Page 108 of Nocturn

“What, too good for me?”

“Yes.”

His shock told me he had not expected a response. That made both of us. Before I had a moment to brace myself, his meaty palm flashed across my face with such force that I smacked into the side of the carriage door and bounced off, hitting the edge of the seat. I yelped, favoring my side.

The pressure there drew away from the sting at my temple. He struck me with his fist. My ears rang, and the jostling of the carriage caused my senses to jumble even more. I whimpered, curling into a ball and yanked Branwen’s robe closer.

He sucked a breath through his teeth. An irritated sound.

My hearing faded in and out.

A creak forced me to open my eyes. I dug my heel into the wooden planks, trying to get against the back of the carriage as the second officer whipped open the door. The man with untamed dark hair who had been with Egan when I was taken to a brothel stood gawping.

“What did you do?”

“She got fucking mouthy,” said the brutish officer who hit me, as he exited. He turned to take hold of my ankle. I yelped as I was dragged to the exit.

I landed in a pile on the stone ground as the second officer let out a string of curses. My head swam as I attempted to collect myself.

Saints, I hurt.

“There is no need to be harsh with her,” the second officer said, surprising me.

He had no opinions while we were at the brothel. Crouching to brace me under my arms, he stood me upright, still stern, but nothing like the other officer had been. I stumbled to follow his guidance, limping down the halls I used to walk with him. Every uneven step reminded me of whose hands had done this. He’d branded my bones as surely as the Sigil had branded my throat.

Every blink was agony across the side of my face.

The Grand Hall swept past in a blur, and he took me through the entrance that cut behind the frightening throne. We made it through the slim hall until we reached that thick door. Opening it into pure darkness.

“In you go,” he murmured, giving no indication of what he was thinking in his bland voice.

I held his gaze for a few breaths, and his gaze flitted away from mine. No further help would come from him. I eyed the inky darkness leading down to where the Hollows were and shivered. With another hard swallow, I stepped onto the stone platform of the descending stairs.

The door slammed shut, and a clank later I was locked in the dark, musty pit. I leaned against the damp stone and tilted my head back with my eyes closed. Everything had gone to the Hollows. Escaping from here before Nocturn, which was mere dawnlights away. How would I manage to retrieve Piper⁠—

“Is anyone there?”

I startled and almost tumbled down the stairs. That voice, a feminine voice, tickled my memory. I slowly descended toward the voice.

“Hello?” I whispered.

After a beat of silence, there was a thud against metal.

“Amara?”

I quickened my descent as best I could with my uneven gait until I was at the bottom, moonlight filling this section of the damp chamber. Hugging myself, I lowered my head, squinting. A shadow moved against the bars.

“Renata?” I breathed.

It took me a moment to recognize her because she was a bloody mess. Slashes lined the entirety of her face and down her nude body, as if a blade had been taken to the thin flesh. Sapphire blood stained and crusted at all the wounds.

I burst forward and took hold of the bars. She hugged her torso where deep bruising expanded across her ribs.

“We need to get you out of there, Renata,” I said, rushed, scanning all of the bars cemented into stone.

“They know you were helping us. I am terribly sorry, Amara,” she gasped, choking. “They tortured it out of me.” She cut off with a guttural sound.

“Who, Renata? Who is they?” Before she could answer, a loud clang erupted through the cell.