72 | ACT IV, SCENE XI

P R E V I O U S L Y

The line was nearly gone. And it was fast  disappearing into my skin like a stone in water.

[TRIGGER WARNING: I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT THIS CHAPTER HAS VERY GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF VIOLENCE. IT IS LITERALLY BEYOND ANYTHING I'VE WRITTEN - IT COULD VERY WELL BE THE MOST GRUESOME SCENE TILL DATE IN THIS BOOK. SO I'M WARNING YOU: PLEASE READ IT AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.]

HARTINGTON CASTLE, ALNWICK, STORMHOLT.

TRISTAN

"NO....NO," I WHISPERED, LOOKING at the line. "It's not... it can't be. It's not possible -"

"We have to do something, Tristan!" Halette shouted and shook my shoulders as my hands curled around my sword. Again, a flash of pained sounds attacked my senses.

Blood. Screams. Rusted knives.

"She - she left - Uranus, no-"

The screeching of broken bone upon broken broken bone. A voice screaming and praying for help-

I mentally called out to her.

'Woman?'

No reply.

'Edwina? Where are you?'

Nothing.

"Gods. Gods. I have to go," I almost shouted, dread coiling in the pit of my stomach like a snake and I began to shake with anger and the sky began to rumble. Dread filled me up like a poison, and I felt my very nerves begin to tremble - Edwina wasn't answering, and those screams in my head - those screams of pain - and the line, the line was nearly gone.

"Tristan..." Atherton tugged at my sleeve to bring me back to my senses, as tears began to leak out of Halette's eyes. "Alaric is not here - or Drusilla, or Aeneas, Favian, Aidon... I can't find them anywhere-" he whispered.

The scream, again.

The thought of Edwina in their hands - the thought of them hurting her, the thought of them making her scream like that - it made me sick, it made me want to go throw up my guts - the very thought of those sadists laying even a finger on her-

"I have to go - I have to find her-" I whispered, making for the entrance as the other two followed. "I can - I can hear - I can feel the pain."

"She's not answering you, Tristan," Halette cried out. "They must have - oh lord... they must have chained her in Ekrite or even worse-"

Bloodstone.

"I have to go!"

The forest outside the gates loomed dark and foreboding in the night, and the Cheviot Mountains stood there, blanketed in quiet silence.

She could be anywhere - anywhere.

"Where will you find her, Tristan?" Atherton shouted over the din of voices in the party. "She could be anywhere, for all we know!"

In answer, the sharp pain in my chest tugged me to the right, away from the mountains and towards the sea.

"Here!"

"That's the coastline of the Ocemond Sea, it leads to Ellesmere and Suncairn - Eric's home. Why would she be there?" Atherton wondered.

Again, the pain tugged my feet in that direction, unceasing and relentless, like an invisible string leading straight to her.

"I don't know - I have to go and find her, for fuck's sake!" I shouted at him, gripping Aetherius. Even the sword failed to reassure me with its imposing presence - so fraught my nerves were, so taut with worry.

"I'm coming with you," Halette whispered with a sob, touching my arm. "She was my friend."

Atherton nodded his agreement and buckled his belt as well, handing a blade to Halette and gathering his weapons to follow us both.

Guided by the pain in my chest and praying for her, the three of us set off into the night,

• • • • •

EDWINA

I started, blinking, as blood dripped from my raw finger.

Alaric had skinned my fingers down to bare bones, curling the skin off with the flaying knife in one long, practiced stroke.

I would have begged him to cut off my finger if that could stop the pain.

"Tell me how to open it," Aidon demanded.

"Fuck off," I spat.

"I'll frame your body and hang it on the wall when I'm done with you," Alaric said smugly, sneering.

It hurt, it hurt so badly that I just wanted it to stop. For once and for all. My body was in a state of constant fire now, poison having reached all its corners, and it struck me that I was going to die in a matter of a few more minutes.

In pure agony.

