He paused and looked at me. It seemed like the whole room had sucked in a breath of air and was waiting for my response.
I managed to squeak out one word, 'how?' knowing that it had something to do with me.
'Somebody here wants you.'
Days had passed since I found out why I was wanted here. Well, given the most vague answer in history about why but still.
I just really hoped they weren't into human sacrifice here, I laughed nervously to myself.
I had pretty much been left to my own devices since that first dinner, with Inebra joining me for breakfast every so often and Eris occasionally for dinner.
I had yet to see any of the cruelty that I had been told about and I was still wary of him but despite a couple of warning glances now and then I didn't know what they were talking about.
'Maybe it's all a ruse.' I muttered to myself.
'What's all a ruse?' A loud male voice said behind me, filling the library that I was currently scanning for Prythian history books.
My heart started thundering as I whipped around. Eris was standing in the doorway of the library holding three leather bound books.
'Nothing,' I said quickly.
He strode across the room and laid the three books out on the small table that had become my camp for the last few days as I scoured the library for more information. I had found almost nothing talking about the continent I lived on.
'Knowledge of your continent is scarce, we don't keep books like that out in this library. These were in my private collection. You are welcome to read them but they must not leave this room.'
I nodded in agreement. Not leaving this room is right, I thought, thinking about how I was going to sneak one to my room later.
'Do not test my generosity' he said quietly, scanning his eyes from me to the books.
It was infuriating how everyone here seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. Either I didn't have as good of a poker face as I thought or they were all mind readers. Although it seemed as though anything was possible.
Eris left the room without another word.
I looked at the first book on the pile, it was small, about the size of a notebook and bound in green leather with a worn gold trim. No title or author to determine what it could be about.
Whatever it contained inside, I hoped that it would give me more answers than I had gotten the last few days.
I had fallen into a wary routine in this place, constantly looking over my shoulder. But each day that passed, I became more used to it.
I supposed that even a trapped animal eventually gets used to their cage.
I opened the small book and took a look at what was inside. It wasn't printed like most of the other books here but written. The slanting writing was beautiful and intricate and gave me a sense that this book was ancient.
I sat down in an armchair in front of the cold fireplace and began reading.
It spoke of a land called Hybern, not my home but I remembered the name having been mentioned by Eris as a land not far from here, across an ocean. It seemed to be an origin story of the land.
Not much of it made sense to me but it spoke of a couple ruling the land, Niamh and Oisin. It sounded like a fairytale. I couldn't tell if they were faeries too, or Fae as I was sure I was supposed to call them now. But it did speak of magic.
The book contained what seemed like multiple smaller stories, each about a different adventure that Niamh and Oisin went on. Another story told of the birth of their son, Fionn.
It was fascinating to read but I really didn't understand what relevance it had to me.
I was nearing the end of the book, reading a story about Fionn falling in love with a mortal, confirming that they were some sort of immortal beings, possibly Fae, when Inebra walked into the library.
She looked startled as she took in the green book in my hand that I was reading but her face quickly changed into a passive one, making me think I might just have made up the startled look in my mind.
'Eris gave you those books' she stated and I responded with a curt nod.
She said nothing more on the matter.
'We would like you to join us for dinner, there is something we must discuss' she said. Her tone seemed off, more cutting than she had been since I arrived.
Again, I could have been imagining it but there seemed to be a tinge of concern in her eyes.
'Okay' I said, trying to school my face into nonchalance.
I hadn't received a summons to dinner like this since the first night and nerves were already beginning to swirl in my stomach.
I followed Inebra to the room where we had our first dinner and sat down at the seat that I had occupied since I had arrived, to the right of Eris.
Maybe I would finally get more answers tonight on why I am here.
Inebra sat across from me, her face tight and unyielding. The butterflies in my stomach increased in tempo and made me more nervous than I was before.
A door behind the table that looked like a knot in the redwood tree that was so elegantly painted onto the wall opened and Eris swanned into the room, wearing more formal clothes than I had ever seen him in before. His face was like thunder.
The tension in the room was palpable as he took his seat and the food appeared before us.
My heart was hammering in my chest as I carefully placed food on my plate and began eating. This dinner was already shaping up to be bad and I had no idea why.
Eris was the first to speak, 'The other High Lords have called a meeting.'
This obviously meant something to Inebra as she looked shocked and mildly concerned but it meant little to me, presuming that most rulers of lands would meet on semi-regular occasions.
I kept my face in my dinner, making sure not to look at Eris. I could feel his anger simmering, very close to reaching boiling point.
I knew he was looking at me, feeling two pinpoints burning into the side of my head from his stare.
I could feel the heat rising all over my face as he continued to look at me. I swallowed the bite of food that was in my mouth and looked up at him.
His eyes were like liquid fire, barely containing the rage that was there. But when he spoke, his voice came out deathly calm.
'I was hoping to avoid this Samradh, but my hand has been forced'
My heart was hammering in my chest, knowing that the rage was pointed to me.
'You have not shown the connection that we wanted you to but there are other methods in bringing it forward in your mind.'
I had no idea what he was talking about but kept my mouth shut, hoping that my silence would make him speak more about this connection that he thought I had.
'Our other methods are less than pleasant but, if you are willing to help me then we can try and avoid them altogether' he stated.
My mind was whirling with questions about this connection, I really had been left in the dark and he wanted me to help him.
I wasn't going to help him, I didn't care what he did to me.
I wasn't sure what he meant by other methods but I could wager a guess. Torture.
I could feel the burn of tears stinging the back of my throat as I looked up at him. A deer caught in headlights is how I imagined I looked.
I lifted my chin and steeled the look in my eyes, willing the tears to go away.
'Do whatever you want to me, I won't help you' I said in my most defiant voice. It came out cold and unfeeling, completely in contrast to how I was feeling inside.
'Very well' he said, as two men I had never seen before entered the room and lifted me from my seat like I was no heavier than a feather.
I kicked and thrashed, twisting my body to try and get away from them as they pulled me backwards through the room.
Their hands were like vice grips on my arms, immovable as stone.
They were not gentle as they hauled me down flights of stairs and through hallways and I made sure they knew that no matter what I wouldn't stop fighting them, pointless as it was.
At the bottom of a spiral staircase, we got to a locked door. One I could only describe as a dungeon, with bars over the window leading into the door.
One of the men let go of my arm and wound his hand around strands of my hair, pulling it so tight I could feel them ripping from my scalp.
The other attached a cuff to my now free arm and as quickly as they arrived, they left, pushing me to the cold stone floor.
I rolled over onto my back and let out a cough, trying to catch my breath after being winded. I could still feel where they had held onto my arms, knowing that hand shaped bruises would blossom there in a matter of minutes.
Blood ran down the back of my neck, mingling with the silent tears that were now falling from my eyes.
