How strange. “I’m either still dreaming… or dead.”
“No, you’re not dead, though you should be,” Teague’s voice rang out around her. A hole opened in the brick wall, and he stepped through it. He wore his royal robes again with the silver-leaf emblem on the collar. Which probably meant they were at the Fae palace, and she was in his dungeon “You thought to rob me of my prize, dear Mina. We can’t have that. I said I wanted your life, and I shall have it, but only I will decide when your short lifespan will be over. Do you understand?” He grasped her chin and made her look up at him.
She searched his eyes for a hint of gray. “And when will that be?”
“Soon, if you don’t stop asking annoying questions.” He thrust her chin downward and forced her gaze away.
“Fine,” she snapped, instantly regretting it.
Every inch of her wanted to fight and defy him, but if surviving was a possibility—if holding back her anger could help—she had to rein that in. She’d told Nan she was going to survive.
Teague wouldn’t admit it, because he preferred looking cruel and in control. But he saved her life, gave her a second chance. She wasn’t sure why he’d done it, but she hoped it was because part of him was still good.
She had seen it in her vision. Good still existed in him. She just needed to find it.
“How’s your hand?” He turned away from her, clasped his hands behind his back, and pretended to talk to the wall.
“It’s fine.”
“And how do you fare?” Again without turning around.
“Fine as well.”
“Is that the only word in your vocabulary?” He spun, the irritation across his face obvious.
Which just set her off. “I don’t know. I’m sure there’s a lot of really interesting vocabulary words I’d like to call you right now, but somehow this dungeon doesn’t seem like the ideal time and place to let loose those choice words.”
Teague started to laugh, and he didn’t stop. “There! That’s the fire and the wit I remember.”
“Oh, I’m sure you didn’t extend my life just so you could have intellectual battles. But then again, I’m sure you get plenty of stimulating conversations with the ogres each day.”
“You have no idea why I did what I did!”
“No, I don’t,” she yelled back. “So explain.”
“I plan on making you suffer like I suffered.”
“I don’t understa…”
Teague had vanished.
***
He came again hours later for more of the same. Taunting and teasing—they battled with wits and words. It became a frustrating habit, actually. Each time, Teague riled her until they were yelling at each other, and then he’d disappear, leaving her miserable.
She’d stared at the Fae light that floated above her cell and realized she could make it dim or glow brighter with just a thought. She had spent her hours trying to make the wall open up like Teague had and escape. But it must be warded against her, because the only thing she could actually control in her whole cell was the Fae light.
After another few hours, she grew hungry. Her stomach growled, but she wasn’t going to beg for food from Teague. She was too proud for that.
The light above her disappeared into the wall and left her in darkness.
“Hey wait!” Mina called out in shock. But then she stopped herself. She could handle being in the dark. She wasn’t scared.
Minutes later, the Fae light reappeared, floating just above her as if it had never left. The bricks in the wall folded out to reveal a slot, and a tray of food appeared. As soon as Mina took the tray, the bricks moved back and formed a solid wall again.
The meal was simple—bread, a sweet grain mixture similar to oatmeal, and warm cider. For prison food, it wasn’t half-bad. Mina finished the food and then put the tray by the wall and stretched out on the straw. She fell asleep only to wake up with a familiar sensation. There wasn’t a toilet in her cell.
“This is so embarrassing.” Mina wanted to cry as she looked around for options.
Again, the Fae light bobbed and floated through the wall. When it returned, the bricks shifted to reveal a door.
This was the first time a door had appeared. Mina wasn’t sure what to make of it, but she had a feeling the light had responded to her current need. She tried the brass pull handle, and it opened to reveal a simple water closet to relieve herself, along with necessities like soap and water. Mina took way longer than she needed and used the soap and water to scrub her face, hands, and as much of her body as she could reach. She didn’t have a comb, so she did the best she could, running her hands through her long brown hair to pull out the snarls.
When she came out, the closet disappeared.