Page 151 of Dhampira

Heat blasted my lips. I screamed, but the sound was muffled as my mouth was sealed shut.

Rasimir grabbed both of my hands. “Baini.” He released me as metal gauntlets climbed to my wrists. Panic soaring, I tried flexing my fingers, but they were locked in place. The gauntlets dragged at my arms, the weight stretching the muscles across my upper back.

“I don’t know why I bother,” Rasimir said, smirking as he watched me struggle. “It’s not like you have any gifts. But you’ve got a womb, and we can make use of that at least.”

Don’t puke. If I threw up with my mouth blocked, I’d choke on my own vomit.

Rasimir turned to Vander. “Koyno.” When Vander stopped twitching, Rasimir turned back to me. “Your lovers will stay in the dungeon. I’ll spare Vander’s life for now. Watching him fight my orders will be an excellent motivator when it’s time for you to do your duty in Lorcan’s bed.”

Hatred was a bonfire in my chest. The gauntlets tugged at my shoulders. Breathing through my nose, I blinked tears from my eyes. Rasimir wouldn’t see me cry.

“Take the traitors to the cells,” he said.

Knights grabbed Vander under the armpits and dragged him toward the Drakhold. Two others went to Lorcan and lifted him by the arms and legs.

Rasimir gripped my arm. “Come, Daughter. You and I are going to have a conversation.”

31

The gauntlets knocked against my thighs as Rasimir hustled me through the Drakhold. Where are you taking me? I wanted to scream, but of course I couldn’t.

Maybe that was why he’d muzzled me. He wanted the freedom to taunt and insult me without repercussions. This whole time, he was the one who’d been pretending. He believed himself a mighty king, but he was too fragile to handle even the slightest whiff of truth.

BOOM.

The fortress shook, dust raining from the ceiling. Rasimir halted in the middle of the corridor.

BOOM.

Men’s shouts drifted in from outside, followed by pounding footsteps. A scream sounded in the distance.

“Someone will answer for this disruption,” Rasimir muttered, dragging me to the window. Outside, knights sprinted toward the stone bridge Vander and I had crossed the day I arrived. A man in a long coat strode toward them. He flung out his hands, blue light crackling around his fingers.

“Move, idiots!” Rasimir hissed.

“Uci!” the man cried, the vor muffled through the glass. A knight fell to the ground. The others paused. Two werewolves on all fours streaked from behind the man and tackled the knights.

BOOM.

The Drakhold shook again.

“There’s a giant at the gates!” a knight shouted as he ran toward the chaos on the bridge. “We’re under attack!”

“Uci!” the witch yelled, and the knight toppled over the side of the bridge, his body spinning as he fell.

“Come on,” Rasimir growled, pulling me from the window. Agitation snapped around him as he hustled me back the way we’d come. I ran to avoid being pulled off my feet. I had no doubt he’d drag me or, worse, toss me over his shoulder if I couldn’t keep up.

Moments later, he yanked open my door and shoved me into my chamber. I staggered forward several steps, the gauntlets swinging away from my body before I regained my balance and rounded on him.

“You stay put,” he snarled, stabbing a finger at me.

Fuck you, I thought, pouring my hatred into my eyes.

The message must have landed, because he stepped forward and raised his hand.

BOOM.

A vase of flowers on one of the tables tipped over and rolled off the side. Porcelain shattered.