Chapter Ten
Allyssa woke up in excruciating pain. Carefully lifting her tunic, she felt her back—it was covered with welts. Lying on her stomach, she prayed the throbbing discomfort would lesson soon. At least her parents were safe because of her.
She had no idea how much time had passed since she’d been beaten, or even what time of day it was. The only light in her room came from a small oil lamp encased in an iron cage hanging on the wall. A bowl of mush and a cup of water had been placed in her room. The thought of eating was too much, and she drifted back asleep.
***
Time floated by. Every so often, someone shoved food into her cell. She slept, lay awake thinking of her parents, and slept some more. A voice in her head kept yelling at her to eat so her body didn’t waste away in this hellhole. No matter how dire the situation, her mother had never given up, so she couldn’t either. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself up, crawling over to the tray. Trying not to breathe in its awful stench, she ate the gritty food, almost vomiting several times. She couldn’t think about how it smelled like rotten meat—especially since there wasn’t any meat in the food. It was best just to hold her nose and swallow. When she finished, she curled her fingers, making a fist, and got to her knees. People had survived far worse than this. Sitting there crying would do her no good. Her father would insist she get up and fight for herself—right now that meant regaining her strength.
She stood. While her back hurt, it would heal since no permanent damage had been done. She walked around the perimeter of her cell, sweat beading on her forehead despite the cold, damp air. After five rotations, she went back to her cot and laid down. That was enough for now.
The next morning, she forced herself to eat and complete ten laps around the cell. Her strength gradually returned over the next couple of days, and the pain of being caned began to fade away to a horrid memory. Once Allyssa felt well enough, she started exercising. The days were long. The nights longer. Her father had been right—the worst part about being held captive was the mental aspect of it. She desperately tried to keep her spirits up so if an opportunity to escape presented itself, she’d be ready.
***
The interrogator returned. Without uttering a single word, he took hold of Allyssa’s upper arm, leading her back to the room he’d caned her in.
“Are you going to hit me again?” she asked.
He didn’t respond as he shoved her onto a crude wooden chair. The floor below the chair was covered with dark red, almost black, dried blood. The interrogator lifted her right arm, placing it on the arm of the chair. Then he swung a metal devise around her wrist, locking her arm into place.
“What are you doing?” she asked, panic swelling inside of her.
“You are not interrogating me,” he mumbled. “I will ask the questions; you will answer.”
He knelt, taking the chain bolted to the stone floor and wrapping it around her ankles, securing her feet to the ground. He stood and took her left arm, locking it to the arm of the chair.
“Where are your parents?” he asked.
She gulped. Whatever he planned to do, it had to be worse than the caning. Perspiration beaded on her forehead. “I don’t know.”
“What were their plans before you were kidnapped?” He picked up some sort of tool, holding it in the palm of his hand.
“They were at the castle when I left. They had no plans beyond sending me to Fren.” Her breathing sped up.
“Did you sign a marriage contract with Prince Odar?”
“Why does the queen care?” she replied.
He took a step closer. “Do you care for Prince Odar?”
“No. Now let me go. I’ve answered all of your questions.” Sweat dripped down her cheeks. It tickled, but she couldn’t lift an arm to wipe it away.
“You have not answered my questions truthfully.”
“How would you know?” she spat. It became cold. Too cold.
The man’s face looked grim. “I’ve been doing this a long time.” He pulled out a stool and sat on it. His finger lightly traced each of her fingers. “Such pretty hands. It would be a shame if something happened to them.”
She shook her head. “Please don’t.”
“Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know!”
He took the tool and placed it at the end of her thumb. “Where are your parents?”
“In Emperion.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.” But she did. They were hiding in Emperor’s City. That information would go with her to her grave.
The man lifted a lever, and the tool opened. He placed it over the tip of her thumb and closed it so it pinched her nail. “Last chance. Where are your parents?”
“I’ll never tell you.”
“I’m sorry.” Pain exploded through her thumb as the tool ripped out her nail. Blood gushed everywhere, and Allyssa screamed every curse word she knew. “There’s no need to continue torturing yourself,” the man said, wiping away her tears. “Simply tell me what I want to know, and this ends.”
She couldn’t look at her hand. Instead, she focused on the ceiling, trying to steady her breathing. Her mother and father’s lives depended on her.
“Where are your parents?” he asked again. She remained silent. He moved the tool to her pointer finger. “Where are they?”
It was worse the second time when she knew what to expect. The pain of having each fingernail ripped from her body sent her into shock. There was so much blood. She hated these Russek barbarians. They would pay. Each and every one of them would pay.
When he finished, he wrapped her hands with cloth. She vomited and blacked out.
