Kindling of Frost and Ashes (Phoenix Chronicles Book 3)

Chapter 21: Make Him Hurt

I do as I'm told. The thought swam through Roman's head, holding him in place. Aundreya had told him so. He did as he was told and stood still in the middle of the throne room.

Why?

Because she said so.

But why do I care what she says?

As if hearing his thoughts, Aundreya pursed her lips together, glaring up at him. "I liked it better when you were weaker. Noelle." She snapped her fingers, and Noelle glanced up from where she'd been listlessly staring out the window.

"What?" she asked in a bored tone.

"Come here and help me."

"Come here and help you what?" Noelle repeated, an edge to her tone. Aundreya sucked in her cheeks, bouncing up and down in place, fighting something inside herself.

"Come here and help me...please."

Noelle dragged herself out of her chair and trudged over to them. "Now that wasn't too hard, was it?" She smacked Aundreya on the cheek, earning a wide-eyed, mouth open expression of disbelief from her sister. "Forget next time and I'll make that hurt."

"Why you--"

"Aundreya," Mygel's warning voice cut in from the other side of the throne room. "Remember what Helena said. When she's out of her room, you keep her happy."

Aundreya bounced up and down again, and Roman had a feeling doing so was the only thing that kept her from jumping her sister. "Fine." She held out her hand and Noelle took hold of it.

"Roman," Aundreya said, a new authority in her tone. He focused on her again, trying to remember what he was doing there. "Listen to me."

"I am," he said, frustration eating at him. He'd been listening. This whole time! She was the one goofing off.

"I want you to jump up and down and cluck like a chicken."

His first thought was how ridiculous that would be, but then a compelling urge hit him to be ridiculous. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to do so, to amuse them all with his chicken talents. He bounced up and down, clucking and bawking away while Aundreya and Mygel giggled. Noelle even cracked a smile, shaking her head at him.

"I like him better this way," Aundreya said, grinning at him. "He was so much fun when he listened all the time. One of my favorite toys. And oh such a good kisser. You should try him, Noelle. You may find you have a liking for him."

"I want nothing and no one you've had your hands on," Noelle replied.

"Stop now," Aundreya said, ignoring Noelle's comment. "Wooh that was fun. See how fun this can be?" she asked Noelle, who still stared at Roman.

"Make him hurt."

"What?" Aundreya blinked, rounding on her sister in surprise. Roman felt frozen, fear rooting him to the spot.

"Make him hurt," Noelle said again. "Make him feel the pain I felt when you cut into me - but don't actually cut him. Just make him believe you're cutting him."

Aundreya hesitated, still holding Noelle's hand. "W-why?"

"Because he deserves to feel what I felt, to go through what I went through while he sat up here fat and happy, enjoying the spoils of the battle we fought."

With a bob of her head, Aundreya turned back. "Just so long as we don't actually have to ruin that pretty face." She cleared her throat. "Roman, I'm holding a knife." She lifted her hand, and though Roman could have sworn it was empty, he now saw a shining silver knife gripped tightly in her grasp.

"You still can't move, remember. You're going to hold very still, and I'm going to cut into your face." She moved closer, and though Roman struggled against his invisible bonds, he couldn't get away. "Feel it slicing into your skin, right up at your hairline. It's cutting, serrating your skin as it comes down between your eyebrows."

She has to raise her voice to shout over Roman's screams of agony. His whole face felt like it was on fire. He dropped to his knees and together, she and Noelle held his head in place so Aundreya could keep cutting.

"Down the side of your nose," Aundreya continued. "Blood is pouring from your wounds, obscuring your vision. You can't see. You feel only pain, terrible, horrible--"

The world went black.

He came to several minutes later, his hands flying to his face. No blood. No cuts of any kind, yet he could still feel the dull, thudding pain in the areas Aundreya had touched.

"I've never done that before," Aundreya said, a wicked grin twisting her lips. "That was amazing."

"And you can't do it without me," Noelle said, kneeling down beside Roman. "Without me, he'd still be standing upright, not believing you. Apparently, some people can grow immune to your power. Without me, you'll be no one." She glanced up at her sister. "I want you to remember that."

Aundreya's expression darkened, her hands balling into fists. "I've done just fine without you."

"You don't excel for excellence, then?" Noelle taunted, stroaking Roman's hair. "Tell him he's no longer in pain. Tell him he's fine."

"No!"

"Do it," Noelle said. She didn't raise her voice or harden it. Just demanded.

"Make me."

Noelle lifted her chin and turned her head toward Aundreya. The movement was slow, methodical, and with a shock of understanding, Roman realized something.

The tables had turned. Noelle held the power now.

"Would you like me to make you? Shall I call Helena in and tell her what you just did to Roman? Maybe her Ancient friend can come down from wherever he hides and have a word with you?"

"It was your idea to do it."

"But you did it. I can't do it on my own." Noelle went back to surveying Roman as pain pulsed through his face. "The blame still falls on you. Now make his pain go away."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, and because he can't feel anything else or do anything else until it's taken care of. I would know."

"Roman, I didn't touch your face. You don't feel any pain. You're perfectly fine, unlike Noelle."

Noelle's expression darkened as she stared down at Roman, but she didn't respond. He sat up, still watching her. In his moment of clarity, he tried to find his friend, the girl he'd traveled with and had known for so long now.

But when she looked him in the eye, he could see she wasn't there. Gone was the hazel kindness, replaced by something black--blacker even than Aundreya's.

Yikes! Noelle hurt Roman! Noelle hurt Roman! Okay, Aundreya hurt Roman, but it was Noelle's idea.

Tell me THOUGHTS NOW! Things only get worse before they get better, right?