I struggled to get my body working. My muscles wouldn’t respond. None of my fingers would bend. I couldn’t even blink.

Get up, I told myself in a desperate mantra.

“I always knew the desert would pick me,” Rodric said. He pulled my braid, and I fell into the sand at his feet. He crouched down to look at me. “And the Desert Boys will have to be held responsible for your death, just like they were your mother’s, because your father won’t want it known his weak daughter died on the same hill Tamlin escaped. The same hill I’ve survived twice now.” He patted me on my cheek and disappeared from view. “Take them back to the palace,” he called to his soldiers.

The fire in my left side spread to my right. It seared through my lungs. I wasn’t sure if I could breathe or not. Everything in front of me spun around, a mix of golden sand and black scorpions.

It swirled and swirled until everything went dark.

CHAPTER

28

Fire ripped through me. It knotted my veins. It tore my muscles from the walls of my body. It turned my bones to ash. And just when I thought it would melt through my flesh, it turned to ice.

Beads of sweat froze on my skin. My bones hardened, and then repeatedly cracked as the ice spread through them. Splinters broke off and threatened to ram through my flesh.

Everything began to itch. I could feel the scorpions crawling on me, burrowing into me. I screamed for someone to get them off me.

And I heard voices.

“Remarkable she’s still alive.”

“More strength than I thought possible.”

They faded. I returned to a world of darkness, too tired to fight off the scorpions any longer.

When I woke, light streamed in through a high window.

I bolted upright. Everything in the room spun. I tried to put my hand to my head to steady it, but shackles prevented me.

“You’re awake,” Rodric said, sliding into the room. “It only took you three days. Although, really, I’m surprised you’re alive at all.”

I tried to lunge for him. The chains held me back.

“Save that for the arena,” he said. “Your birthday will be here soon.”

“I’m going to kill you,” I spat.

“You can try,” he said. “But you and Cion have already failed more times than I can count.”

“What did you do to Cion?”

He crossed his arms over his chest and a self-satisfied smile spread across his lips. “I have big plans for him. And for you.” He gestured to the practically empty room around us. “I hope you like your new chamber. After we’re married, it’ll be yours. Your father has his tigers as his pets. I’m going to have you. But,” he continued, mock sadness marring his voice, “in your weakened state, it won’t be a surprise if you succumb to the ailments the Desert Boys will give you mere hours after bearing me a son.”