The Blood of Darkness

Chapter 68

I'm going on vacation so these will be the last two chapters I update for probably around 3 weeks. To put things into perspective, the chapter after this short one (69) will be the last chapter in Kye's POV in the book. There will only be 2-3 more chapters after 69, so the book is very close to coming to an end. Thank you for reading <3

Val

When I awaken, I'm on a horse. My head aches acutely, and bumping up and down continually makes it a hundred times worse.

But it's not as worse as the hands snaking around my middle, holding me up. Not as worse as the all-too-familiar, painful chains binding my wrists. Not as worse as the knowledge of what I have done, what I have agreed to.

I don't move because if I don't move then maybe it will be like Manar isn't behind me, holding me to him. Maybe I won't feel like I'm suffocating from his nearness, dying from his hands around me because they feel like tiny knives ripping into me and shredding me raw.

It's raining and I'm soaked. My dress is shredded and the wind is blowing and I'm freezing, nearly shaking from the cold. Whatever leathers Manar is wearing are keeping him dry and I think it's intentional. He wants me to be cold. Wants me to be weak. He wants me to lean back into him because he's warm. He wants me to need him.

But the one person I need more than anything, the person who I know would be able to keep me warm in the freezing rain—he isn't here. And it's for the best.

By now, Kye should be with the rest of our friends, back at the townhouse. He should be hurriedly packing for Asilo, because I think it would still be worth going. And it's safe there.

He'll feel terrible about leaving his beloved kingdom, but he'll still do it. He'll know it'll be worth it.

"I know you're awake, darling," Manar whispers, his breath at my ear. I feel sick with discomfort and disgust. "You must be freezing."

I lean away from him, my fingers tangling into the horse's dark, soft fur. "I'm fine." My voice is far too tremulous for my liking. Consciousness ebbs and flows. Everything aches from my single movement.

Manar's fingers tighten around my waist, slipping over bare skin from the tears in my dress. He pulls me back to him. "Don't be difficult." Again, the closeness, the touch, is agony. I hate it; it hurts so much and I don't know how I'm supposed to endure. It feels like he's still cutting me, like the cool metal of his knife still rests against my skin, ready to slice through at any moment.

Aching for some kind of solace, I try to open my eyes and survey wherever we're riding through. Maybe we're surrounded by trees, and the trees will remind me of something, anything good.

But I can't see my surroundings because my vision is too blurry—not all from my head wound; I think blood taints my visage as well.

Still. I know where we are heading.

Nieves.

The castle.

My cell.

I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't go back there I can't I can't I can't I can't I can't—