Kingdom of Ash

assessing an empty canvas, “I’d put my own
teeth in you. See if Whitethorn’s marking
holds up then.”
Dread coiled in her gut. She’d seen the
evidence of what their long hours here
summoned from him. Her fingers curled,
scraping the stone as if it were Cairn’s face.
Cairn shifted the hammer to one hand.
“This will have to do, I suppose.” He ran his
other hand down the length of her torso, and
she jerked against the chains at the proprietary
touch. He smiled. “So responsive.” He gripped
her bare knee, squeezing gently. “We started
at the feet earlier. Let’s go higher this time.”
Aelin braced herself. Took plunging
breaths that would bring her far away from
here. From her body.
She’d never let them break her. Never
swear that blood oath.
For Terrasen, for her people, whom she had