The Seventh Crow

Part 12

I walk up to the soldier who is checking the papers of the party guests. Steven, the one guard who keeps to himself. Perfect as long as he doesn't start asking me questions.
He stares at me. I was hoping I could slip by unnoticed. It would've made this plan a lot better.

"Hey, Steven," I say, trying to walk past him. He grabs onto my arm to stop me. My heart rate increases. Don't pull away. It's fine. I hope that he isn't able to feel the pulse under the sleeve.

"Where's your guard?" he states.

"Got held up with a Drüskelle." He glares at me, not believing the story. It is the truth, just not the newest form of truth. "Are you going to take me back to my cell or are you going to let me go? If you take me back, you'll have to tell the King why his guest isn't coming."

Steven drops my arm. I take in a thankful breath. He waves me off, mumbling to himself. I couldn't help the smile that pulled at my lips. Honestly didn't think that was going to work.

The inside of the room was very elegant. So much better than the bare cold walls of a cement cell. People were talking and dancing. Getting drinks and some already look drunk as can be.

My gaze sweeps the room. Matthias and Kaz stand to the side. Kaz is watching me. I know he knows more than he is letting on. It's like he is trying to read every part of me and my past. The past that I'm locking up for good measure. I really need them for an escape...

Then there was Matthias. He must be looking for Nina. Such a weird relationship. I know they like each other by the small looks I caught them exchanging, but it's weird. They're weird about it. Though it's none of my business. Not yet at least.

"If it isn't the star of the festivities," the King's voice sneaks up behind me.

I stiffen. I really was hoping I wouldn't see him, or he had a heart attack and died. Maybe I'll consult with Nina and have her kill him for me?

I turn around and see he has two glasses in his hands. He hands one to me which I take with a shaky hand. Pull yourself together. You're better than this.

"You're Highness," I say with a bow.

"I knew you'd look radiant in that gown."

"Yes, thank you for sending it to me."

"Pity you can't always be at my side." He lets out a low laugh which I try to mimic. My thoughts are haywire, my heart beating so fast it might explode, and everything around me feels like it's closing in.

The King presses a hand on the small of my back. A feeling of sickness washes over me. I try to move but everything in me is telling me to just take it. It's better than if you were to fight.

"Why don't we slip away for a moment," the King said. 

"What about the guest, sir?" I squeak.

"Ah yes." He looks around the room. "He's not here yet. We have time."

He didn't give me the option to say anything else before he was leading us towards the exit. My eyes scan the crowd for Matthias or Nina or Inej, even Kaz. Anyone who is seeing this. But no one was around.

You can do this. All I have to do is find a way to get as far from the King as possible. Just in and out. Knock him down if you have too. If a guest finds him, he isn't going to tell the truth about what happened. But if a Fjerdan soldier finds him, he will send people after me and I'd beg for death.

Death. The amount of times that I have begged someone to kill me is an alarming rate. The amount of times that I have thought about doing it to myself with my rags.

Begging for it while I'm strung up by my hands and blood slides down my body. The broken ribs and bruised body parts. The parts that make laying down or sleeping impossible. The swollen eyes that prohibit me from seeing when the next hit will come.

Laying on the white floor, blood all around. My blood. Soldiers above me laughing. 

"This is what happens to Fjerdan scum", they would spit at me.

I wish the King never thought I was pretty or could be of use for him. I would've hung or been shot a year and a half ago. Everything would've been better. Go according to the plan. But not when you become the personal punching bag for soldiers and the King's whore.

The King leads us into a private room, shutting the door behind him. I didn't notice any soldiers or Drüskelle around. This might be the time to get away from the King forever. Just a couple hits and he would be down. Never being able to move again. Though when I tried to move, nothing happened.

The King didn't waste any time. My back was against the door in seconds, his lips at my neck. I froze. I need to move. I'm not going to let him touch me anymore. Hurt me anymore. I need to move.

"So beautiful," he murmured through the movement of his lips. 

All the anger that built up inside me started to overflow. I'm inches away from getting out of the Ice Court, out of Fjerda. I'm not going to let some Saintforsaken King keep me from freedom. Freedom from this nightmare that has been going on too long.

Move! my thoughts shout at me. I listen. My knee hikes up meeting the Kings groin. He doubles back cursing my name. He tries to regain his balance and advance on me again. I grab his hand and force it behind his back, grabbing his shoulder, and pop it out of its socket. The King starts to scream. I grab his hair, yanking his head back, forcefully shutting his mouth.

I put him in a choke hold. I would love to kill him right here and now, but I have other problems to deal with. I'm just going to have to deal with his unconscious body.

He sinks to the ground but I still wasn't happy with the pain that I inflicted on him. He is going to get better and do the same thing to other people. Looking around the room, I notice a broken chair. 

I grab the King's hands, placing them firmly on the ground. He isn't going to feel the pain until he wakes up. And If I do this correctly, not even a Grisha Healer can fix the nerves in his hands.

I grab the broken chair leg and hit his hands with every ounce of anger in my body. I heard bones crushing and felt them break from the force of my swings.

I didn't realize I was crying until I had no energy left. "You will never hurt another soul again," I whisper mostly to myself. The King's hands were swollen and red with blood.

I wipe my eyes and check my gown. Double checking there wasn't any blood, opened the door, and headed out. My thoughts were a mess but they quickly sobered when I saw Inej being taken away by a soldier. Someone yelling after her.