Текст книги "Scars of his warth"

Автор книги: Zoey Ellis

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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The next few days were a flurry of activity. Naya met with various council members and answered questions. She kept her responses brief and to the point without elaborating, but the behavior of the council members had changed. They were on edge and pickier about what information they wanted. Naya wasn't sure whether this was because of what had developed between her and Akoro or if there was an external pressure or deadline they were trying to meet that was soon approaching. Either way, there was a slight edge of urgency within the meetings.

One morning, Meiro dressed Naya in similar warrior leathers to Prillu and Akoro. The top half was closely fitted with padding sleeves and flexible metal spaulders over her shoulders that curved upward. Soft leather gathered to cup each breast, and multiple colored bands of patterned material wrapped around her torso.

At her waist, the same fabrics draped like a skirt, but they weren’t as long or thick as the usual outfit she’d been wearing. Instead, she wore loose pants with generous give that were tucked into calf-high boots.

The entire outfit was a mix of creams, orange, red, and blue, punctuated with metal armor and brown leather. Naya examined her outfit with interest, noticing all the small pockets, belts, and areas where daggers or small weapons could fit.

When she was escorted to the rooftop grounds, Akoro was already there. Naya made her way over to the weapon stand, but Akoro threw a wooden training stick at her and charged. Grabbing the stick out of the air, Naya ran toward him, and their wooden weapons clattered. He drove her back, their sticks clacking, both defended and attacked as the advantage took them.

Akoro seemed intent on trying to deliver a fatal blow, but Naya kept sliding, spinning, darting out of the way just at the nick of time.

His style had changed. He fought more wildly and took more risks, and even shifted his weight quicker. The difference was stark. It was like fighting a completely different person, and Naya couldn’t rely on the fighting techniques she’d become familiar with. She tried to stay out of reach of his wooden weapon, relearning his new fighting style as they parried across the roof.

Finally, he slammed her hand, forcing the stick to fly out of it, and although she dodged him again repeatedly for a few long moments, he knocked her down and pinned her to the ground with his knee.

She panted staring up at him, his dark, wild eyes boring into her, and his aggressive scent that had been building in intensity surrounded her. There was something wild about the way he fought her, but she wasn’t sure if it was to do with wanting to fuck her or the impending invasion. She waited for him to speak, to say something that explained what that sudden attack was about, but he simply maintained eye contact with her, his eyes narrowing, until his breathing calmed.

Finally he got up, freeing her.

Walking back to the weapons stand, he picked up her stick and returned both of them. He came back to her with actual weapons this time, four large axes with curved handles adorned with patterned carvings.

"I want to see you fight with these." He threw two axes to her one by one.

She weighed them in her hands, flipping the handles and rotating them with her wrists. These were heavier, slightly thicker, and longer than what she was used to, but they felt like quality axes. The patterned handles helped her grip, and the head only had one blade, but it was beautifully crafted, patterned just like the handle.

She glanced up at the Alpha. "I’m not used to this kind of axe, but I’ll do my best.” She hesitated. “If I cut you⁠—“

“You won’t.”

“If I do, will I be punished?”

Akoro held her gaze. “There will be consequences.”

“So, you don’t want me to fight how I normally fight?”

“If you don’t, I may kill you.”

Naya exhaled in annoyance. “Then how do I⁠—“

“Start.”

Akoro prowled to the right, his eyes on her.

Naya instantly recognized yet another fighting style from a moment ago. All other thoughts went out of her head so she could focus on his every action. Each time Akoro fought her, he approached the challenge in a different way, almost as if he were trying to find the approach that would beat her repeatedly, and therefore beat her father. The change made him interesting, but also extremely dangerous.

Akoro still returned to her nest every night to fill her with cock. It was like he was two different people; one savage barbarian on the battlefield needing to conquer the empire, and another savage barbarian in the bedroom, needing to desperately claim his mate in every way he knew how. However, as time went on she began to wonder how they were going to coalesce. When he launched his invasion, what was he expecting her to do, and how was she going to navigate it? He would be stupid to bring her along with him, and she would be stupid not to use it as an opportunity.

In a meeting with Akoro’s policy maker and administrator, they asked questions about Lox lifestyle and society, including an incredible amount of questions about Omegas and how they lived and behaved.