My vision had begun to blur now, my heart sending out intense palpitations as it began to pound mercilessly, making me limp and helpless at its mercy. I couldn't hear a word of what they were saying now, so delirious and crazed I was, I knew nothing but the pain, everything turning black and the waves rolling over me.

I was spitting out blasphemy, curse after curse, each and every word of the languages I knew, the most vile curses I could blurt out, even in defiance, even in pain. Giving in and confessing and screaming was not an opinion, all that remained to me was that I died, that I gave up my life guarding the secret. I knew the ruffians would go after Eric or Tristan next, all I hoped was that they'd learn the lesson from my death and guard the cube carefully.

Darkness began to descend, creeping along the edges and red spots appeared in my sight as my throat made rumbling sounds, still talking itself hoarse with curses and insults, not once giving in to the temptation of sweet death.

I was going to die in a few minutes.

"It seems I haven't scared you enough," Aeneas said softly, as he examined the blood running down my temple. "As far as I'm aware, that only happens when you've come across something worse. And... honestly, there can't be anyone worse than me, don't you agree?"

My eyes flickered half open.

"You're going to kill me," my jaw clenched.

"Is that a request I hear, my dear Edwina?"

Finally, I thought.

All those people who wanted me dead. Eric and his family, the Rotavelles, the Everlys. The Valmonts. So many people wanted to kill me, I thought. Well, they'd get their wish finally.

The only regret that remained was that I did not tell Tristan how I really felt about him.

The last wish. My last wish. Grant me my last wish, I wanted to plead. Tell him I'm sorry. And tell him I love him. But those were just wishes, fleeting wishes, those heartless bastards would never comply. My throat sent out its last creaks and I felt the welcome touch of steel on it, cold and cruel.

Somewhere in the chaos that was my body, I heard a female say something. The flaying knife lifted.

"Stop, Alaric. She's delirious. I still have... things to whisper to the little fool," Celestina said sweetly. Someone tilted my head back and held my eyes open.

"Awww. The little boy has been having some fun, hasn't he?" she asked cruelly, digging a finger into my ribs.

This time my body did not thrash or writhe. It was defeated.

"Tired? I'd give you a hug, sweetheart, but you see... blood is just so hard to wash out of silk," she smiled.

She took the rapier from Drusilla and sunk it straight between my ribs. Blood spluttered out of my mouth as the shocking pain jerked me back to the sharp reality, snapping me out of the haze that was before death.

"Now, Edwina," Celestina said sweetly. "Every time you drift off, I'll puncture a few more holes in your body. And if you don't tell me how it opens, then my brother will gouge your eyes right out of your skull."

I stopped trying to breathe because even the slightest moment, the simple rising and falling of my chest, it hurt so much.

I could hear the clink of metal, the sound of Celestina picking up the crown and handing it to Drusilla.

"There you go. They have stopped looking for her."

"Finally," Drusilla whispered, her eyes wide open. She looked at the ruby and gold like a blind person seeing the sun for the first time. Slowly, she set it on her head with a proud smile and leered at me.

"I told you, Edwina Tremayne. Didn't I?" she taunted. "I told you. I told you that the moment you set foot on the throne your days would be numbered. And yet you went ahead. It is dangerous to cross me," she said. Ice began to snake out from her fingers and started to cover the floor. Frost settled over my chains. I started shivering, with the heat in my body now extinguished.

"She snubs advice more than she takes it," Aidon  added, wiping his hands free of my blood as I weakly tried to break free from the chain in a last attempt to run. My body began to tremble and my jaw was shaking violently.

"I broke you, Edwina Tremayne," Aeneas said softly. "Broke you."

"You don't have that power," I croaked.

"You're a tough one," Celestina said, patting my broken arm. "And you never found out, did you?" she grinned. "I poisoned your sister. And all her unborn children."

I thrashed harder against the chains, croaking out curses.

"Why?"

"I poisoned you and Eric, you and Llewellyn," she continued. "Just a bit of thorn apple and nightshade from Sarette's study."

Oh lord.

The cloak I had found in her study, the Valmont cloak. It must have belonged to Llewellyn, she'd have worn it then.

"...Why?"

"I found people to help, you know," Celestina added innocently. "Drusilla wanted the crown, which I did not want. I wanted you dead, but I did not have Bloodstone. So she agreed to kill you for me. Aidon wanted the cube. This plan has been long in the making, Edwina Tremayne. Each and every one of us has something to gain and nothing to lose this night. Except for you, of course. Just your life, you know."

"It's getting late," Drusilla yawned. "End it."

"Not before she tells me how to open it."

"Oh, wait. Just see, she will," Alaric snapped, nodding to his brother. Aeneas moved with purpose, his hot breath on my neck and his hands reached out to grip my face.

"I promised I'd hurt you. Well, here it goes," he whispered greedily. I fearfully watched the tip come closer and closer.

The knife buried itself in my eye.

Suddenly, a white hand wrenched the blade out of Alaric's wrist, and I heard a sword being drawn, and a scream.

It was him.

I knew Tristan would find me.

My heart finally shuddered to a stop and a single drop of blood rolled down my cheek.

• • • • •

TRISTAN

Dead. They were dead.

I didn't care who I had to kill.

I didn't care how many I had to kill.

Fury and rage bubbled up in me like never before.

I poisoned your sister. And all her unborn children.

My mind snapped loose of all control as my fingers inched skyward.

I poisoned you and Eric, you and Llewellyn.

Lightning crackled in my hand, crisp and demanding, as the thunder answered my summons.

I promised I'd hurt you.

I hurled the blade out of Alaric's hand and flung my Thunderbolt right into his wretched heart.

"What the fuck!" Aeneas snapped, drawing his sword, as the rest turned around to face Atherton, Halette and I.

It was only a second, really, but it felt like eternity.

Celestina was resting in the corner with a hand on her hip and a smug smile on her face, Drusilla was wearing Edwina's crown. Aidon was leering. And then my eyes fell onto the cross and the person on it.

My heart stopped beating, but that was the least of my concerns.

"You little... motherfuckers!"

I flung the Thunderbolt straight at Aeneas.

"Tristan, no!" Halette screamed.

Favian fell on me with a whip in hand, moving to strike it across my face as I stopped it with my wrist. We struck each other with Ekrite, sending sparks where the metal clashed, but he was no match for me, only mere filth.

Mercilessly, I plunged a dagger of Bloodstone right into his heart.

"You bastard-"

"-three hells aren't enough for filth like you," I spat venomously, pressing down on his chest with my boot, feeling the bone crack as the last breath of life left his body.

Aeneas and Alaric both had their swords out, pouncing on me from either side. I stepped smoothly out of the way as they collided, and struck Aeneas with a deadly blow of lightning.

He fell to the floor, passed out - his skin beginning to spit and sizzle, fissures opening in his flesh.

"Valmont," Alaric hissed, "you don't get to leave so easily," he snarled, picking up the dagger of Bloodstone himself.

"You will pay for this. A thousand times over, and even then, it won't be enough to save you bastards," I hurled a curse at him, my blood boiling - boiling so hot, it would burn me alive - boiling at the thought of seeing Edwina hurt so badly.

"Don't let him escape!" I shouted, and Atherton pulled Alaric around in a firm grasp, trying to clasp his hands behind his back and rolling over to the ground. At the same time, Halette tackled Drusilla as I made straight for Celestina, but found Aidon in my way.

"She's gone," he sneered, taking out his knife and facing me, it was Bloodstone. "And now, you will be gone as well," he snapped, moving to kill me.

Blades out, we circled each other - circled in a deadly, lethal dance. Aidon Tremayne was a fighter, yes - but no match for the divine Thunderbolt.

"She's escaping, she's escaping!" Atherton shouted, spotting Celestina getting away, dragging Aeneas with her, and her eyes widened and mouth twisted in a cruel grimace as she taunted me with her smile.

