Page 150 of Sands of Atonement

The pounding of footsteps behind me caused me to jump. The steps continued down the hallway.

I lifted my heavy hand to my head. It was throbbing. With great effort, I went to stand up and nearly tumbled back to the floor. My legs were like boulders pulling me to the bottom of the dune.

The candle in front of me barely had any wax left, letting me know it’d been burning for a long time, perhaps for an entire day or two. With that thought, my stomach growled.

My body felt as if it had been sleeping on the floor for days in the same position. Oof.

I stretched as much as I could as my eyes flitted over the teacup that Targon gave me.

He drugged me, that bastard.

The footsteps behind me stopped, and my breath hitched. I heard a sliding metal of a latch, and the door creaked open.

Two robed Atrovians came through with a copper bath, not acknowledging me as they filled it with water and brought forward a dark blue dress. If I had the energy and the agility, I would have lunged for their weapon, but I could barely take a step. It’d be better to hold my efforts until I knew I would win a fight.

The Atrovians made their way toward the door as I kept my body slumped on the opposite wall, waiting.

“He’ll be expecting you in one hour,” the last Atrovian said as he shut the door, and the echo of the lock rang in my ear.

My shoulders dropped, and I struggled to take another deep breath.

I didn’t know whether I should confront Targon or if I should keep what I knew to myself. I decided against it. Gaining my strength back was a priority, and accusing Salazar of murdering my family wouldn’t get Norrah back into my safety.

After I found Norrah… well, after that… My thoughts drifted to Ezra, and how I felt being in his arms in the last moments we were together.

My eyes stung, and I was surprised at the emotions that rose within me.

A heavy sensation spread through my chest, a deep, heart-wrenching sadness that I couldn’t hold back. My hand flew to my mouth to cover the sobs that escaped me. I squeezed my eyes shut and shoved whatever feeling this was down, down, down.

My family being gone and now Ezra… Casimir. Who knew if they survived… most likely they had not.

If I hadn’t been born⁠—

I tightened my body and breathed through the knot that circled my chest.

Breathe.

Breathe.

In and out.

Something inside of me ruptured⁠—

Silent sobs broke out of my body, and tears ran down my cheeks. If I hadn’t been born… none of this would have happened.

My mother would be alive.

Yonam would still be here, happy and laughing—living.

Ezra would be alive.

After having the slowest bath, I eventually dressed in time before the Atrovians were back. I was feeling more in control of my motor movements after the bath and slapping my cheeks, promoting more blood to reach my brain. They had their weapons drawn as they followed me down the hallway and into the next level above. The tunnels were dark except for a couple of torches nailed to the stone walls.

They brought me into a large chamber, half the size of the arena and as tall as two floors. A large chandelier hung at the top of the limestone chamber, and an impressively massive wooden table at the center, filled with meats, cheeses, rice, and sauces.

Norrah’s small frame sat at the side of the long table, completely in a daze. I flung my body into motion, rounded the table, and called out to her.

Her head turned to me slowly. A smile touched her lips, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes.