Frost and Petals

So That's What That Feels Like (Ch. 13)

Warning!!! This chapter contains physical torture!!!! Reader discretion is advised!!!!

Pain blossomed on my cheek as the fog from the tranquilizer finally started to wear off. Not only had they managed to capture all four of us but they also decided to kick us while we were down. I tried to bring my hand up to press it to my throbbing cheek only to be met with resistance.

"Ahhh she's finally awake." The voice floated towards me and I finally opened my eyes.

The room I was in was made of bare stones with only one light hanging from the ceiling on a string that looked like it might snap any second. Other than the chair I was currently tied to there was no other furniture. Thanks to all the shadows in this cell, dungeon, or whatever it might be, I couldn't see the man who spoke.

"Where the hell am I," I tried to say but thanks to the effects of the tranquilizer still lingering in my system it came out more like "Wh thell mm ei."

"I wouldn't recommend trying to talk for a while longer." The voice's owner finally stepped out of the shadows on the far side of the room. "Those tranquilizers were all strong enough to take down that maledetto so the effects on someone fully human take longer to wear off." His cold voice matched his stark features. His eyes were nearly white and his hair was an opposing black. He must not be a magic user.

I swallowed my spit in an attempt to wet my dry throat but it only felt like I was inhaling a cotton ball.

"You are here because you need to understand just how dangerous that beast you intend to marry is," he said as he stalked closer. "So while I talk you're going to listen. Any attempt at resistance or argument will result in pain." He stopped a meter away from my chair. "Do we have an understanding little flower?"

I shook my head because like hell I was going to listen to this fool and his propaganda.

Before I could see his hand move he backhanded me. My head snapped to the side as the pain in my already aching cheek doubled.

"Fuck you," I spat out almost coherently.

He laughed.

"No thanks." His hand moved faster than I could see again and then my head snapped in the other direction as this time his fist made contact with the other side of my face.

I spat out a little bit of blood at his feet.

"Now be a good flower and listen," he grinned wickedly. "You think his curse is just harmless right? That all it entails is an eternal winter on his kingdom and a little bit of Beastiality on your part? Well, you couldn't be more wrong."

I groaned. This man could not be serious, could he?

He grabbed my chin and made me look up at him, "See what you fail to understand is that at his core he is a monster. Him and all of his bloodline. Did they tell you no one knows why they were cursed? That out of all of the kingdoms of this continent, all of the continents of this world, only one family was cursed to live such a fate?" He shook his head and let go of my chin. "You poor little fool. Did it never occur to you that they're not from this continent, let alone this world? That they cursed their kingdom the minute they claimed dominion over it? You see little flower, those creatures come from another far-off world full of hybrid creatures of all kinds. Fairies, angels, Nephilim, harpies, and many other creatures that never existed here."

"Fairytale ass bullshit," I muttered.

He punched me in the gut. Not hard enough to break anything but hard enough that all the air in my lungs whooshed out of my throat.