Tassia reached behind her, for the dagger she had stupidly stored out of immediate reach. The man's eyes narrowed and another whoosh of air had her arm pinned to the ground.
"Zakar," Tassia spat, glaring at the man in front of her. She was terrified. The male, Zakar, was one of Lord Keir's most trusted. And the most ruthless. The fact that she was caught stealing meant that he had free reign to do whatever he wanted to her. Which would probably end with her corpse being dumped near a river.
"So you know who I am." the Steward's right hand smirked at her. "I'd ask for your name but considering that the Lord himself has deigned you important enough for a personal visit, I'm sure I'll learn everything I need to about you soon enough."
No. Lord Keir was a cruel and vindictive creature and would probably send her to the High Lord of the Night Court. He was a daemati which meant that he could go into her mind and trap her there.
That didn't scare her as much as the thought of what he'd do to Charlus and Aleskand if he ever found out where they were.
She told her brothers what to do if she didn't return from one of her excursions and could only hope they listened to her.
If the Cauldron took pity on them, the boys would be able to go to Keres' house and the man would pay off the debt he owed her for saving his life by taking care of her brothers.
Unfortunately, the Cauldron didn't seem to be on their side as of late so she prayed to the Mother that Lord Rhysand would leave her brothers alone.
Tassia's mother had once told her a story about a princess being trapped in a fortress and she now imagined the iron walls around certain memories. She had no doubt that if Rhysand, the High Lord, figured out that she blocked him from viewing her memories, he would be able to break through the walls easily. So she had to block part of her memories without making it obvious that there was a wall around it.
Which was easier said than done.
The man's smirk widened as though he could smell Tassia's fear. He stiffened as though he could hear something coming their way and his smirk faded as he stood up straighter.
Tassia's eyes darted around, looking for what made the man act that way when the cellar door opened. Tassia tensed when a tall man with a sinister smirk walked into view, his heeled shoes clicking against the floor.
"Look at what the pests brought in," Lord Keir was grinning and he clapped his hands together, once. "Is this a late Winter Solstice gift for little old me?"
"Of course, my Lord," Zakar fell to his knees, kneeling in front of a male who didn't deserve it. "I caught her right as she was about to steal from you." He tossed the bag of jewels that Tassia could have sworn she still had towards the Lord.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Always so cordial, Zakar. I'm sure the High Lord would like to meet her but unfortunately considering that the vermin stole from me, I assume I would be allowed to delegate punishment as I see fit." The man opened his mouth to reply but Lord Keir continued, "However, in the spirit of the Solstice, I will give her to the High Lord once I'm done with her. He can consider it my Winter Solstice gift."
Zakar smirked again and got to his feet, "When would you like me to inform the High Lord that we have caught the thief?"
Lord Keir paused and stroked his chin once, as though deep in thought. "Maybe in a week. I'm sure the shadowsinger's spies would inform him so we would have no need to."
Zakar nodded, a cruel smile plastered on his face as he grabbed Tassia by her ear. She tried to move but she was pinned in place by his magic.
"I'm sure you'll find our punishment more... fair than what you would receive at the High Lord's court. But I will certainly try my best to make it as on par as possible." Lord Keir grinned and clapped his hands again, "I shall show you the true delights of the Court of Nightmares."
The Lord continued to speak but Tassia's attention drifted. She had a week to find a way to kill herself before she met the High Lord and he hurt her siblings.
It would be hard to kill herself whilst unable to move but hopefully not impossible.
It turned out that killing herself was significantly harder than she thought. Lord Keir made sure that she would suffer in the week he had with her in his grasp but every time she was about to die, he used his healers to bring her back.
She was whipped, punched, and had knives take out bits of skin one at a time. But every time, the group of healers Lord Keir had on command, healed her completely, leaving only the scars.
Tassia tried to refuse food and drink but the Lord filled her cell with sweet smoke that made her lose her inhibitions until all she wanted was to eat and drink and she crawled to the meager portions he had left her.