"If you have Omegas here, then you should know what Omegas are like," Naya said, confused. “They are the same in every continent.”

Both of the council members glanced at Akoro, but his intense stare was on Naya. She stared back at him, trying to grasp what was escaping her. “You said I would be treated in accordance with my dynamic.”

Akoro held her eyes but said nothing.

“But… there are no Omegas here,” she finished.

“They do not live in the city,” he said.

A flash of concern shot over her. What did he mean by that? Had she been taken to a society that was as cruel and archaic as the history of hers? One that enslaved Omegas by their instincts and took horrific advantage of them?

She firmed herself. “What have you done with them?”

“I do not interfere with Omega affairs.”

Naya blinked. “Does that… what does that mean? Do Omegas have a community here?”

“We don’t know,” Nanaek said. “They are just separate.”

“Why?”

Akoro spoke first. “Nanaek shi Ranin, ppi hhe rits.”

Both council members got up to leave, bowing to Akoro before heading to the door, and Naya realized something.

"You let me ask questions," Naya said. "Why?"

"I want you to understand. You are the only Omega in this region. They are not part of society."

"Why?"

"They are dangerous to keep in society."

Naya frowned. "Omegas? How are they more dangerous than Alphas or Betas?"

"I am not telling you how," Akoro said firmly. "There are some things you cannot know as my prisoner. Even if even if you are my true mate."

Naya glared at him. "I cannot be your true mate and your prisoner."

"That is exactly what you are," Akoro said sharply.

"No," Naya said. "You can call it that if you want, but one cancels out the other. Your true mate should choose to be with you not forced because she is your prisoner."

Akoro scowled. “Our situation is unique, yes, but it will not always be this way."

Naya bristled. "What do you mean? What exactly do you have planned after you invade my empire? Do you expect me to stay there with you and be your true mate? You expect me to rule my empire, after it has been invaded and conquered, with a new leader?”

“Whatever happens after I invade, whether you rule or not, you are still mine.”

“I am the princess and heir, Akoro. This was supposed to be my empire to protect. I’m not going to side with you while you kill my people.”

Akoro rounded the table and yanked her body against him, his eyes burning. “It doesn’t matter how many titles you have or what you think you owe any other. You are mine. My mate. And you owe me your body and your devotion over anything else.”

Anger flared in Naya’s stomach. She knew he was keeping their intimacy separate from his invasion, but it was infuriating hearing it from his own mouth. “And what do you owe me?” she asked.

“While you are my prisoner? Everything I’ve given you and nothing more.” Amusement threaded through his gaze as he looked down on her. “After we invade, we will talk again.”

Naya’s stomach tightened. “And when is that?”

Akoro didn’t answer.

Naya sighed in frustration. "How much more information do you need from me?”

"You have yet to meet with Tshel and Oppo. After that, you won’t be needed.”

Naya tried not to flinch at his words. Not needed after he’d finished using her? She couldn’t see how he didn’t mean it that way.

The meeting with Tshel and Oppo happened the next day. Tsel wore a bold red outfit—the same one she wore every time Naya had seen her in previous meetings—a long, sleek dress with a robe attached to it, which covered all of her skin while accentuating her form.

As Naya approached the table, she noticed the material of the dress was textured with swirling patterns throughout the dress and cloak. Subtle, but a beautiful design. The collar of the robe was harshly cut at shape angles, similar to the way Akoro’s more regal clothes had been designed. Naya suspected she had some kind of importance in his kingdom, but since she hadn't spoken in any of the previous meetings, Naya couldn’t guess what her status was.

The woman had striking features, with somber, deep-set warm brown eyes, and full lips. Her dark brown locks fell just past her shoulders, beautifully complementing her warm reddish-brown skin.

Naya noticed movement at the corner of her eye and the stout healer stood in the far left corner of the room, watching her with a closed expression. Naya observed him for a moment. Akoro’s brother. Now that she’d been told who he was, she could see the resemblance in their skin, hair, and features, but Akoro stood proudly and firm, while the healer had a softer more erratic energy to him. In this room he looked nervous, as though he didn’t want to come too close to the table. Regardless, he was the reason she was alive.

She nodded at him and smiled. “Thank you.”

“Sit,” growled Akoro from his usual corner.

"Greetings, Princess Nayara, first daughter of Drocco and Cailyn Andaus, heir to the Lox Empire, Guardian of Omegas. Keeper of Peace,” said Tshel. “I am pleased to meet you."

