The Oath of an Oxblood

45

My body was aching, shivering, and panicky.

I wanted to roll over, but the bruises on my fingers had spread down to my wrists. I choked out a sob and lay there, the frigid cold seeping into my bones. I was going to die. Plain and simple.

I lay there for a few seconds before yelping and forcing myself into a seated position. The pain was excruciating. I set my hand flat on the ground, realizing that the cold helped combat the hot pain in my hands.

"Naomi?" a familiar voice asked.

I froze, body locking in panic. Nobel. The traitor.

He swore and called for a guard. "Get this open," he commanded authoritatively. "Now!" he yelled.

I heard the door swing open and Nobel suddenly dropped in front of me. He grabbed one of my hands and swore again. He hissed and began to unwind my spinne.

The movement sent pain rocketing through my body. "What are you doing?" I wanted to spit at him.

"Binding your fingers," Nobel said. His eyes met mine and they were puffy with concern. "What happened?" He had unwrapped my entire spinne. He ripped it in half and gently set one of my hands on his knee. I hissed.

He pulled my fingers together as best as he could, which sent more tears rushing down my face.

"Naomi," Nobel said seriously. "What happened? Why..." he stopped, thinking. "How did this happen? Why didn't they send a Slate to you? Why are you here?" he asked. "I thought they had you in the suite next to the king."

He began wrapping the fabric around my fingers, binding them together. My brain didn't understand anything he asked. "What?" I slurred.

He swore again and glanced around my cell. "Did Vincent do this?" he asked.

I froze at Vincent's name, his threats flashing in my mind.

He grimaced. "I take that as a yes. What the fugg is wrong with him?" he asked. He tied off that hand and began binding the other. "I am going to finish this," he said. "You'll be okay," he muttered. He tied it off and placed gentle hands on my shoulders. "Naomi, did he give any indication why he did this?" he asked. "You're freezing," he realized. He rubbed my shoulders, making me whimper.

"You did this," I whispered. Nobel looked at me with wide eyes. "You sold me out."

Nobel shook his head. "I didn't know this what they would do!" he exclaimed. "There hasn't been any indication—I thought they would have treated a powerful Slate like royalty."

Bitterness swept over me. "Vincent intends to make me his breeder," I cut out weakly.

"I won't let that happen," he swore. "I promise."

I met his eyes. "I don't believe you," I confessed. I leaned back and lay on my shoulder, deciding that I was too tired to deal with him. "I don't believe anyone anymore."

+++++++++++

I sat in the cell for the rest of the day, drifting in and out of consciousness. As I did, I considered how much of an idiot I had been. There was nothing like being forced to bring an evil king back to life to bring everything back into context.

I should have told Ember about Anthony. My reasons were only faint shadows now. I lost Anthony and I was determined that I would be the one to find him, as if I had some penitential duty to suffer in my search. Instead, I ignored the incredible opportunity that I had in front of me—the Strapos family was willing to look for me.

Would I still be lying in this prison if I had confessed the truth?

Maybe I was scared to find Anthony. Scared that he was gone or maybe that my mistake as a kid had signed his death warrant. Maybe I was scared that if Ember found Anthony then he would realize how pathetic I was. How horrible I was. Who lets their little brother be taken as a dewlos?

All those excuses rang empty in my ears like the screams of those down the hall. Every few hours, someone else would be subject to whatever tortures were down the hall. Sometimes I heard the weeping victim carried back to a cell. Sometimes the screams ended in that room.

My arm from elbow to fingertip throbbed in horrific pain. I wasn't a stranger to pain—it wasn't as though I had a Slate to heal me whenever a foreman lashed out. But breaking my hands was a special sort of evil. Without my hands, I was as hobbled and helpless as a child. My ribs throbbed as well, sending a sharp pain through me whenever I took a deep breath.

"Naomi?"

I ignored the voice. Either a day had passed, and it was time to visit the king again or Nobel had returned with his pity. My chest burned with slivers of rage and sadness that pierced my heart.

"Naomi, I have a blanket for you. And a shawl. The king doesn't want a Slate to see you, but he does want you to be comfortable."

"Comfortable?" I snapped. I had stopped caring about the cold a long time ago. I pushed myself up and saw Nobel standing at the door, holding out a blanket between the bars. His face was contorted into a semblance of guilt. "You sold me out."

He shifted on his feet. "I didn't. I told them where the betrayer was. I didn't know that they knew what you were or that you were there. Please. Take the blanket."

I narrowed my eyes. "That spy is my brother. And remind me...you are opposed to betraying your country? Is that right?"

At least he had the decency to avoid eye contact. "Naomi, my parents made the decision years ago. If we are going to survive as humans, we need to band together. Distribute resources equally."

"What resources?"

He stared at the ground. Of course. Women.

"You know, Nobel. I knew your family was insane, but I had a little bit of hope for you. Ember doesn't deserve this."

"Just take the blanket, Naomi."

I shook my head. "Let me freeze to death."

Nobel swore and called for a guard to open the door. The guard obliged and Nobel entered, stepping in slowly as if I were a tiger and not a wounded girl. "Naomi. I need you to trust me."

"I will not," I said. Nobel opened the blanket and tossed it over me. I didn't resist and tried to keep a straight face despite my relief that I would be slightly warmer.

Nobel tossed the shawl around my shoulders and began to tie it around my neck. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" His voice was low, and he casually glanced back at the guard.

I blinked a few times. "My ribs."

He nodded and finished tying the shawl around me. "When the king brings you before him again, you need to refuse what he asks. No matter what it is. Refuse. Make Vincent bring you back here. Do you understand?"

My heart pounded. "I don't want to go back to that room."

He shook his head. "I know, but I need you to trust me. Do not do what he says."

"I don't trust you."

"Then trust Ember," Nobel said, sliding something small and soft into my bandaged hand. With that, he spun off and left, securing the door behind him.

I glance down. A pink ribbon.