She tried to bleed out and moved around so the healers couldn't heal her properly but she soon passed out. The next time she woke up she was chained to the wall and could barely move enough to breathe.
She tried to hold her breath and kill herself that way but every time she tried, her body betrayed her, and she took gasping breaths that only managed to weaken her more.
The door to Tassia's cell opened and the girl looked up to see Lord Keir's right hand with a look of immense disgust on her face as he surveyed her blood-stained body.
"Come on," he flicked his wrist and the chains that tied Tassia up fell to the ground.
"Where- where are we going?" Tassia's voice was rough from disuse, and shaking from fear.
"To the High Lord's court. I do sincerely wish we had more time to get better acquainted but I suppose this would have to do. Don't worry though. I'm sure Lord Rhysand has so much worse horrors in store for you."
Tassia swallowed the few drops of liquid in her bare mouth and tried not to show Zakar exactly how scared she was.
He grabbed her arm and they winnowed to the High Lord's court where Lord Keir was already waiting.
There were seven courts that ruled separate parts of Prythian, where Tassia lived; Summer, Winter, Autumn, Winter, Dawn, Day, and Night.
The Night Court was one of the worst, and the High Lord, Rhysand, was known as the most powerful High Lord in history. He was given the title after his father was killed during an attack on the ruling family of the Spring Court, which left only him and the High Lord of the Spring Court's youngest son, Tamlin, alive.
According to the rumors, Rhysand and Tamlin used to be close friends until Rhysand betrayed him.
The Night Court was divided into two, which Tassia's mother had always called the uppers and the lowers. The lowers were ruled by Lord Keir in the Court of Nightmares while the uppers were personally ruled by the High Lord. No one had ever seen any of the uppers, except for those in the High Lord's immediate circle who rarely lived to tell the tale, so their existence was even more a mystery than the mortals.
She was hauled into the room and shoved to her knees in front of the High Lord's throne. His violet eyes roamed over her and the wind shook his raven hair.
"Keir," Lord Rhysand drawled, his tone portraying his boredom. "What is this?"
Tassia watched him take her in, noting the cuts and bruises all over her body before his gaze shifted to Lord Keir, silently awaiting an explanation.
"I caught this rat stealing from me," Lord Keir began and Tassia rolled her eyes at the way he said I as though he personally caught her, and hadn't just sent his lackeys to do his bidding.
She was struck, suddenly and hard, right between her shoulder blades and was sent sprawling on the floor. Her chin struck against the cool stone hard enough that she could feel the vibrations even as she slowly pushed herself off the floor and got back on her knees.
"Show some respect to your betters," One of the said lackeys spat and he moved to hit her again but the High Lord raised one hand and Zakar's own arm dropped to his side.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Tassia refused to answer and instead spat blood from when she had bitten her tongue onto the floor in front of her.
Lord Keir struck her this time, hard and quick, across her cheek. "Speak when you are spoken to." Tassia refused to answer and just glared at the man. "Are you mute, girl? Speak!"
He moved to hit her again but Lord Rhysand had raised his hand again. "Leave us."
"With all due respect, my Lord-" Keir began before he was interrupted by Lord Rhysand.
"Leave us and go back to your court."
Keir glared at Tassia and then at the floor before he and Zakar winnowed away.
The High Lord got up from his throne and stalked toward Tassia, "Answer the question."
"We- I was starving, my Lord." Tassia glared at the floor and tried her best not to shake in fear, "I had no choice."
"Who is the we?" Tassia swore in her mind. She didn't mean to say that.
"My brothers and I, High Lord, Tassia lifted her head, to look at the High Lord who was standing right in front of her. There was a pause and Tassia knew that the Lord was waiting for her to give more information. "We left our camp before our mother died, a few years ago. I tried to get us to live off the land but we needed supplies that required money to buy so I stole whatever money I could."
"Why did you leave?"
