My Darling Katherina

Chapter Five

Looking into the eyes of someone who had no idea they were holding her heart in their hands, staring at her with hatred and anger- Something in her chest broke.

Her mind was strewn with thoughts; Katherina had a lot of things she wanted to tell him. She longed for him to hold her as she sobbed about how much she missed him. About how she wanted she could go up to him every day and tell him the truth. Damn all the years she spent hiding, her father was here. She wanted to tell him how she admired him from afar. How she loved-

Suddenly, He sank his once human hands, now claws, pierce into her shoulder. She struggled to move but couldn't. She wanted to run. To hide. Yet, She was powerless to intervene. As if out of nowhere she became paralyzed.

People's screams went away as blackness filled her vision. She couldn't see, feel, or even hear. She wasn't aware she was crying until she felt something wet slide down her face.

Maybe it was blood. She was unsure.

All she remembered was one minute witnessing young children giggling as they plunged in puddles and the next minute nothing.

She blinked away the drowsiness, her bones weak when she tried to reach out. Her throat dry when she tried to speak. She curled up in herself, the cold sinking in and already she knew that it was all a dream. She never left the Mountain, she never explored the courts. It was all an Illusion- She was still back at the Mountain.

Her vision was fuzzy and her mind scattered to see properly in front of her. The figures shadows whispering at her appearance. Maybe she was discovered?...

Katherina forced her eye to focus and noticed she was in a room.

No, not a room. It's a cell. Although it was larger than the one she had Under the Mountain, it was still a cell. It still had that death energy swirling around it.

That was, however, a few days ago if she thought about it long enough. Maybe a week? She couldn't tell because she was in and out of consciousness. It couldn't have been more than a few hours if she was lucky.

It was dark and freezing inside. Her only source of light was a little flame on the cage's exterior. If she had the strength, she would try to get there, but her body refused. Katherina was well aware that her captors had kept her unconscious in order to obtain access to her mind. The Darkness, on the other hand, demonstrated that no matter how frail she was, she could keep her thoughts to herself.

Katherina silently expressed her gratitude to him. But where had he gone?

Unexpectedly, the door to her cell opened, revealing two large males with bat-like wings. Long hair hung down to his shoulders on one of them. He was a robust, tall man. The other was not as large as the first, but he appeared to be strong, and shadows seemed to surround him.

She'd heard that certain Fae were able to manipulate shadows. Seeing it in person, however, was remarkable. He sang to the shadows, singing to them as they do to her. If only the Darkness could be present. He was not a fan of songs. Despite her position, Katherina would have loved to admire him a bit longer but she didn't get a chance.

Katherina started to speak, but was cut off when a rag was shoved into her mouth.

Then, there was a revolting odor. She began to fight back as the aroma began to creep down her lungs. Suffocating her. She didn't want to be drugged again, she didn't want to be dragged under the blackness void. Lost to whatever monsters slept in her mind. Despite her best efforts, the two males were stronger, and blackness swiftly obscured her eyes once more.

***

Katherina felt pain.

But not physical agony, not the kind that might be alleviated with bandages, elixirs, or oils. The ache she was experiencing was inside. She felt as if a piece of herself had vanished, Chipped away.

Katherina didn't even have to open her eyes to realize she was being watched. She didn't have to look to know that the two males who brought her out her cell were clutching her arms tightly, as if it took enormous effort to keep them from breaking her.

She didn't even have to open her eyes to see her father staring at her. He was joined by five other people, including his mate. Katherina recognized them just by the way they smelled.

She then heard her father's voice. But, it wasn't the same voice he used when he walked by his people. This is the voice he employed when deciding whether or not to execute someone. He used this voice for death; for when he was under the mountain.

"Amarantha." He said, Hatred slithering out of his tongue like poison.

She reached to speak when suddenly, Katherina choked on her tongue. Rhysand eyes pierced through her skin and she felt her lungs begin to close up. She wanted to scream at the blood freezing in her vein, tears pooling in her eyes when she blinked and he was crouched in front of her. He made it apparent to Katherina that he planned to kill her with every step he took. To wait for the moment when she would say something stupid and he would snap her neck. But it seemed she didn't have to say anything at all for him to want to kill her.

He forced her to look at him by grabbing her jaw. Staring into his eyes, which she hoped would one day be filled with love and kindness rather than scorn and hatred.

Katherina's heart was pounding fast. She gasped for air, for the pain to stop for even a moment so she could speak and yet all she could do was pant and groan. He stared empty in her eyes, satisfaction deep in those depths.

She felt the heavy hands that had been holding her down melt away as soon as he spoke those words. They acted as if they were lionesses bringing food to the male lion. Allowing him to choose whether or not to consume her.

As she tried to explain who she was, tears began to stream down her face. Sobs stuck in her throat and Katherina felt like begging forgiveness.

"I'm growing bored, Amarantha."

"My name is Katheri-" A sharp pain in her gut interrupted her. A metallic taste filled her mouth, Her father pulled out a silver dagger encrusted with black tourmaline, which was now coated in blood. Pulled out from her stomach.

She coughed as she fell to her side. Katherina felt unconsciousness trying to take her under but she fought back. She had to give an explanation. He had to listen- understand.

"I'm Katherina," she breathed harshly.

"Please," Katherina coughed, feeling blood now come out her nose.

As she tried to stay awake, blackness began to cover her vision.

"I'm her daughter-" she coughed. The movement rocked her body with force, draining her energy. The pain was getting unbearable. Blood was already accumulating beneath her. As the blackness pushed its way into her vision, she kept struggling. She felt the ache spread all over her skin, her heart begin to fault just slightly.

Pushing unconsciousness away one last time, Katherina managed to whisper her answer before she felt talons clawing into her mind.

"Father, please." she pointed to the High Lord of the Night. Just the small movement tired her.

The last thing she noticed was Rhysand's surprised expression, which was swiftly replaced by rage and bewilderment.

Everything went black after that.