Naya searched the woman's eyes, trying to see if she was mocking her, but there was only a soft amusement in them.

"I am Tshel Nekku," she said, bowing her head a little. "I am a Hearer for the Sy Dynasty."

"A Hearer?" Naya glanced at Akoro but he said nothing.

"Yes,” Tshel said. She turned to the healer who was still in the corner watching them. "This is Oppo Sy. He didn’t learn your language the same time that we all started, so he is very much behind and cannot introduce himself. He is a specialist in healing and medicine for the Sy Dynasty, the best of his profession. I hope you will excuse me if I pause to translate for him while we talk."

Tshel gestured to the seat on the opposite side of the table.

Naya glanced at Akoro again, slightly unnerved. So far this was the friendliest interaction she’d had since she’d arrived, and she wasn't sure of the motive.

Tshel sat down on her side of the table and looked at Oppo again. He scowled at her and then came and sat at the very far corner of the table.

"I'm sure you have many questions about my role, and I also have questions for you," Tshel said. “But we don’t have time to indulge them all, unfortunately. What I wanted to ask you about was magic in your world. It works differently there."

"I noticed."

"Explain it to me."

Naya ordered her thoughts for a moment and explained how magic worked. Tshel questioned her about her first experience with magic, exactly how she felt and experienced it, and how she manipulated it.

"So no one in your land experiences magic the way you do?"

"I didn't say that," Naya said. "I have a unique connection that is stronger than most people from what we can tell, but all Omegas experience magic in a similar way, provided they are trained."

"What training do you get?"

"It’s training that an Omega mother is supposed to pass on to her Omega daughter. It focuses on instincts and paying attention to the natural energies in the world. Magic is one of those energies. Most Omegas in the Lox Empire had training from elder Omegas who deemed it important for us to protect ourselves and then that was filtered down in some way to the younger generations.”

"So that Omega village is a potential source of attack?" Akoro asked, stepping toward the table.

Naya thought for a moment, pursing her lips. "I suppose it is," she said. "But I don't think of those Omegas as warriors, and I don’t think they do either. Many of them have not wielded magic for decades, and they are older now. They teach their Omega children to wield magic if they can, not enough to fight in battle. Not all of those Omegas were taught to fight using magic.” She thought for a moment, her eyes drifting up to the patterned ceiling. "But I suppose they could defend themselves if they had to.”

"How many?" Akoro asked.

"Who can fight? I don't know," Naya said, shaking her head. "They’ve never been considered warriors. They were put there for the safety of their families. A war would be such a shock to them, I don’t know if they’d even try to fight."

He nodded and stepped back.

"So what was your first experience with magic?"

"I started wielding magic before birth," Naya said, shifting on her seat, uncomfortable saying it out loud. It was a story known across her entire land—she’d never needed to explain it.

"Oh, I heard.".

"And yet you still asked me.”

Tshel’s mouth quirked up. "There is much to ascertain from asking someone a question you already know the answer to." Her eyes drifting over Naya’s body.

Naya exhaled, and forced herself to relax.

"You are hailed as one of the most magically talented people in your empire."

Naya nodded.

“Does it follow you?”

“Uh. What do you mean?”

“Does magic follow you around?”

Naya shook her head, confused. “Why would it do that?”

"Can it be harnessed?"

"I’m not sure what you mean."

"Can magic be harnessed in your world?" Tshel asked simply. "Can it be coded and infused into equipment or materials?"

"I don't know," Naya said. "We haven't tried that. Magic hasn't been explored the way that you have here. Those who aren’t Omegas use a certain language to affect magic, but doing that too often destroys their minds. Only Omegas can use it without harm, and Omegas haven’t had true freedom until recently.”

"So no one has done any experimentation with magic in your land?"

"Not that I know of," Naya said. "Omegas are having children, increasing the population of Omegas and Alphas. But I'm sure eventually once things are stable, many will turn to examining the way magic works. You have found a way to harness it safely without needing Omegas or going mad. I don't know if it will work the same in my Land. I assume you would have tried."

The healer, Oppo, suddenly spoke, words tumbling out of him directed at Tshel.

Tshel nodded at him. "Oppo asked if magic can be healed in your land."

"What do you mean? If magic can be used to heal?"