"My mother believed that it was not the best environment for my brothers and me to grow up in."
"Will you let me in your mind?" Tassia was startled at the question. "I would like to see exactly what you and your brothers have been through before giving my judgment."
Tassia nodded and she felt claws enter her mind. Show me everything after you left the camp. And Tassia did, omitting certain parts of her story and any defining features of those she met.
When they were done, Lord Rhysand nodded before gesturing to someone she hadn't noticed in the corner of the room. A shadowsinger. He had black hair too and wore seven bright blue Siphons on his armor. Tassia couldn't see his eyes from the distance but she knew her own widened at the power of the Illyrian warrior.
"Take her to the dungeons while I figure out what to do with her. Give her some medicine and gauze for her wounds."
A few hours later, or what Tassia assumed to be a few hours later, the shadowsinger appeared with her brothers clutching both his hands.
Tassia's heart dropped into her stomach and tears welled up in her eyes as the boys ran to her. She enveloped them in a hug, wincing as they pressed against her wounds. No. No. No. This couldn't be happening. She swept the children behind her and took up a protective stance, struggling to her feet.
"I won't let you touch them. Do whatever you want with me but don't hurt them. They are innocent in this."
The shadowsinger blinked; the only thing that showed his surprise before answering, his voice smooth and rich. "We wouldn't hurt children either way. We aren't monsters."
Tassia stared at him, debating on whether or not to trust him. Before she could decide, Lord Rhysand opened the door to her cell and walked in.
"I'm sure you're wondering how I figured out where they were. Well, my darling Tassia, you really do need to learn to guard your mind better. As my spymaster said, we aren't going to hurt your brothers. However, what happens to them next, depends on what you decide to do regarding what I ask of you."
"Anything. I'll do anything. Just don't hurt them." Tassia begged, falling to her knees, her hands clutched in front of her.
"We are not going to hurt them regardless of what you decide. But I do have a deal to make with you. As a High Lord, there are certain objects I need that I cannot get using the proper means. I might also have other tasks, relating to your particular-" Lord Rhysand hesitated slightly before continuing, "Skillset. If you agree to a few terms, I will give you a more than generous salary and you can live out the parts of your life when I have no need for you as you wish."
Tassia got to her feet again, her eyes narrowing in disbelief, "What is the salary, and what terms, my Lord, do you refer to?" Aleskand and Charlus walked to one edge of the cell and sat down there, whispering to each other.
Lord Rhysand smiled, "Good, I expected you to be hesitant." He quoted a figure so grossly large that Tassia almost fell to her knees again. With that money, she would never have to worry about food again. She could buy enough clothes for the next seven winters. She was glad her brothers had the hindsight to remain quiet so she could focus on making a deal with the literal devil. "And the terms are as follows; you are not to intentionally harm or even try to harm anyone in my Court apart from during training sessions, you are not allowed to speak of where my Court is to anyone who does not have any prior knowledge of it and you are to live in my lands except when you are on missions, although you can choose where exactly. The part of this that affects your brothers is that you can choose whether they will stay in my Court with you or in the Court of Nightmares but with people who I can guarantee will take care of them to their fullest extent."
Tassia's head spun. She heard horror stories of Lord Rhysand's Court and knew that it would not be a good place for her brothers to grow up. But she also couldn't bear to be parted from them.
"I accept the bargain but I would like to visit your Court before deciding where my brothers should stay."
Lord Rhysand nodded and offered his hand to Tassia. She grabbed his hand and hissed softly through her teeth as her arm burned. When the pain faded, she looked at her arm to see a thick band made of swirls of black ink a little above her right elbow.
"Shall we go to my Court now?" Tassia looked back at her brothers before the High Lord continued, "I can have my guards look after them until you decide."
Tassia nodded and Lord Rhysand offered her his arm again. When she took it, she squeezed her eyes shut and felt herself turn to mush and back again into herself.
"Welcome to Velaris, Tassia Claremont."