“He’s my…” She laughed and shook her head, as if she didn’t believe it. “He’s supposed to be my guardian.”
No.
My shadows burst out of me, swarming our bodies as if Lucille needed protection. This couldn’t be happening. Not again.
“Lucille,” I said, dropping deep into the chilling beast who demanded retribution for anyone who threatenedours. “This is really important. Can you feel his emotions?”
Seven Hells, I couldn’t have found the other half of my soul only for her to be taken from me.
She gazed at all the shadows brushing her body. “What’s wrong?”
My heart hammered. “Answer me.”
Her brows furrowed. “I do.”
I dropped off the cliff and snapped out my wings.
“Ronen!” she screamed. “Wait!”
As fast as I possibly could, I flew back to the castle and sent Rune a command to retrieve Lucille. I should’ve known. I fuckingfeltit. Her desperation. Her helplessness. And that urgent energy I wasn’t familiar with.
The energy almost felt foreign, like it wanted to be a part of her but wasn’t. She had the same look in her eyes Gabriel did—like she couldn’t fucking help herself. And she couldn’t. She wouldnotgo through what he did. I wouldn’t allow it.
I barreled through the roof door, knocking down Alexei.
“Whoa, what’s the rush?” he asked, standing and brushing himself off, his breath clouding around him.
“Nothing,” I spat, storming past.
He stopped me, gripping my arm. “Right, and I wasn’t about to fly off to the bar to find me a nice female to nurse my wounds.”
I jerked on his hold, but his grip only tightened.
“You look murderous. I’m not letting go until you explain yourself.”
“No.”
Alexei tilted his head, raising a brow. “Does this have something to do with our very special prisoner that your cordistella wanted to rescue?”
I jerked harder on my arm, tempted to chuck a shadowball at his chest to see if he’d pass out.
“I’m going to take that as a yes. I’m also going to advise against whatever ideas are hiding behind your shadow eyes.”
“Let go, Alexei, before I make you let go.”
He stepped closer and shoved me back, standing in front of the door. “I’m thinking no.”
I barreled into him, forcing him and his bandaged wings against the chilled stone. He winced, then smiled. “Fine. Go make matters worse.”
I only felt a little guilty after he stepped aside.
“Make sure Lucille gets back safely from Portal Lake,” I said, striding into the castle. The sky darkened as I passed countless windows and descended the stairs toward the dungeons. With each thundering step, I imagined cutting through his tendons and listening to his screams. I imagined rupturing his blood cells over and over, letting him heal only to do it again until his heart stopped and the threat was gone.
At the dungeon doors, I dug in my pocket for the key, then dug around in the other one.
“Alexei,” I hissed. He stole it.
I had a spare in my bedroom on the other side of the castle, if he hadn’t gone there and stolen that one too.
