a pain tearing through my flesh as if every bone in my chest had been shattered and mended in secret.
Yet, as terrible as this agony was, it was nothing compared to the brutal beating I had shared with a friend, lying side-by-side on the frozen stone floor while the whip cracked down. I strained my mind, trying to grasp the shadow of that memory.
Who was that friend? Why were we beaten?
The moment I tried to force the past into focus, a terrifying spike of agony tore straight through my skull, far worse than my broken ribs. My brain felt like it was being scorched from the inside out, slamming a heavy door shut over my own past. Trembling, I pulled back, unable to remember his face.
Unable to move my neck, I shifted my eyes to the left, where soft morning light spilled across the silver silk of an impossible bed.
Resting her head on the edge of the bed was a girl. I recognized the radiant cascade of her
pink hair
anywhere. As I stared at her, an uncontrollable warmth surged from deep within my chest, an overwhelming impulse to lift my heavy hand and stroke those vibrant strands. I fought it down, gritting my teeth.
I am Jim. A slave sold into the mines. Kindness is a trap.
Her breath hitched, and her eyes fluttered open. The moment she saw me conscious, her face lit with a tender, desperate relief. She leaned over, wrapping her arms around me with a soft grace that treated my broken body like spun glass.
"Stop... leave me be," I rasped, my throat raw. "What happened? The last thing I remember was Yeh-KOON . That angel stood over me... he said he was going to kill me first, and then he was going to kill
you
. Then everything went black. How are we alive?"
She pressed her palm to my cheek, her eyes glistening. She opened her mouth, but no sound came. Instead, her slender fingers moved in swift, graceful
hand gestures
tracing the path of a falling blade, then making a tight locking motion with her wrists, I stared blankly, unable to make sense of her silent signs. A look of profound heartbreak washed over her face, and she pulled away as an old doctor stepped inside.
The doctor grumbled under his breath as he smeared a crude, burning herbal paste across my dark bruises. "You'll have to endure the sting, boy," the old man grunted, binding my chest with coarse linen. "The
Holy Land's fleet
has sealed the harbor tight. Not a single drop of imported healing salve or medicinal oil is getting through their blockade. We are forced to mend with bitter field weeds."
When PNea returned carrying an earthen bowl of clear broth to feed me by hand, the memory of Yakoon's final threat rushed back to haunt me. I turned my face away from the spoon, my voice shaking with raw guilt. "Don't feed me. I failed. I almost let him kill you... people are starving outside these walls because of my weakness.
I should have just let him end me.
"
A single tear spilled over Nea’s lashes, followed by a silent, trembling sob. Seeing her break shattered something deep inside me, a pain far worse than broken bones or blocked memories. Gritting my teeth against the blinding agony tearing through my spine, I forced my upper body off the mattress, wrapping my stiff, aching arms around her waist and pulling her tight against my chest.
She buried her face into the crook of my neck, her silent tears wetting my skin as I held her. I tightened my embrace, whispering into her hair:
"I'm sorry. I promise... I'll never make you cry again i promise ."
Before the moment could linger, heavy boots echoed outside the door. An unfamiliar nobleman in rich, tailored silk robes featuring a
gilded spire crest
walked into the room.
He dropped into a deep, formal bow before Nea. "Divine Lady, your carriage has arrived to escort you to the grand temple that requires your presence."
Nea immediately shook her head, refusing to move from my bedside. She clutched my hand tighter, her face tight with worry.
"I have just spoken with the
Grand Healer
outside," the nobleman added gently, addressing her reluctance. "He assured me that Lord Amaduce is recovering remarkably fast. His wounds are severe, but his life is safe; he is out of all immediate danger."
Only after hearing that explicit guarantee did PNea relax her posture. Relief washed over her, mixed with a deep, lingering sadness at having to depart. I blinked, utterly bewildered by the nobleman's reverence toward her. I had no idea she held such a supreme, sacred status in this city.
PNea gave my fingers a final, reluctant squeeze, offering me a sad, lingering look before turning and stepping out for the temple.
Once the door closed behind her, the nobleman turned toward my bed. Feeling the weight of his sharp gaze, I instinctively tried to fix my posture, straining to push myself a fraction higher against the pillows despite the searing ache in my shattered ribs.
He noticed my struggling movement and offered a smooth, fluid sweep of his hand, a gesture of refined court etiquette before resting his palm over his heart and inclining his head.
"Rest easy, Lord Amaduce," he said smoothly. "I am Valen of House Valor. I am at your service." He paused, looking over my bandaged frame."Is there anything you require? Attendants, fresh water, a warm draft, or perhaps entertainment?"
He had pristine slicked dark hair, sharp eyes, and manicured hands adorned with a silver signet ring.
I swallowed hard, my raw throat tightening as I looked up at him. "The mines..." I rasped out, fighting through the haze in my brain. "What happened back in the mining pits? What happened to the other kids who were trapped there with me? And...Yeh-KOON ?"
Valen offered a polite, measured tilt of his head, his face an unreadable mask. "I am afraid I do not have information regarding those matters, my lord. All I know is that when you arrived here, you were in remarkably bad shape, and my duty is simply to see to your needs. We all have our roles to play, Lord Amaduce."
Valen walked slowly over to the window, gazing down at the courtyard below. "I never thought she would actually leave your side," he said softly, "She stayed by your bed night and day, refusing even to leave for a meal. I must admit, Lord Amaduce... I am quite jealous . Watching her devotion makes me think you are the god here, not her."
The day passed in agonizing isolation. Nea remained away at the temple, leaving me alone in the silent room as my fractures slowly began to knit together. I spent the quiet hours staring at the high ceiling, trapped in my own mind.
The heavy door creaked open, and a remarkably tall, breathtakingly beautiful woman with radiant bronze skin stepped into the quiet room. She wore so little silk that she was nearly naked, her striking features making it hard to look away.
Immobilized in bed, I watched her cautiously, assuming she was an assistant sent by the Grand Healer or maybe someone coming to clean the room.
She didn't grab a basin or towels, though. Instead, she glided straight to the side of the mattress, a slow, alluring smile on her face.
"I heard a lord in this room was in need of entertainment while he recovers," she purred, her voice low and smooth.
"I... I think you have the wrong room," I grunted, trying to shift away, but my shattered ribs locked up in pain.
She only chuckled, sitting right on the edge of the bed.
"I may not be the Grand Healer, my lord... but perhaps I can take care of you in a different way."
Her fingers reached out, trailing warm sparks gently across my bare chest. Before my slow, confused brain could process what was happening, she swung one leg over my waist and climbed directly over me, leaning down so close I could feel her breath against my neck. Immobilized and completely caught off guard, my heart hammered against my ribs in pure panic or maybe something entirely different.
She smoothly grabbed both of my wrists, pinning my hands against the headboard at the top of the bed. Straddling my hips with effortless strength, she looked down at me with a teasing, sultry grin.
she whispered in my ear, her voice a dark, seductive purr. "Shred me like Rosalie Colony. Give me all your pain... show me your anger."
the door swung wide open.
Nea stood on the threshold, froze dead in her tracks, her eyes widening in pure, furious shock as she locked sight on the bronze woman straddled directly on top of me .