Warmoon [ONC 2020]•[Shortlisted]•[Honorable Mention List, Stunning Worlds]

14. The Deal

Rhoa eased the sickroom door open. The children were all sleeping, the baby in her cradle by the hearth, Sarrie and her little brother snuggled up together in the cot next to Gran. Gran still hadn't moved, and Phane was pale and sweating, but they were both breathing. That was all she could hope for.

Silently, Rhoa closed the door, then tiptoed down the stairs. She had already been to the armory and Tettony's apothecary pantry. Her next stop was the Alchemy Room. When she had everything she needed, she shouldered her crossbow and made the trek down to the dungeon.

The Vanguard was lying on his back in the center of the cell floor, staring up at the ceiling, and for one, dull heartbeat, Rhoa almost thought he must have come in contact with the Rot too and now she really was alone.

Then he let his head loll in her direction, dark eyes glittering as that devilish grin appeared.

She released a slightly crazed little laugh, then brought her crossbow up. He was alive, so first things first. "On your feet, Vanguard."

He sighed, but then got up. "Your wish is my command, Keeper's Daugh—"

"Turn around. Hands behind your head, palms together," she said, unlocking the door.

"Well this is new," he muttered, slowly doing as ordered.

She approached with care, keeping the crossbow trained on him as she shook a length of linen cord loose from the pocket of her tunic. "I'm going to tie your hands. If you so much as twitch, I'll bolt you to the wall."

There wasn't any sarcastic remark this time as she reached up and made quick work of binding his wrists together. "Don't move," she hissed when he shifted his weight, but he only relaxed one leg, cocking those lean hips to one side.

Almost there. Taking a breath, she backed out of the cell, cast a glance over the machine beside the door that controlled the chains strung from the ceiling, and flipped the lever that let down the stretching hook.

The Vanguard didn't say anything when she came back in and slipped the hook between his forearms. He still hadn't said anything when she went back out and began working the lifting lever, ratcheting his arms up above his head till he was nearly suspended from the ceiling by the cord binding his hands.

Next she released the counterweight on his shackles, sending his ankle chains racing into their holes at opposite ends of the floor until he was forced to separate his feet by a yard, rendering him defenseless.

She set the brake, then paused, looking at him.

He hadn't resisted at all, and now he was watching her in silence, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

Rhoa's throat tightened and she looked away. Her fingers found the vial tucked into her tunic pocket. With a quick breath, she strode into the cell again. "Do you know what this is?" She asked, drawing the vial out and holding it up so he could see the pale gold liquid inside it.

He didn't bat an eyelash.

"This is the poison my mother makes out of the sprak venom. We use it to keep the monster weak," she supplied when he didn't answer. "One drop can kill a grown man." She lifted her lantern and hung it from one of the chain hooks set in the wall. "First there will be a fever. You'll begin breaking out in a rash all over... By tomorrow the rash will turn into black, oozing sores... You'll pray your heart stops from the pain then, because your flesh will begin to rot from the inside out."

The Vanguard followed her progress toward him, his gaze locked on her face. He was too calm, as if he already knew what was coming.

Rhoa blinked, her resolve faltering for a heartbeat.