"No. Yes." Tshel thought for a moment. "If someone was damaged by magic, can you heal that injury?"

"Usually, yes. But it depends on the injury."

Tsol translated for Oppo, who asked another question.

“Is magic used to heal magical injuries or non-magical injuries?”

“Yes.”

"Can you heal bad magic?"

"Bad magic?" Naya frowned. “I don’t know what that means. The qualities of magic that we have aren’t ‘bad’ just different.”

Tshel translated for Oppo.

"Has magic ever been dangerous in your land?" he asked through Tshel.

"Only in the hands of people, mostly Alphas. But it’s not generally dangerous as a force or entity. It can certainly cause damage, but it depends on what is done with it."

Tshel nodded. "That is how it seems."

Oppo continued to ask questions about potions and medicines, until finally, he nodded at Akoro.

The meetings were over. The invasion was about to begin.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Naya paced in her room.

She was missing something. The last meeting… some of the questions seemed trivial or didn’t make sense. But something bothered her, a nagging feeling she was missing something. She had to figure out; it could be the key to get back home.

Akoro had been careful about what he said to her since her heat. He’d been busier lately, so she hadn’t seen him as much, even his sparring sessions lessened. Naya could no longer cloud her mind; the reality of the situation was gaining strength and every hour that now passed put her home in real danger.

When she saw him, their interaction was either having sex or sparring—typical for an Alpha like him. He seemed to think that she would just sit out of the way while he plundered and killed everyone.

She’d use that to her advantage.

Trying to mentally lay down the information, she reeled off on her fingers all the things that had obvious connections.

One, Omegas. Omegas here were separate from the general population, whereas the empire was trying to reintroduce Omegas. Keeping Omegas out of the population didn’t make sense. Why would they? The only thing different about Omegas from other dynamics was… magic.

Naya dug her nails into her palm, the connections coming quicker. The magic here was wild. So maybe the Omegas had something to do with that. Did they use it to attack people? That seemed out of character; however, as history proved, if they were pushed to the brink, they would do just about anything.

What did she learn about the magic here?

All of the most powerful magic had to do with distance. When she was restrained, it was because the force kept her in place, and if she moved away she was punished. Same with when Akoro broke her ribs—there was a connection to his wrist.

Proximity was important to the magic here. So maybe the wild magic had a proximity issue as well? When she'd seen the white fire in this land, Akoro had promised it wouldn't come any closer, as if it would try….

And Omegas could not be near society.

Tshel had said: “Does magic follow you around?”

Her stomach jittered. Omegas attracted the dangerous magic. That was why they were kept separate. Stomach trembling, she sat down hard on the bed. That had to be it. Everyone was scared of the Omegas and thought they were dangerous because the wild magic had a proximity connection to Omegas. Having her in the city made the city dangerous for everyone else, because the wild magic was trying to get to her. It was the same in the desert, the dust she saw swirling underneath the clouds, that had to have been the wild magic out there.

Naya braced her elbows on her knees, processing the concept of what her mind pieced together.

If the wild magic was destroying the land, then taking his people somewhere that didn’t happen was Akoro’s plan. He somehow thought that the Known Lands caused the wild magic, so he considered it to be their burden. But right now, the magic she needed was in the white fire.

Naya rubbed her palms on her thighs. The last time that she tried to tackle the white fire, it had been drawn to Lili, but she didn’t know why. What happened to the Omegas here when the white fire attacked them? They must have found a way to survive. Everyone was under the impression they were gone, not dead.

Regardless, Naya had to return to her empire, no matter what. Akoro wanted to put her in a little box until he was ready to play with her again, but he seemed to have forgotten why he chose her to kidnap in the first place.

Naya was back, and she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

When she’d started engaging the magic last time, it had occurred to her that the magical language, the Ancient Tongue, could provide better structure to control it. It had rules and was easy to repeat, whereas casting using her awareness was less orderly. If she tried again now, she’d use the Ancient Tongue and see if she could draw in through the damaged ruins that Akoro mentioned when they visited the attacked building.

The first thing she needed to do was figure out where they went last time when he took her to the attacked building. The white fire had managed to get into the city, and she needed it to come into the city again. Guards stood outside her door, but since she’d been marked by Akoro’s scent, they’d been much more relaxed about where she went.

