The Skin Thief

Chapter 19

Kiora

Kiora is yanked up onto her feet, her arms clasped tightly behind her. She winces uncomfortably as the guards' secure thick cuffs around her wrists. They tighten them, and Kiora grimaces as they catch her skin.

None of the pain rids her of the satisfaction that spreads through her. The smile remains on her face, especially as she watches the King being awkwardly helped up by his guards. He shoves them off and then wipes the blood off his nose with the back of his sleeve.

He glares at her and spits out blood onto the floor.

"How dare you," he begins.

"What?" Kiora asks calmly, "Lay a hand on you in a way that you did not consent to?"

Kiora raises an eyebrow and stares him down. "So, it is okay for you to mutilate me, to cut parts of me off, but it isn't okay for me to give you a slight tap?"

The king licks his lips slowly, his stare intense. "I am a king," he says slowly.

"Not. Mine," Kiora replies, her voice a low growl.

"Fine. If that is how you want to play, you can spend the next two days in the dungeons," he tells her. "I tried to be nice, and accommodating, but you clearly don't want my hospitality."

"You are my kidnapper, King. I want nothing from you but for you to let me go home."

The king smirks and shakes his head.

"Not going to happen," he explains and steps closer to her. He leans over and whispers into her ear. "In two days' time, you'll belong to The Dragon Emperor. You're lucky I'm being so lenient. If you were to pull that little stunt, he'd feed you to his dragons." He pauses to laugh. "You really should have made the most of your time here. After these two days, you will never set foot in the Second Realm again. Don't think your High Priestess's threats of Winter's wrath scared me. You and your silly little priestesses have no power here and you never will. "

Kiora doesn't reply. She just stares at him with a clenched jaw, her eyes burning with hatred.

"Take her," he orders his guards.

"Enough!" A voice shouts from behind them. The King freezes and lets out a long sigh of frustration.

"What do you want, Larissa?" He asks through gritted teeth.

A woman comes into view, storming through the King's guard with fiery fury. She comes to a stop between the king and Kiora. She looks between the two of them, her dark green eyes wide. Then, her mouth falls open.

"It's true then," she says finally, her head snapping to face the king. "Please, Lucas, please tell me this isn't who I think it is."

The king laughs. "You all thought me mad when I told you my plans to seek out a priestess. You said it would be an impossible task. Well, here one is, standing before you."

The woman pales and shakes her head. "No, Lucas, you fool," she whispers. "What have you done?"

"I have found a gift for the Emperor that will make him leave us alone. I've done what no king of Orthanya has done."

"At what cost," the woman pleads. The King scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"You know I don't believe in all your prophecy, religious bullshit, Larissa," he hisses.

Larissa shakes her head. "You're a fool, Lucas," she says lowly and turns to the guards. She clicks at them impatiently.

"Let the poor girl go, for goodness sake," she orders.