A Court of Secrets and Moonlight (Timeline Version)

44: Borrowed Time

Tamlin

Shockingly, I hadn't bled out yet.

I wasn't stupid enough to put it past the king to use something to keep me alive. Even if I was mostly just a shell, I was positive my soul had died a few hours ago. A sickening crack sounded down the hall, followed by another scream from Leur.

It had been nearly a week, and still I cringed every time I heard it. I wondered what they had broken this time, or if they had moved on to re-breaking the bones that had already healed.

It had been 16 hours since I last heard anything from Lucien's cell across from mine. I couldn't decide what was worse, the possibility that he was dead or that he was still alive.

"This can all go away if you just tell me what I want to know." A booming voice echoed down the hall, "You can't take much more, don't you want to be reunited with that brother of yours again?"

"Go to hell." Leur spat back.

"You asked for it." Another voice joined in, and then there was the sound of splashing water. I tried not to count the seconds, tried not to imagine her panic as her body screamed for air.

Somehow, I found myself counting anyway.

Somewhere around 124 seconds, I had to physically cover my mouth to stop from screaming.

She's dying.

She's dying.

Get her out!

I'd learned that lesson yesterday, when they finally got so fed up with Lucien and I screaming for them to stop- they'd gagged us and tortured us with her for hours. Everytime she refused to speak, refused to give information, all three of us recieved whatever punishment they had deemed. They only stopped whenever Lucien passed out, barely breathing. They threw us in the cells and 10 hours later they came back for her.

At 148 seconds, I heard her gasp for breath.

"Tell us how you're alive." One of them demanded, and I heard the wall crunch as her body was thrown into it, "Tell us."

"I'm not telling you shit." Her voice was strong even if laced with pain, "Kill me. I don't care."

"How about I kill that mate of yours instead?" The King's voice joined the cacophony.

How generous of him to grace us with his presence.

"You'll never find him." She answered.

"Let me guess, he's in Velaris." The King's voice hissed in reply, "Along with your brother, your cousin, and that other brute. Perhaps I should go after the Morrigan first, if your mate isn't enough to sway you. I do remember how close you used to be, seems she has gleaned to take care of your mate for you in your absence."

Velaris?

What the hell is Velaris?

"Keep her name out of your fucking mouth!" I could hear her fighting against the restraints.

"You're the one with the dirty mouth my dear." The King answered, "Remember the fun we used to have?"

I felt my stomach twist in response, nausea rising quickly up my throat. Memories flashed in my head from the first war, seeing Leur hang herself on the King's arm, the way he used to look at her as if she was something to eat.

"You make me sick." Leur spat.

And then, the King exploded, "You took the only thing I cared about, the only thing I loved. You'll pay for it in blood unless you decide to give me what I want."