Page 91 of Consumed By Fire

“‘General will do just fine. I am not working in my capacity as Crown Prince right this minute.”

“Very well, General.”

“Will you take a seat, Trinity?” He gestures to a chair. I look around the room, which is devoid of any comforts. There’s a chair on one side. A table and two more chairs on the other, with a big mirror on one of the walls.

I do as instructed.

“Are you ready to talk?” he asks me. “To tell me everything…and I mean everything?”

“Only if you promise not to hurt Octane. No more torture.” I shake my head.

“No more torture as long as you keep your end of the bargain.” He scratches his clean-shaven chin.

“And my baby is not to be harmed, either,” I add.

“We’re not in the business of harming children, even those still in utero.” He wrinkles his nose in distaste.

“Okay, then. I’m ready to talk.” I pray that I am making the right decision. I can’t see another way forward. I only hope that Octane can forgive me. I hope that he knows I’m doing this to help him.

28

Octane

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

Trinity is going to talk.

Dammit!

I’d thought maybe I’d somehow managed to convince her not to do it. I had hoped I did. I wasn’t lying when I said that I can take the pain. I will admit that the thought of having my skin peeled back, and my limbs sawed from my body does not appeal to me, but I would have handled it. I would have endured.

I’m pacing back and forth inside my small jail cell.

If they find everything out, they’re going to be pissed with her. She went over to Draig and got herself captured. That’s how they’ll see it. Then she gave me intel that she shouldn’t have. We had sex. Moreover, we have feelings for one another. None of these things will be accepted. I’m sure she’ll tell them about Igor…that she killed him. They’ll probably have found the bodies by now. This is all kinds of fucked up.

I am sure that there will be recourse. I’m sure it will be harsh. I don’t want that for Trinity. I want them to let her go and to let her get on with her life. To be a mom. I know she’ll make a great mother. If she ends up jailed, will they let her keep the baby? Will they kill her for this? Surely not! I can’t think about it right now since it’s making me crazy.

I run a hand through my hair and exhale harshly.

Fuuuuuck!

I keep pacing. Up and down and up and down. It doesn’t deter me when I hear booted feet along the corridor. I keep pacing.

One of the guards outside my cell lets out a loud gasp. “Sire.” He bows.

The other two do the same in quick succession.

A well-dressed male points at the door. “Let me in,” he says. “I want to have a word with the prisoner.” His eyes lock with mine, and he smiles. “Hello, Draiger. My name is Ice. I’m the prince. One of two. I’m the second in line to the throne after Frost, to be exact. You will have met him, the esteemed general.” He chuckles. “And you must be Octane.” He looks around. “Why is no one opening this cage?” He tuts as he smooths a lapel on his suit, which is sharp and tailored, with smooth lines and crisp edges. He looks so starkly out of place down here it is frightening.

“You should step back, Sire. With all due respect.” The guard gives another sweeping bow, going so deep that the edge of his scabbard scrapes on the tiled floor.

“Why would I step back?” Ice asks.

“So that we can enter first and shackle the prisoner,” the other guard says, also giving a low bow. “It would be safer that way…with all due respect…Sire.”

It’s almost comical to watch them bowing like that the whole time.

“Not necessary. The prisoner won’t lay so much as a finger on me. Isn’t that right, Octane?” He turns his bright blue gaze onto me.