“The armada needs to be rebuilt if we are serious about claiming the land for good.” An average-sized man addressed Severn, but one look at his white, pupil-less eyes told me he was anything but human. He reeked of white magick, to the point where he felt off—like standing next to rancid meat or a rotting flower. Severn shook his head, already dismissing him.

“Dorea is the main objective. Once the continent is ours, the riches will more than pay for your new armada. In fact, we shall double it. You must be patient.”

The man grunted in acknowledgement, then licked his lips nervously. “And what about our other request to the Overlord? Will he—”

“The Overlord does not show his face,” Severn lectured, his red eyes narrowing. The man growled, untamed rage crackling at his fingertips. Severn’s eyes flicked to me for the first time in hours, and I didn’t like the smirk that pulled at the corners of his mouth.

“What would you give for a chance at the draken bitch who helped sink your armada?”

That eerie, white gaze turned on me. The man grinned. Shit on a needle. I yanked hard at the restraints, but of course they didn’t give. I vaguely wondered how long it would be until dinner. Then the man with white eyes was in front of me, bashing my kneecap in with a large walking stick. I screamed then, hoping it would satisfy him. My eyes watered in pain, and I was forced to hang from my wrists and awkwardly balance on one leg. Motherfucker.

The man reached back for my other leg, and I watched him carefully, needing to time it just right. Just as he shifted his weight back to strike, I leapt into the air, unsheathing my wings and propelling myself to the ceiling. My muscles cramped in agony but I pushed on, hissing in triumph as I wrapped my hands around the notch at the top, clinging to the ceiling and out of the man’s reach. I snarled at the room, and everyone backed up.

Severn grinned greedily, excited for show. He’d be next, if I could manage. I didn’t care how many demons it took. Benedict was right. I should have let him kill Severn when we’d had the chance.

The man with white eyes advanced, flipping his sword around to present the bladed edge towards me. I unhooked my chain from the hook and hissed, twirling it around me. My wings flared behind me, my head on a swivel to immediately pull them in at the first sign of anyone coming near them. The man lunged, and I let go of the ceiling and dove at him. The man paused, unnerved at my sudden acceptance of death as I plummeted towards him like a felled tree. He tried to deflect at the last moment.

Too late, cockwaffle.

I wrapped my chains around the hilt of his sword and yanked, smirking in triumph as the blade was yanked free. I flung it away, knowing it would do more to hinder than help me if I tried to use it while chained. I turned back and ducked, and he was ready again with a second sword. Someone had to have cheated and thrown it to him. Fucking demons. I met his second thrust with my hands spread wide and the chains pulled taut. The force of his blow cut through the metal easily, and I would have laughed if I could. I reared back and punched him as hard as I could, relishing the feel of a full range of movement. White eyes went down hard. I stood over him even as Severn held up a hand to keep anyone else from interfering.