hair has come out of my braid partially, and I look crazed. Smiling, I dry my face and walk into the stall closest to the wall. Feeling around, my fingers catch on a latch hidden behind the ornate wallpaper. I scrape the paper away and lift.
A door appears.
It’s small, and I have to open it slowly because it’s tearing the paper at the same time.
“Almost done?”
Jurgen’s voice booms through the bathroom.
I nearly jump.
“Just using the toilet.” I take a deep, calming breath.
“You have one minute,” he barks.
And you have thirty seconds, you bastard.
I place one foot on the toilet as I reach inside of myself and remove the remote control. My thumb shakes over the button.
Lifting my hand with the ring up, I whisper.
“Okay. Ready to detonate. Thirty-second warning.”
My ring vibrates once.
I press the button and then I creep through the hidden doorway, pulling it closed behind me and counting the seconds in my head.
Twenty seconds.
Hopefully, if Jurgen bursts into the bathroom before the bomb detonates, he won’t see the door at first.
Fifteen seconds.
My ring vibrates intensely.
Slowly hunching over as I walk through the dark passageway, I keep moving until I see a door at the end of the long hallway. I squint my eyes and reach out, feeling a handle, twisting the knob. It’s locked, and my heart sinks.
Ten seconds.
I pound against it, screaming. “It’s locked!” I have no idea if they’re on the other side of it or not.