***
Days passed. Allyssa fell into a routine: sleep, exercise, eat, and then she’d repeat the cycle. All the while, anger, hatred, and confusion consumed her. She tried not to think about where she was, how she got here, and what had been done to her. Focusing on getting stronger and staying healthy gave her purpose and kept her mind off the incessant pain.
This particular day started out the same as the previous ones. Allyssa awoke to the sound of a man screaming. She knew and understood the terror in that scream. One day, she hoped to hear Jana and Soma make that sound. She started doing three sets of twenty-five sit-ups. Her muscles shook, her stomach cramping. Still, she pushed herself, hatred for the royal Russek family fueling her on.
When finished, she unwound the fabric covering her hands. Taking a big breath, she braced herself and looked at her fingers. Thick, red scabs covered the tips, the nails already starting to grow back. They had healed enough that they no longer needed to be covered.
The door to her cell flew open, and the interrogator entered. Allyssa scrambled to her feet. The man took an intimidating step into the cell, and she backed up against the wall, wanting to put space between them.
“You look well,” he said. “No visible marks.”
She laughed and held up her hands.
He scratched his chin. “It’s not enough.”
Before she could question him, he raised his large arm and backhanded her across the cheek. Her head hit the wall with a thud, stars exploding in her vision. She couldn’t take anymore. The soldier kicked her thigh, sending her to the ground. The muscles in her leg throbbed as if they had been shredded apart.
“That will leave noticeable injuries.” He left.
Crawling across the stone floor, she rolled onto her straw cot and curled up. It was never going to end. The pain…the torture. Maybe she should tell him what he wanted to know. No…he didn’t care—Jana did. This was all about her breaking Allyssa in order to destroy Rema and Darmik. She couldn’t give in. Ever. No matter how bad it got, she would endure for her parents.
As she lay there, images of Rema and Darmik drifted before her. Running into her parents’ bedchamber early in the morning, riding horses with her mother, sword play with her father. She clung to those memories, to the love of her family. She would survive. And then she would seek revenge.
***
The door flew open, and three soldiers entered, filling the entire space with their presence. One yanked Allyssa to her feet, dragging her out of the cell.
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded. No one answered. With one soldier in front, one holding her arm, and the third behind her, they made their way along the dark hallway of the dungeon. Were they taking her to be tortured? What else could they do to her? Images of the mutilated Emperion soldiers flashed in her mind. She wanted to peel the soldier’s hand off her arm, but her fingertips were still too tender. “Let go.” She meant for it to come out as a demand; instead, it sounded like a whimper.
The soldiers laughed. She tried to dig her heels into the ground, but the man holding her didn’t slow, despite her limp. Could she survive another interrogation? Her mind screamed at her to beg them to help her, or to fight for her freedom. But her dignity demanded she face what was coming head-on. Bloody hell. It felt like she was going to vomit. The man holding her loosened his grip. She realized her body was shaking.
They made several turns in the labyrinth before ascending three flights of stairs. Tears slid down her cheeks from the pain in her leg and the fear of the unknown. They exited the dungeon. Torches lit the dark walls and several mismatched worn rugs covered the floor. It felt like floating through a dream as she was being led along the corridors of the Russek castle. The men escorting her stopped before a large door where two sentries stood guard.
Allyssa swore she could hear her heart pounding as the door swung open to reveal the Throne Room. Approximately one hundred people milled about laughing and speaking merrily to one another. Not wanting to be dragged in front of these people and thrown at the queen’s feet, she stepped into the room on her own and limped down the aisle toward the dais, the guards surrounding, but not touching, her.
Those gathered gradually noticed her, and a hush descended over the room. Whatever was about to happen, the queen wanted these people to witness it. Taking a deep breath, Allyssa continued walking toward the dais while observing the members of court. Many of the men were huge—not only tall but broad shouldered and stocky. They had to be retired soldiers or higher-ranking military officers. These were members of the royal family’s inner circle, and Allyssa wouldn’t find sympathy among them.
Queen Jana sat on one of the Throne Chairs, Princess Shelene and Prince Soma standing to her left. The second Throne Chair remained unoccupied, which meant the king wasn’t here. Odar was nowhere in sight. Allyssa prayed he hadn’t been executed. She balled her hands into fists, willing her shaking arms to be still so her fear wouldn’t be so evident.
Shelene whispered something to Soma and laughed, the simple gesture lighting up her beautiful face. Soma, however, remained cold and hard. Allyssa stopped at the bottom of the dais, a soldier on each side of her. She raised her eyebrows, refusing to bow or kneel before Russek royalty, and waited for the queen to speak.
Jana gracefully stood, folding her hands together. “Thank you all for coming,” she addressed her court. “May I present to you Princess Allyssa of Emperion.” Several people gasped with surprise. “As some of you know, my son, Prince Soma, has brought her here to aid in our negotiations with Emperion.” She smiled and glanced down at Allyssa, a smirk spreading across her face as she took in her hands and bruises.
