Barak shifts his attention to Raiden, his expression blank. “A trial,” he explains. “A test of strength, will, and spirit. Only those who pass are deemed worthy.”
“And those who fail?” Raiden presses, his jaw tightening.
Barak’s smile returns, though it holds no humor. “They don’t return, and if they do, they bear the brunt of the trials,” he answers bluntly, his words settling over the room like a heavy blanket.
The air is thick with unspoken questions, but I refuse to let the gravity of his statement dissuade me. “Then I’ll do it,” I say firmly, my voice cutting through the silence.
Raiden tenses beside me, clearly wanting to argue, but he doesn’t speak. Barak’s eyes meet mine, and something in his expression shifts—approval, perhaps, or respect.
“So be it,” Barak accepts, his tone final. “The Gauntlet awaits.”
Chapter sixty-two
Maxon
“Your mate has disappeared from our detection,” Yumekui’s voice cuts through the air as she storms into the cavern, her usual infuriatingly calm demeanor nowhere to be found. She kicks a rock across the floor, the sharp sound echoing against the walls.
I tip my head back against the wall, a hollow laugh escaping my throat as I close my eyes, the edges of my smile teasing. Of course, Everly has figured out a way to hide herself. She is not as naïve as everyone thinks.
The quiet lasts barely a moment before I feel her presence—close, too close. I open my eyes as Yumekui straddles me, her kanzashi pressed hard against my throat, the tip biting into my skin just enough to draw a trickle of blood. Her ruby eyes burn with unrestrained fury, her lips curling into a feral snarl.
I glare up at her, refusing to flinch. The fire under my skin flares in response, the dragon’s magic surging with raw, unrelenting power. It roars to be unleashed, clawing at my restraints, and I wince at the brutality of it. My body trembles as it sweeps through me, but Yumekui must mistake my shaking for fear. Her wicked grin widens, her expression dripping with sadistic delight.
“How is she doing it?” she hisses, leaning closer, the words slicing through the air like a whip.
“How would I know?” I snap back, my voice strained but defiant.
Her grin vanishes in an instant, replaced by a cold, calculating look. And then, without warning—without her usual taunts or drawn-out threats—she leans forward, pressing her lithe frame against mine. I barely have time to register the movement before her fangs sink into my neck.
The pain is immediate and excruciating, a white-hot burst that radiates from the point of contact. I clench my teeth so hard I hear a faint crack under the strain, my fists curling tightly at my sides. My fire surges wildly in response.
Yumekui’s grip tightens on my head, her fingers tangling in my hair as she draws deep, greedy mouthfuls of my blood. I feel the pull of it, the draining sensation that leaves me dizzy and disoriented, but I refuse to give her the satisfaction of a sound.
She finally pulls back, her lips stained crimson, her eyes half-lidded with something too close to pleasure for my liking. “You’re hiding something,” she purrs, her tone smooth and dangerous. “But don’t worry. I’ll find out.”
My voice cuts through the charged silence, low and seething. “Fuck you.”
Yumekui tilts her head, a slow, deliberate movement as her lips curl into a predatory smile. She rocks her hips against my thighs, a taunting motion that sends a spark of rage surging through me. “I could . . . ” she purrs, her tone laced with mockery, her eyes glittering with wicked amusement.
My magic snarls beneath my skin, coiling like a spring ready to snap. “I’ll kill you,” I hiss, the words trembling with barely restrained fury.
She laughs, light and musical, as if I’ve told a delightful joke. In a blur of motion, she leaps off my lap, her bare feet whispering against the cold stone floor. Blood still stains her lips, and she takes her time licking it away, her tongue slow and deliberate, as though savoring every drop.
“You’ll never leave here.” Her voice, smooth as silk, carries the weight of a threat. “Not until you’re mine.”
“Again, fuck you,” I spit, venom dripping from every word.
Her smile widens, growing sharper, more dangerous, as she tilts her head once more. “Soon, I’ll have enough blood to control you. Blood magic can be tricky, but with a few more feedings,” her eyes narrow, her words wrapping around me like a noose, “and with runes etched in our combined blood, you’ll worship the ground I walk on.”
The world shifts beneath me as her words sink in. My breath hitches, and dread courses through my body like ice, freezing me in place. That’s what she’s been doing?
She sees the realization flash across my face, and her satisfaction is palpable. The corners of her smile twitch higher as she takes in my speechlessness. “Oh, don’t look so shocked,” she chides, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “You’re stronger than most, but even you can’t fight this forever.”
Satisfied with her handiwork, she turns and glides toward the door, the hem of her white silk kimono trailing behind her.
Chapter sixty-three
Everly
