The Beauty in Pain | Book One of In Pain Trilogy *EDITING*

14. Thieves

Mynera felt a shadow fall over her from behind, then a hand patted her back. Despite the soothing gesture, she felt no gratitude. It only served to make her feel worse, like a weakling who couldn't handle the sight of blood.

But she held her tongue, kept her self-loathing thoughts to herself. Then she doubled over again, drowning cute little wildflowers with the contents of her stomach until was nothing was left but her hollow dread. Tears continued to stream past her eyes, her nose running from the force of her retching. The most unladylike she'd ever felt and probably ever looked.

"That is absolutely disgusting," came Queen Madeline's voice from behind her.

Mynera had to agree. She closed her mouth in an effort to stifle the vomit, but it didn't work. Her nausea only doubled, bile shooting up her throat without warning. She hunched over again, vomiting until there was nothing left.

"Will she ever stop?" Exasperation laced Queen Madeline's voice, strengthened with a heavy sigh.

"We cannot really blame her," Mynera heard Hale say, right above her. He was the one who was stroking her back and holding her hair from her face. "Can you imagine what she is feeling? Her father was killed right in front of her eyes by men trying to take the Kingdom."

Oh, Hale. Bless your heart. Mynera knew he was trying to be nice by sympathizing but that was not what she needed to hear right now.

Mustering all the strength she had, Mynera wiped her mouth and eyes, staggering to her feet. "I'm fine," she muttered. "I just ..."

"It's okay," Hale said. His eyes were soft.

She looked away from it, hating how powerless she felt. "I ... I don't know what came over me. I just ... after seeing that child just lying there in the streets, I couldn't ... " Anger surged within her, without warning. "They're killing innocent citizens!"

"Yes, no doubt Lord Gavin wants his army to have some fun." 

That was Saenar but Mynera had to look up, just to make sure. His words were cold, his voice distant. Unfeeling. She couldn't believe her ears, but there he stood, leaning against a tree, his features masked by the shadows. The rift between them seemed even wider than ever. 

"That's his idea of fun?" Mynera asked, incredulous.

His eyes shifted to hers, dark. "You would be surprised what some people do for entertainment."

Screams still blazed in the air. After walking for so long in that underground dungeon, a part of her had hoped that the bloodbath would have died down when they were out. Those hopes had only fallen on deaf ears, she knew now. Those screams will never go away.

Mynera closed her eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Because she knew the screams would follow her into her nightmares, she focused on it. Instead of trying to block it out, she let the sound wash over her, let it spark the anger simmering deep within her. That anger was what she needed to continue. Without it, the anguish would take over. 

Slowly, she opened her eyes, taking a good look around her. She could see nothing but trees, in such thick clusters that she couldn't see past their small clearing. They were tall enough that is seemed impossible to scale its height. We must be in a nearby forest, Mynera thought.

"Where exactly are we?" she asked.

"We're in Musk Forest," Hale answered. He was still standing close to her, his hands on his hips. Save for the tendrils of blond hair sticking to the back of his neck, he looked quite fine. "This forest lies at the back entrance of the city. It was the quickest place of cover from that small little house we had come from."