Frost And Ember

aked through what remained of her clothes, dark and stark against the white. Even like this, broken, filthy, reeking of blood and half-healed wounds, she still carried herself the way she always had

even beneath the weight of the hatred he harbored for her existenc

there, staring at the one

that those two had decided to discard Estella for whatever rea

ng caught h

r than most. Which meant, for betrayal to have shattered her this t

en her. If anything, it should have pleased him. Silvervale w

ason, Adrian Lykas fel

nyone was meant to break her, it

omain was located. She had not willingly descended from that towering height to confront him, as she so o

, considering how absurdly close to

she carried. Fear of Estella usurping him despite being a woman. He knew how deep that man's ego ran, and how insecure he truly was beneath it.

rigid air, a calculating glint settling

nconsciousness recognizing the touch of an enemy, and le

histling sharply into the storm. A heartbeat later, countl

poke, his voice carrying an authority

" He paused, letting them fully feel the gravity of his words. "If a si

none daring to speak, none dari

unders

s of assent foll

toward her, and started back toward Frostveil at a hurried pace. The dark silhouettes fell into step behind

ed his castle, the sto

ried her through the halls, her blood leaving faint mark

arting over unfamiliar surroundings as her m

light in thin, wavering lines. The posts were dark carved oak, twined with ivy so finely cut that each leaf had its own veins. Heavy drap

ement pulled at her ribs, and she h

nd fell across the floor in pale bars, and dust motes drifted through each bar, turning as they sank. The floorboards were a deep polished brown, the g

their carved arms worn smooth where hands had rested for years. Between

er tongue lay thick against the roof of her mouth, coated with the taste of iron and bitter herbs. She lic

s a wardrobe, a writing desk, a candle stand with the candles unlit. Everything was clean and expensive, and none of it was personal. No

or guests, or for prisone

ing ache wrecked ev

h a splitting headache. She winced, drawing in a sharp, hissing br

hen the me

an trusted with the legacy she had spent her whole life preparing to inherit. Darius, who had let her believe she was loved, his face twisting into something she no longer recognized. T

sudden tears. Her chest felt like it was caving in on itself, t

fog in her mind cleared all at once, a single face ri

pered to herself. Th

th total certainty, that it had not been out of compass

were. And beyond that, she simply di

e dec

calm. She was going to end her life. Not just because no one wanted her, not just because no one loved her. She was not weak-minded enough that she would seek to en

upposed to protect her, betrayed

ace of death. There was no reason left to keep enduring.

the skin of her throat, d

s in front of her, his hand closing around her wrist with bruising force, wrenching it aw

hand instead. He caught that wrist too, and in one swift, ruthless motion, shoved her back against the mattress, pinning both her hands above her head. His grip was like iron, uny

voice was furious, closer to raw an

sheer unbearable weight of still being alive. "Why does it matter to you? I'm nothing but a pathetic woman who never had any true wort

dable, unmoving. She strained weakly against his grip, though she ha

what you always wanted?" she said through a shaky breath. "Just do it. Stop toying with me. I-I don't care how you do it... I don't care how you kill me. Just take my life and le

ing with something she couldn't name, something far too

e cracking entirely now. "Say something, Adri

room were her ragged breathing, the fire crackling low in the he

wrists tightened even more. "You no longer have the right

you belong