She left her room and started walking. There was a frantic energy around the palace that reflected her mood and she allowed herself to blend in. When she got to the main entrance, the guards stopped her from leaving. She turned and headed to the back courtyard, but they stopped her from exiting the building there too.

"I just want to go to the stables,” she said.

They blocked her but didn’t answer.

Lurching forward, she disabled three of them and slipped past two to run out into the courtyard. She needed to know which direction the damaged building had been in.

When she got to the stables, and looked for the direction they’d gone in to get to the attacked building. West. Good. She relaxed. At least she’d have a direction to focus on when she summoned the white fire. If she thought Akoro’s nnirae would be easy to ride, she might have ridden him to head out there, but it wasn't worth the risk. Before she could decide whether or not go now, his guards caught up with her and took her back to her room.

Of course, Akoro was furious when he found out she attacked his guards. He descended onto her room with the force of a thousand burning suns. "Where exactly were you going?"

"I wasn't trying to go anywhere," Naya said. "I just wanted to visit your nnirea..”

Akoro's expression turned sour. "You don't seem to realize that I can usually tell when you're lying. This one is obvious."

"I don’t always lie," Naya snapped.

“You are a fucking liar,” he said tightly. “When were you planning to tell me that you remember your Haze?”

Naya glared at him. “I don’t want to remember it.”

His face contorted. “You don’t want to remember our most blissful time together?”

“I told you no! You didn’t stop.”

He stepped forward, looming over her, his voice beautiful gravel. “Why would I stop? You’re the sweetest thing I’ve ever had, tmot zia. And I was already in my rut by then.”

“And would you have stopped if you weren’t?”

“No!” He roared the word. “You’re my true mate! You belong to me.”

“And yet you’ve never once called me by my name,” Naya said, firming her trembly core. “I am not a mate to you, I am a means to an end who also happens to smell nice.”

“If that’s what you want to think, that is up to you,” Akoro said sharply. “It doesn’t change a fucking thing. I'm going to give you one more chance to tell me the truth about why you wanted to go to the stables."

"I don't see why it’s a problem," Naya said, sitting down on the bed. "You said that I didn't have to be bound anymore because I smell of you."

"That does not mean you can just leave your room, escape your guards, and go somewhere on the edge of the palace."

“I was still on palace grounds!” Naya said, exasperated.

Akoro crossed his arms, glaring at her with the hard anger that she had first seen from him when she arrived. She held a hand up. This had already gone on for too long. "I'm sorry," Naya mumbled. She just needed to get rid of him. "It won't happen again."

"Do you think I am foolish? It's not a coincidence that you did this after the final meeting. I already told you that you’re to be with me. You no longer have any allegiances or alliances with Lox Empire."

Naya shrugged. "I don't even know when you're going to invade. Why can’t I go to the sables after finally being free of these meetings?"

Akoro was silent for a moment, anger still working through his stance. He grabbed her and dragged her onto the bed.

“I am not fucking you right now!” Naya yelled.

He flipped her over and pushed her dress over her hips, then dragged her underwear down to her knees and he stopped.

Naya froze too, panting into the bed as he stared directly at her bare ass.

“I’m going to remind you,” he said, his low voice sending a shiver through her.

Annoyingly, she sounded breathless. “Remind me of what?”

“Of your Haze.”

Naya huffed out a breath, ready to scream at him. “I don’t want⁠—”

“You were waiting for me when I came in,” he said.

She heard him undoing his pants.

“On your knees, naked, wet, looking at me like I was the best thing you’d ever seen.”

Her pussy clench at sound of him rubbing his shaft. Naya kept her head forward, hoping she wouldn’t smell him too soon. This was a trap.

“I waited for you to come to me, to touch me, but you didn’t.”

A loud clap hit her ass cheek and she cried out, jolting from the pain. “Ow!”

“Why!” he demanded.

He slapped her check again, and the pain was even worse.

“I was being good. I was trying to be a good Omega.”

“Who the fuck taught you that?”

“I-I⁠—”

Clap.

She cried out again. “Not an Alpha. It’s so I sit quietly they bring in food to the room.”

He rubbed her stinging ass cheek. “You went through your Haze solo before?”

“Yes,” Naya panted, whimpering. Her pussy was dripping and his scent filled the whole room now. He was aroused and it was making everything harder.

