The Skin Thief

Chapter 46

Kiora

The emperor disappears back inside, leaving Kiora standing on the balcony by herself. She is relieved he has gone. Her hands grip the stone tightly and silent tears fall down her cheeks. She stares out at the city blankly. Numbness consumes her, leaving her barely able to think.

It is when she hears the distant roar of a dragon, that she has any sort of reaction. Kiora flinches and images of those creatures hunting her from the sky, and breathing fire into her temple make her chest tighten so much that she can barely even breathe.

She had known she wasn't going to escape. She doesn't have the skills to be able to break out of here and evade all his guards.

But there had always been that small slither of hope in the back of her mind that one day, she would find a way out of here and return home.

That hope is gone now. Crushed.

Even if an opportunity did present itself, Kiora couldn't leave. She could not be the reason behind the emperor unleashing his dragons on the realms. Her freedom is not worth all those innocent lives.

"Kiora," the emperor says behind her. "Come to bed."

His voice is cold and stern. It sends shivers down her spine.

She doesn't respond. Instead, she looks over the balcony at the courtyard far below. What would happen if she fell from this height? Would she shatter into a million pieces? Would her soul be free to return to Winter? Would she be free?

Kiora jumps as his hands wrap around her upper arms. He turns her and guides her back into the room, locking the doors behind him.

"Does the idea of a life with me truly fill you with that much despair??" he asks, his voice laced with venom. Kiora looks up at him and flinches upon seeing his eyes, which burn with rage.

Still, she refuses to allow him to intimidate her.

"Do not speak on what you do not understand," she tells him. He growls lowly and balls his hands into fists.

"Then tell me, what is it I don't understand?" he asks.

Kiora laughs. She can't help it. It bubbles out of her uncontrollably, just like the tears that continue to stream down her face.

"No," she says, shaking her head.

"No?" he asks, raising an eyebrow and staring down at her with a look of both confusion and anger.

"No," she says once more, then steps forward. "I will not waste my breath on someone who refuses to listen. The explanation you are asking for, I have already said to you multiple times."

She twists and starts walking away. She doesn't make it two steps before his hand wraps tightly around her arm and spins her back around in a rough blur.

Kiora yelps as he pulls her close, gripping her upper arms tight enough that it would cause bruises if she could bruise. She trembles and stares up at him with wide eyes.

"Why must you be so difficult?" he asks through gritted teeth.

Kiora gulps back her fear and forces a cruel smile onto her face.

"I'm not difficult," she replies, "you're just not used to women – or anyone – resisting you. Tell me, emperor, when was the last time someone told you no?"

His grip only tightens. It hurts, but Kiora doesn't show it. They glare at each other, neither one breaking their stare first. After a few moments of tense silence so thick that it felt almost as crushing as the emperor's grip, he finally lets go and breaks eye contact.