Read Online Breaking Stars (Book 2) by Jenna Van Vleet - Free Book Online
Authors: Jenna Van Vleet
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He braced his weight, centered between his boots and the post to allow for better balance against the strikes. The third and fourth left him gasping, and his back raw where the long slashes left their mark. The soldiers loved it, cheering loudly.
He lost count after seven as his mind began to focus in on the pain. His only saving grace during his torture had been his own mental chant, ‘It did not hurt, it did not hurt, it did not hurt.’ But with all that happened tonight, he could not focus. His head jerked up as a cry escaped his clenched teeth, and the crowd screamed for more.
Gabriel could feel the strength leaving his knees, and two hits later, he could not bear to stand. Slowly, he pulled himself back up, and to his surprise, Nolen stopped long enough for him to stand.
His back was raw and hot. The top of his trousers damp with warm blood, but Nolen did not stop, for the crowd called for ‘more! More !’ Gabriel took two more before he spotted something golden out of the corner of his eye. Prince Balien strode forward, a calm look on his face. The Prince was clad in a long golden cloak over a short red coat that made him look powerful. Had Gabriel been thinking correctly, he would have known Balien had chosen the garments to make a statement.
“Do not spoil my fun,” Nolen reprimanded as though he spoke with a child.
Balien passed out of Gabriel’s vision. “Your fun is already spoiled.” The whipping stopped. “Prince Nolen, you cannot expect this man to perform for you if you keep molesting him. He must be at full strength to be with the Arconians, and I can assure you they are not happy with this.”
Gabriel blinked sweat from his eyes and looked up at the palace. ‘How long had this been going on? Long enough for Balien to be alerted, don something respectable, and meet with the Arconians along the way.’ He did not think it felt that long.
“It is shameful for a woman of honor to bed a man publically humiliated. You will be lucky if any of them still want him. He must also have enough strength to lend you his energy. Everyone knows a weakened Mage lacks the stamina to fight. It will be days before he is ready to fight now, even once he is healed.”
“ If he is healed,” Nolen corrected, and Gabriel grunted. Knowing he would be healed always kept him stronger through the tortures.
“A man with these wounds cannot do what you have asked of him.”
“Yes,” Nolen turned away. “But the crowd wants more!” The men sent up a cheer in agreement.
Gabriel hurt too badly to care. The throbbing in his back had only begun to increase. As the moments passed, the deeper cuts sent pinging messages to his essence, telling him to stop whatever he was doing. His knees strengthened a little, and he leaned his head on the post as his breath rasped from his throat. It caught as he felt another lash cut into him, driving deeply from left to right horizontally. An anguished cry escaped his lips.
In all the physical pain he mired in, the image of Robyn’s severed hand caused the wounds to throb. The sense of hopelessness sank over him as his mind ran through a cycle of shock. Enduring tortures before had been simpler knowing Robyn was safe, but his shock chipped away at his strong will.
The last lash caught him across the back of his knees, but he did not buckle like Nolen hoped. He remained standing, though he shook from the pain. “Put him under the theater. I am not finished yet.” Nolen flung the whip to the ground behind him and stomped away. He threw a triumphant fist to the sky, and cheers raised from the crowd.
“Captain, Lieutenant, cut this man down,” Balien commanded, and two men climbed onto the platform. Gabriel ached but his senses were acute enough to know Prince Balien could not publically undermine Prince Nolen who still stood as Commander of the armies. Nor could he be shown to have taken a side. Those loyal to Prince Nolen could revolt and ruin Balien’s work, or put
He braced his weight, centered between his boots and the post to allow for better balance against the strikes. The third and fourth left him gasping, and his back raw where the long slashes left their mark. The soldiers loved it, cheering loudly.
He lost count after seven as his mind began to focus in on the pain. His only saving grace during his torture had been his own mental chant, ‘It did not hurt, it did not hurt, it did not hurt.’ But with all that happened tonight, he could not focus. His head jerked up as a cry escaped his clenched teeth, and the crowd screamed for more.
Gabriel could feel the strength leaving his knees, and two hits later, he could not bear to stand. Slowly, he pulled himself back up, and to his surprise, Nolen stopped long enough for him to stand.
His back was raw and hot. The top of his trousers damp with warm blood, but Nolen did not stop, for the crowd called for ‘more! More !’ Gabriel took two more before he spotted something golden out of the corner of his eye. Prince Balien strode forward, a calm look on his face. The Prince was clad in a long golden cloak over a short red coat that made him look powerful. Had Gabriel been thinking correctly, he would have known Balien had chosen the garments to make a statement.
“Do not spoil my fun,” Nolen reprimanded as though he spoke with a child.
Balien passed out of Gabriel’s vision. “Your fun is already spoiled.” The whipping stopped. “Prince Nolen, you cannot expect this man to perform for you if you keep molesting him. He must be at full strength to be with the Arconians, and I can assure you they are not happy with this.”
Gabriel blinked sweat from his eyes and looked up at the palace. ‘How long had this been going on? Long enough for Balien to be alerted, don something respectable, and meet with the Arconians along the way.’ He did not think it felt that long.
“It is shameful for a woman of honor to bed a man publically humiliated. You will be lucky if any of them still want him. He must also have enough strength to lend you his energy. Everyone knows a weakened Mage lacks the stamina to fight. It will be days before he is ready to fight now, even once he is healed.”
“ If he is healed,” Nolen corrected, and Gabriel grunted. Knowing he would be healed always kept him stronger through the tortures.
“A man with these wounds cannot do what you have asked of him.”
“Yes,” Nolen turned away. “But the crowd wants more!” The men sent up a cheer in agreement.
Gabriel hurt too badly to care. The throbbing in his back had only begun to increase. As the moments passed, the deeper cuts sent pinging messages to his essence, telling him to stop whatever he was doing. His knees strengthened a little, and he leaned his head on the post as his breath rasped from his throat. It caught as he felt another lash cut into him, driving deeply from left to right horizontally. An anguished cry escaped his lips.
In all the physical pain he mired in, the image of Robyn’s severed hand caused the wounds to throb. The sense of hopelessness sank over him as his mind ran through a cycle of shock. Enduring tortures before had been simpler knowing Robyn was safe, but his shock chipped away at his strong will.
The last lash caught him across the back of his knees, but he did not buckle like Nolen hoped. He remained standing, though he shook from the pain. “Put him under the theater. I am not finished yet.” Nolen flung the whip to the ground behind him and stomped away. He threw a triumphant fist to the sky, and cheers raised from the crowd.
“Captain, Lieutenant, cut this man down,” Balien commanded, and two men climbed onto the platform. Gabriel ached but his senses were acute enough to know Prince Balien could not publically undermine Prince Nolen who still stood as Commander of the armies. Nor could he be shown to have taken a side. Those loyal to Prince Nolen could revolt and ruin Balien’s work, or put
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