“And you were. A fine one too.” Oren rubbed his chin and paced in front of Loki. “And if you’d been good at anything else, we wouldn’t be here. Do you want to know the one thing I could never stomach about you?”
“My boyish charm? My stunning good looks? My untamed hair?” Loki suggested.
“You never knew when to shut up.”
Oren turned on him and lifted the sword suddenly. He drove it right toward Loki, and when the tip of the blade pierced his chest directly above his heart, Loki didn’t even flinch. He just swallowed hard and kept his eyes on the King, but Oren didn’t push the blade in any farther.
The King narrowed his eyes at him. “I could kill you right now.”
“I rather expected you were going to,” Loki admitted.
“I know.” Oren smiled broadly at that. “That’s why I’m not.” He jerked the sword back, slicing Loki across the chest, but it was nothing more than a flesh wound. Still, Loki had to steel himself to keep from reacting to the pain, and blood dripped down his skin. “I want to make you suffer the way you’ve made me suffer.”
“This is you suffering?” Loki smirked. “You don’t know the first thing about true pain. You’ve never gone without—”
Before Loki could say any more, the King backhanded him, so the bell guard of the sword hit him square in the jaw. The diamonds pierced his skin, and the King used such force that Loki had to use all his might to keep from falling over. But he refused to give Oren the satisfaction.
He straightened himself up, absently spitting blood on the floor, and kept his eyes on Oren. His hair had fallen forward, nearly into his eyes, but Loki didn’t brush it away.
“You can mess up my face and my hair, but I’ll always be more charming than you,” Loki said, smiling even though it hurt like hell to do so.
Oren leaned forward, and when he spoke, his voice was low, like he was conspiring with Loki. “I know you want me to kill you. That’s why I’m not going to. I also know you can barely survive without interaction. Even me, smacking you around, you thrive on that. You crave it.”
“Aw, yes, I often long for a right hook in the jaw or a whip to my back,” Loki replied. “I’ve written many a sonnet about the beatings you used to give me when I was a child.”
“The real torture for you is being ignored,” Oren went on as if Loki hadn’t said anything.
“So true. That sword you have is nothing compared to being shunned. I’d take the guillotine any day as long as someone is watching.”
“Make your jokes, but nobody will be around to laugh at them,” Oren said, backing toward the door. “I’m forbidding Sara from seeing you or any of the guards from talking to you. You’ll have nothing. When I’m through with you, you’ll wish you’d never been born.”
“I’ve always wished that, sire,” Loki said and exhaled deeply.
Oren laughed as he walked out of the dungeon, and Loki could still hear him laughing even after the door had locked and Oren had begun walking away.
With no other way to express his frustration, Loki picked up the tray and threw it across the room. It crashed into the wall, denting before clattering to the floor.
He slumped back against the wall and held his head in his hands. The truth was that he had no idea if he’d make it through this. Isolation, beatings, constant threats of death—it was exactly what he’d thought it would be, but that didn’t make it any less excruciating to endure.
“That Princess better be worth all this,” Loki muttered to himself.
But as soon as he said it, he thought of her. The kindness he’d seen in her eyes and the fact that she’d stood up for him and fought for his life, even when his own people never had. They’d only shared a few moments together, but she’d made him feel more than he ever had in his entire life.
Without a doubt, she was worth it. No matter what the King would do to him, Loki would gladly do it all again, if it meant that he could spare Wendy the same fate.
Praise for the Trylle Trilogy by Amanda Hocking
“I started reading Switched in the evening one night and stayed up until 3 A.M. because I didn’t want to put it down. I had to be at work the next day and all I could think about was going home and finishing the book. Yes, it’s that good.”
—A Tale of Many Reviews
“Switched is paranormal YA with a fresh twist. It has a more deliberate pace than other YA fantasy … and more emotional thrills. I really appreciated the realistic development of the love story, and the characters feel well developed. Recommended.”
—I’d So Rather Be Reading
“I ate this book up. I could barely put it down before bed, and was also trying to sneak time in my busy morning to read some extra sentences. This was an awesome first book in a series that I’m dying to read. Amanda, please write the next one soon. I’m dying!!”
—Midnight Glance Reviews
“I loved this book! The characters are quite likable … and there is never a dull moment. I highly suggest you take a look at this book if you want to read some fantasy that leaves you panting for the next installment.”