“I hardly think keeping me locked in the dungeon is considered negotiating,” Allyssa spat.
The queen’s smile vanished. “I beg to differ. Your parents and I are negotiating for your life.”
“You’re wasting your time. My parents won’t agree to your terms.”
Jana took slow, deliberate steps down the dais toward Allyssa. She leaned in and whispered, “I have already sent them your nails. Your fingers and toes will be next. I think these gifts will be powerful motivators for your parents to cooperate.” She spun around and returned to the top of the dais, sitting on the Throne Chair once again. “There is one other announcement.” Her proud voice echoed in the large room as she addressed her court. “My daughter, Princess Shelene, has received an offer for a most advantageous marriage that will greatly benefit Russek.”
While the queen looked elegant and regal in her rich clothing and artful makeup, Allyssa knew she was as cunning as a snake. All of this—the members of court being present, the absence of the king, even Allyssa’s own appearance—it was all part of Jana’s elaborate plot to retake Emperion. Her parents had greatly underestimated this woman.
“People of Russek, I am pleased to announce my daughter’s engagement to Prince Odar of Fren. The marriage treaty is signed, and we will have full access to Fren’s mighty army!” Cheering erupted.
It felt as if Allyssa had been dunked in ice water. Her vison blurred, and she swayed on her feet. The soldier standing at her side grabbed her arm, keeping her upright. How could Odar have signed a marriage contract with Shelene when he’d already signed one with her?
Shelene smiled, and a man standing near the front of the crowd came forward, taking her hand and kissing it. Shock rolled through Allyssa as she realized the man was Odar. He wore a fine tunic with his hair neatly combed, not a bruise or mark visible on his skin. He must not have spent any time in the dungeon. So while she’d been sitting in filth with little food and water, being tortured and interrogated, he’d been navigating the Russek court. Apparently, her worry for his well-being had been for nothing.
Shelene beamed with admiration as Odar wrapped his arm around her waist. The people in the room spoke in low murmurs, exclaiming their gratification with the match.
“We are fortunate to have such a wise queen,” a man near Allyssa said to the lady at his side.
“Yes,” the lady agreed. “I had the pleasure of catching the couple stealing a kiss in the Dining Hall yesterday. They look so happy and in love.”
“And the size of Fren’s army . . .”
Allyssa didn’t bother to hear more because blazing anger coursed through her. Odar had kissed Shelene? She wanted to believe it was all a ruse in order to save her life. But what if it wasn’t? What if the real ruse had been Odar’s relationship with her so he could make it to Russek for the woman he really loved? He wouldn’t even look her way as he stood a mere ten feet from her.
Unfortunately, she did not have her father or Neco’s skill of telling when someone was lying or playing a part. She would have to navigate through her enemy’s court on her own with nothing but her wit and determination to save her.
Shelene laughed, and Odar kissed her forehead, his arm still wrapped around her delicate waist. Allyssa wanted to punch them both. Was this an act or not?
Trying to appear indifferent, she glanced at the queen and Soma. Their heads were together, Soma whispering in her ear. The queen looked at her daughter and then back at Allyssa. Soma straightened himself, the corners of his lips lifting infinitesimally. Were they watching her reaction to the prince and princess? They had to be. Otherwise, why have her here during the announcement? Which meant they didn’t fully trust Odar. Soma had spent enough time with them to be distrustful of his motives.
“Take the prisoner back to the dungeon,” Queen Jana ordered. “There is no need for her to be here any longer.” Her nose wrinkled, and she waved her hand before her face, mocking the fact that Allyssa smelled worse than horse dung.
As the soldiers grabbed her arms, Odar finally glanced her way. His eyes were filled with a mixture of pain and fury, reminding her of when he first arrived at Emperion as Jarvik. His words came back to her. Whatever I do at the Russek court, it is all to save you.
“You’re an arrogant pig!” she yelled at him.
“I don’t care what you say or think about me. I needed a way to enter Russek without my parents knowing. You proved to be quite useful.”
Shelene smiled and pressed her red lips to his cheek, completely besotted with him. His eyes remained hard and unyielding. Allyssa struggled against the soldiers holding her, trying to break free. The attempt was futile, especially with her injuries, but she had a part to play, and the queen needed to believe she was in pain. Allowing the hurt, fear, and hunger to consume her, she started to cry. Jana’s eyes lit up, her face smugly satisfied at the sight.
The guards dragged Allyssa down the aisle and out of the Throne Room. The second the door closed behind her, she stood up straight and forced the tears to stop. The Emperion court contained dozens of people seeking advantage, wanting someone or something. She’d always played the part of the dedicated princess. The Russek court was no different. Allyssa was just playing a different part in the game this time. And this was one game she couldn’t lose.