Read Online TWISTED (Eternal Guardians Book 7) by Elisabeth Naughton - Free Book Online
Authors: Elisabeth Naughton
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being branded the mistress of pain and torture?
And why, in the name of all the gods, had Nick thanked her after everything she’d done to him?
The flame popped and sizzled as it rolled over the log, consuming it from the outside in. She felt like that piece of wood. Like there was nothing she could do to stop the fire from devouring her. Like she was trapped with no escape. Like she was destined to be nothing more than a cold, dark shell of her former self, much as that log would be ash by morning.
Thank you.
Thank you .
Another shiver rippled down her spine. She didn’t deserve Nick’s thanks after the things she’d done. She didn’t deserve anything but vengeance from him. And in no way should he be thanking her for prolonging his never-ending torture.
Thank you…
“ Agapi ?”
It took several seconds to realize Zagreus was talking to her. Tearing her gaze from the fire, Cynna looked to her left, toward the head of the table where he sat leaning against the armrest of his chair, watching her with assessing, black-as-night eyes.
Blinking several times, she fought from swallowing and showing any ounce of that weakness he thrived upon. “Yes?”
“You’ve had little to say tonight. Do you not think the session went well?”
He was talking about Nick’s torment by the nymphs. Zagreus had given Nick a day to recuperate after Lykos had informed the god his prized prisoner hadn’t healed correctly after the use of that salve. Cynna had been surprised by the break in schedule, but she’d been so tired from everything, she’d spent all day sleeping—another tidbit that had surprised her…that Zagreus had let her rest. Usually he gave no thought to her wants or needs.
Her gaze flicked to Lykos, seated across from her. She’d also been dismayed to learn the satyr had not informed Zagreus she’d spent the night in Nick’s cell taking care of him. She wasn’t sure what Lykos’s motives were, but neither was she about to ask.
She forced the image of Nick’s torture from her mind. She couldn’t think about it. She’d barely been able to stomach being in the same room. The only way she’d been able to get through it was to zone out like she always did when someone was tortured in front of her. But even now—a full day later—she could hear his strangled groans. She could feel the rattle of his chains in the rock walls around her. And at any moment, she expected her body to break out into a cold sweat—the same sweat that had coated his pale skin.
She was a coward. She knew it. For not standing up to Zagreus, for letting this go on, for doing nothing to help those in pain in the dungeons below.
Thank you…
“ Agapi ?”
Blinking rapidly, she looked to her left again. To Zagreus’s curious expression.
Holy skata . She needed to focus on the here and now. Needed to pull her shit together and remember what was important. Needed—more than anything—to get out of this damn dining room and away from Zagreus before he saw her vulnerability and pounced.
“How the session went is of no matter,” she said in a voice she worked to keep even.
“And why is that, my sweet Cynna?” Zagreus reached for the decanter and refilled his wine goblet. “I saw what those nymphs were doing.” He smirked at Lykos. “No human could hold out much longer against that.”
Lykos chuckled. He knew full well what the nymphs were capable of—if forced. The bastard.
“No human would,” Cynna agreed. “But he is not fully human, now is he?”
Zagreus carefully set his goblet down and pinned her with a hard, calculating look. “What are you saying?”
What was she saying? Something she probably shouldn’t. But she was tired of kowtowing to Zagreus. And his minions. “He won’t break from this. He’s too strong.”
Zagreus’s eyes narrowed and sharpened, and though the fine hairs along her nape stood straight, she lifted her chin, refusing to back down.
After several long seconds, he
And why, in the name of all the gods, had Nick thanked her after everything she’d done to him?
The flame popped and sizzled as it rolled over the log, consuming it from the outside in. She felt like that piece of wood. Like there was nothing she could do to stop the fire from devouring her. Like she was trapped with no escape. Like she was destined to be nothing more than a cold, dark shell of her former self, much as that log would be ash by morning.
Thank you.
Thank you .
Another shiver rippled down her spine. She didn’t deserve Nick’s thanks after the things she’d done. She didn’t deserve anything but vengeance from him. And in no way should he be thanking her for prolonging his never-ending torture.
Thank you…
“ Agapi ?”
It took several seconds to realize Zagreus was talking to her. Tearing her gaze from the fire, Cynna looked to her left, toward the head of the table where he sat leaning against the armrest of his chair, watching her with assessing, black-as-night eyes.
Blinking several times, she fought from swallowing and showing any ounce of that weakness he thrived upon. “Yes?”
“You’ve had little to say tonight. Do you not think the session went well?”
He was talking about Nick’s torment by the nymphs. Zagreus had given Nick a day to recuperate after Lykos had informed the god his prized prisoner hadn’t healed correctly after the use of that salve. Cynna had been surprised by the break in schedule, but she’d been so tired from everything, she’d spent all day sleeping—another tidbit that had surprised her…that Zagreus had let her rest. Usually he gave no thought to her wants or needs.
Her gaze flicked to Lykos, seated across from her. She’d also been dismayed to learn the satyr had not informed Zagreus she’d spent the night in Nick’s cell taking care of him. She wasn’t sure what Lykos’s motives were, but neither was she about to ask.
She forced the image of Nick’s torture from her mind. She couldn’t think about it. She’d barely been able to stomach being in the same room. The only way she’d been able to get through it was to zone out like she always did when someone was tortured in front of her. But even now—a full day later—she could hear his strangled groans. She could feel the rattle of his chains in the rock walls around her. And at any moment, she expected her body to break out into a cold sweat—the same sweat that had coated his pale skin.
She was a coward. She knew it. For not standing up to Zagreus, for letting this go on, for doing nothing to help those in pain in the dungeons below.
Thank you…
“ Agapi ?”
Blinking rapidly, she looked to her left again. To Zagreus’s curious expression.
Holy skata . She needed to focus on the here and now. Needed to pull her shit together and remember what was important. Needed—more than anything—to get out of this damn dining room and away from Zagreus before he saw her vulnerability and pounced.
“How the session went is of no matter,” she said in a voice she worked to keep even.
“And why is that, my sweet Cynna?” Zagreus reached for the decanter and refilled his wine goblet. “I saw what those nymphs were doing.” He smirked at Lykos. “No human could hold out much longer against that.”
Lykos chuckled. He knew full well what the nymphs were capable of—if forced. The bastard.
“No human would,” Cynna agreed. “But he is not fully human, now is he?”
Zagreus carefully set his goblet down and pinned her with a hard, calculating look. “What are you saying?”
What was she saying? Something she probably shouldn’t. But she was tired of kowtowing to Zagreus. And his minions. “He won’t break from this. He’s too strong.”
Zagreus’s eyes narrowed and sharpened, and though the fine hairs along her nape stood straight, she lifted her chin, refusing to back down.
After several long seconds, he
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