The sound he made in his throat was of satisfaction, an Alpha pleased that he had been the first—the only one. “Why?”

“To see what it’s like… that’s all.” It annoyed her that deep within was a preening pleasure at his satisfaction.

His hand left her and he stroked himself again. “You opened wide and let me lick and suck you.”

Naya almost sobbed at the memory.

“Are you saying you didn’t enjoy it?”

“No. I did.”

A rough tongue ran over her slit, and she moaned, pushing her ass up more, rotating her hips to give him better access. He sucked and licked so gently, she writhed for more pressure. He hummed. “So good. Why would you want to deny me this?”

“I-I…” Naya tried to shake off the arousal. “You don’t treat me well,” she whispered. “I could never love a man like you.”

The tongue froze. With a roar, he flipped her back over a climbed over her. A cold fury gripped him and he caged her in, pinning her with his gaze. “Is that so, princess? When this is all over, and I have killed everything else you love, we shall see.” His nose flared and his eyes roamed her face. “I treat you the best I can in the circumstances, but you are in denial. You will never escape me, tmot zia. I will have you no matter what. But… if you want to have free reign in the city, I can give you that. But you have to pay the price."

Naya eyed him. "What do you mean?"

"If you want to be able to go anywhere in the city without my guards following you and without the fabric, then I can arrange that. But the price is high and I would advise you to stay in your room.”

“What is the price?”

“Your face.”

Naya narrowed her eyes at him. That sounded ominous. “My face?”

Akoro nodded.

Her face for her freedom to get back home and warn Papa. That seemed worth it. She wasn’t exactly a celebrated beauty. “All right.”

Akoro drew a dagger from his belt and approached her.

Naya froze. "What are you going to do?"

"If you accept you’re mine, this won't matter," Akoro said. "I’m giving you one more chance.”

Naya nodded. Whatever he was about to do, it wouldn’t change how badly she wanted to go home. "Go ahead," Naya said.

Grabbing the crown of her head, he pushed her head back, glaring at her as he held up the dagger to her face.

Naya's eyes flitted between his eyes and the dagger, but she said nothing.

He pressed the tip of the dagger against the back of her right cheek and then sliced along her face all the way to her mouth. The sharp pain flared across the cut, followed by a cooling sensation. The second cut was a little higher. This time it burned, like the blade was heated. The third was a little higher than that. Her face was tingling when he finished but she couldn’t feel any blood.

When he released her, Naya pressed her fingers to her face, but her skin was smooth; she couldn't feel any cut from the blade. She looked up at Akoro. "What was that?"

“Come," Akoro said. He took her through the corridors, up into the palace, into his bedroom. It looked just as grand and majestic as she remembered, and even stranger with him in it.

He led her to the mirror, but when she leaned forward to examine her face there was no sign of any cuts.

"I don't see anything," she said.

"I know. You won't. Tell me where you wanted to go.”

Naya ignored him, trying to figure out what he’d done.

He grunted. “I’m going to the ruins,” he said. “You will stay here and watch the mirror. When I come back, I expect you spread and wet, and waiting to give me every inch of your cunt before I go and kill your father and claim your empire."

He stalked out and Naya exhaled. Maybe it was the impending battle, but he was particularly cruel today. This was completely unnecessary and barbaric, and since the dagger cuts didn’t show, why did he do it?

She thought back to after her Haze, when he was trying to coax her back out of her dampened mood. It had seemed like he cared about her then, but maybe that was just about him. He wanted her praising him and adoring him, like she’d been in her Haze state, and maybe fucking someone who didn’t care either way bruised his ego, so he did what he needed to get her out of her shell. He took her to a forest that was so similar to hers, there was no way she was not going to engage. Was anything he told her even true?

He was about to unleash his cruelty upon her family.

She stood by the mirror as each moment passed. Maybe he was just wasting her time. But then something began to happen. First scars appeared, faint and slight, but they followed the lines that he had carved. Slowly, they became bolder and uglier and raw. Then the skin unknitted, turning into fresh wounds, lines of red all over her face. They started to bleed, painfully and abundantly, like he had just freshly cut the blade into her. Blood flooded down her jaw, trickling down to her chin; her face was wet, aching, and raw.

Naya cried out in alarm. This was the proximity magic. He had gone to the ruins knowing that each step he took away from her revealed what the blade had done—what he had done to her face.