"You little bitch!" I snarled, she was just a touch away, I almost had her, I almost did, and then...

...she disappeared!

"NO!" I screamed. "GO FIND HER!"

My fists hit the wall in frustration, curling and closing and splitting my knuckles open.

"Learned a lesson or two about timing, did you, Valmont?" Alaric sneered, spitting a glob of blood on the floor.

I gripped his neck so hard that it broke, and pushed him on the cobbled floor as blood pooled around his head.

"Let's find out just how deep your betrayal runs, shall we?" I barked.

Then I pushed the knife into his ribs with the greatest force I could muster. It came out through the other end.

"You missed," Alaric said weakly, spitting out blood. "That's not where the heart is."

"Oh, Everly. I did not miss," I said, "did you really think you were going to die today? You're going to die for a very long time," I said softly. "You're going to die after you pay for every little thing you did to my wife," I growled.

Another bolt flew from my fingers and Drusilla slumped, loosening her grip on Halette's neck. She fell back, choking and massaging her throat.

Alaric looked at me

"Oh, is it now. Using your bolts again, Valmont?"

"You don't deserve the mercy of unconsciousness," I spat in his face. "No, I think I'll keep you just awake with the knife buried between your lungs. And I do owe you a promise, do I not? I said I'd whip that smirk right off your smug face and hang it on my bedroom walls. I can't think of a better use for my whips and blades," I snarled, holding him by the neck and and kicking him right in the gut. "Take him and bind him with the others. This one shouldn't offer much of a fight," I said bitterly to Atherton.

He grimly looked at Alaric and nodded with a raised eyebrow, dragging him across the floor and binding him to the unconscious bodies of Drusilla, Aeneas and Aidon.

And then I finally turned to her, to hold her in my arms again.

"Oh no... no - no, no, no, no!"

"Gods... such beasts," Atherton gasped, joining my attempts to break her manacles open.

Her dress was in tatters.

The iron and Ekrite cut deep chaffs into her wrists and ankles, letting blood pool on the floor. Her skin was covered in cuts and bruises, and there was a raw, red wound at her side, where a large piece of Bloodstone had been plunged in. Blood dripped from her closed eyes.

"Gods, gods... they carved her out like a piece of meat," Halette whimpered. A tight knot got caught in my throat, making me unable to speak - I was - I was furious - I was unable to think, unable to speak seeing her body.

I bent down to unfasten the manacles from her ankle, her leg immediately skid down and twisted haphazardly. The white shaft of her bone protruded from the broken limb.

"Edwina, my Edwina..." I croaked, as Atherton and I undid the final chain. She collapsed into my arm headfirst. "Edwina, please! Say something!"

Her body had gone completely limp, making me fear the worst.

"Edwina - Edwina - please.... I'm sorry, please, open your eyes," I was frantically speaking gibberish, crying desperately, screaming incoherently, a wail that would haunt the world for centuries.

"The stone," Halette sobbed, "we need to get her to Arcton so that Vivian can cut it out - else she'll bleed to death-"

It was all I could do to wrap her gently in my cloak, settling her legs in the crook of my elbow, careful not to move them much for fear of hurting her.

But she never talked.

She never moved.

She never opened her eyes.

Atherton was recklessly trying to shake my shoulders, 'she's gone too far, Tristan, she's beyond our help now,' he said, and I desperately pushed him away, clutching her broken body to my chest and sobbing.

And however hard I tried to wake her up, her heart never started beating again.

• • • • •

Tristan killed Favian. Without a single thought, without any hesitation. Because when he saw what those people did to Edwina...

...you better hope she's not dead. Because she looked very much dead to me. It's not possible that someone's heart can still work after being tortured for hours. Not possible at all.  Writing this chapter was the most disturbing thing I've ever done - watching my most beloved character bleed away to death in front of my very eyes.

You know how each of my acts mark the end of something. And the next chapter is the end of this act.

Let's hope it's not the end of Edwina too.