They had all noticed Ieuwan’s growing absence over the months, but none of them had paid much thought to it. He had always been on the outside of their group, ever since Norman had been removed. Whilst they believed it was purely because he’d lost his closest friend after Norman left, along with not having as big of a role in the Courts as the rest of them, it was now clear he’d been playing a much bigger role for Rook. And Xander could only despise himself for not noticing until now.
“I am demanding a meeting with the Courts,” Rook’s voice rang out. “I demand for the traitorous Daemon sympathiser, Katie Jones, to step down from her position as Prime Minister. I demand for the blood-sucking filth, Alexander Duran, to give himself up, as well as his allies.”
“Like fucking hell!” Nicolai shouted. The entire room had stood to watch the broadcast, their anger and rage flooding Xander’s senses.
Rook’s message continued. “If you do not meet these demands, my army will continue to attack every town and city until all Daemons and sympathisers are removed and eradicated. If you do not give yourselves up, I will burn this Blood Witch at the stake and let the world watch her die.”
The broadcast cut out and Adriana’s face was replaced with a newsreader. No one in the room moved.
“Where is she?” Xander asked, his voice breaking. “Katie, where are they?”
Katie sighed on the other end of the line. “You can’t go, it’s a trap.”
“Where is she?” he roared, the Court leaders collectively flinching at his raised voice. “Where the fuck is he keeping her?”
“Parliament,” Cass whispered, her eyes coming back into focus from another vision. “They’ve stormed the Houses, that’s where they are. There’s not much time. They’ll come here next.”
“Duran, don’t you fucking dare,” Katie’s voice shouted. “I am handling this. This is a mortal conflict and you are not to involve yourself.”
Xander let out an exasperated laugh. “That’s bollocks, Katie, and you know it. He called me out just as he did you. He’s threatened us all, he’s threatenedher. She is the most important thing to me and he knows it, those cunts who were once my brothers would have helped Rook come to that realisation. I’m not sitting this out, so don’t waste your time expecting me to.”
“I’m already there, let me sort this.” The line went dead as Katie ended the call.
Xander shook with rage, his shadows had stopped flying around the room and huddled close around him, cloaking him in darkness. He looked around the table, his anger reflected in everyone else.
Katie wouldn’t stand a chance, but of course, as the prideful leader of her country and people, she had gone at it alone. Xander knew she would never sacrifice her position to save Adriana, a woman she didn’t even know. And though she was right to do so for the sake of all the mortals and Daemons under her protection, he couldn’t let that happen.
He would sacrifice it all, this entire world he had helped shape and build—he’d lose it all for her.
Cass stepped forward, narrowing her eyes at Xander, a mutual understanding passing between them. “We’re getting my sister back.”
Adriana
Adriana’s vision blurred as she struggled to remain conscious, the smell of whatever flammable liquid they’d doused her in was stuck in her nose. She could feel the diluted Lupus venom coursing through her veins from the tube that had been harshly stuck into her neck, and whilst it was not enough to kill her, it severely slowed her healing speed and rendered her powers useless.
She tried to shift her hands, but they were cuffed too tightly behind her around the wooden post she was chained to, her bare feet sore from the splinters from the pyre she stood upon. If she could just get one hand free, she might be able to control the flames when they set her alight and she’d be safe. But she couldn’t move, she could barely lift her head. They’d beaten her every time she’d woken up and she wasn’t healing properly. She was helpless.
She knew neither Xander nor Cass would let her die, she knew they’d find her after the broadcast she’d heard them talking about, and that’s what worried her the most. Her time was running out—it wouldn’t be long until they came for her and fell into Rook’s trap. And she would do everything she could to save them.
Ieuwan seemed to be the best option. She’d seen the guilt and shame pass over his features when he’d seen her in the pit, and she knew he wasn’t completely wrapped around Rook’s finger like Norman was. He was currently standing with the others, leaning over a map as they talked through their plans, but hedidn’t seem to be included in their conversation. If she could just get him alone, get him to listen to her, maybe she stood a chance.
Before she could even think of a plan, one of the Liberators came rushing in.
“She’s here, sir! Jones is here, it seems she came alone. They’re bringing her through now.”
Rook smiled and clasped his hands together. “Of course she is, that stupid self-righteous bitch.”
Adriana tilted her head to see Katie Jones being escorted into the room by three Liberators and made to sit in a chair in front of the cameras they’d set up.
“Good evening,” Rook leered, as he sat across from her. “I take it you’ve come to give up your position, Jones?” He gestured to his men behind the cameras, signalling them to start filming another live broadcast.
Katie crossed her arms and tilted her head up, staring down her nose at the man who had terrorised her country. “I am here to demand you let Miss Clarke go. She is not to be harmed.”
“Little late for that,” Norman chuckled, proudly showing her the blood across his knuckles.
Rook held a finger to silence him. “She will not be harmed from this point on, so long as you agree to the demands.”
Katie continued to watch him for a moment before turning to look at where Adriana stood slumped against the post in the middle of the pyre. Adriana saw the sympathy in her eyes, that unmistakable apology that she would not be saving her life. With a small smile, Adriana nodded her head in understanding. She knew that her life was not worth the cost of handing over the country to Rook, of course it wasn’t. She had clung onto the ever-fraying thread of hope, but as she understood the fate that awaited her, that final piece snapped.
