exchange. If anyone was going to be out of the picture, it would be her. I was next in line to the throne now with Norok upon it,
unless Lady Gelda’s baby was in fact my brother’s. Was even Gelda still around?
“Your threats mean nothing to me, Nora. Once Nicholas finds out what you did, he will destroy each and every last piece of
you.”
She snapped then, her hand grabbing my throat, squeezing it tightly. I tried not to gasp, not to show fear or pain. This would
be the last time anyone grabbed me by the neck unless it were Nicholas. No doubt bruises new and old coloured my neck by
now. Pulling me in even closer, her callused grip tightened, cutting off my air completely.
“I cannot wait for him to arrive and see what we have done to hispreciousAnnwyl.”
Letting go suddenly, she turned away as Norok approached. His face was hard, calculated. She stood quickly to bow then
slipped away towards Dorian. I tried to breathe as her use of his name for me cut deep. She truly did know everything.
“Are you alright?” Norok asked and I had to bite back my tongue.
“Fine.”
As if he truly cared what happened to me now. He was hellbent on punishing Nicholas in whatever way possible. And as
much as I loved my brother deeply, this wasn’t the man I grew up with. Father would have been ashamed if he saw him now.
Howls from a distance echoed through the barren plains and it seemed to make all the guards on edge, including Dorian. I
however had heard those howls before, the day I met Nicholas again in the forest, where he’d saved me. If those same
creatures were coming here to destroy them, I’d gladly stand and watch, even if it meant dying myself.
“I need to speak with you privately,” Norok whispered in my ear once he sat down.
Taking my hand as gently as he could, he pulled me up and towards the other side of the fire, closer towards the tree line
but far enough away no one could hear him speak.
“Dorian wishes to know about something deep within the Shadow King's castle.”
He stepped away from me once we stopped walking, his voice filled with concern. I didn’t believe it was a concern for
me.
“If it’s to help him, I would rather die,” I muttered, my throat hurting.
“Ornella, please all this will stop if you start complying.”
“Why should I? You are not my brother. I don’t know who you are. Dorian is nothing but a murderer and a—” I stopped, the
truth sitting at the edge of my tongue. It was daring me to dive off and tell Norok everything. But would he believe me? He was
now under Dorian’s influence, just like Father was.
“I’m sorry you were hurt today. I wasn’t told how brutal the spell could be.”
“You heard me scream and beg, but you still stood there and watched. I will not help you, whatever you want, you can get it