“Well, as Mystics, we can provide you with some protections that will help ward off creatures consumed by dark magic.” She tapped her nails on the desk. “There is also another avenue. I don’t know if it’ll work or not, but it’s worth a try.” With a sigh, she continued. “There’s a majestic creature called the ceraber. She is a beingbeholden to the Celestial realm, who serves only the king and queen, so she is not ours to command. But since the turmoil in Arcadia, she has roamed helplessly, searching for her queen and king. It wasn’t until recently that she appeared in our territory, and we have given her a safe haven until we can bring Gray back.”
I raised an eyebrow, wondering what we were expected to do with this creature.“And how will she help us exactly?”
“You’ll ride her. Not only will it cut down your travel time significantly, but she can sense the dark magic and stay clear of it. Her role before the Celestials were cast out was to protect the king and queen. She was an official member of their court, having a soul connection with the true queen. The ceraber is one of the very few creatures remaining in Arcadia who has avoided falling to the Tempests’ Syphon Bond as they continue to bleed the realm dry of natural magic from the aether. I trust she’ll be able to get you both to her queen safely.”
“And what if she doesn’t allow us to hitch a ride with her? Then what?” Onyx asked. I was glad he did because I wondered the same thing.
Talitha shrugged. “Then you’re on your own.”
“Forgive me, but is there a reason why you didn’t offer Scarlett, Valik, and me this mode of transportation the first few times we visited? Could’ve prevented the entire Endarkened unicorn fiasco…”I asked, feeling snubbed by the fact that the option had been available the whole time.
“The ceraber doesn’t belong to us, nor does she answer to us. She answers to her queen. That’s where her loyalty lies. Because you’re on a mission to help the queen, the likelihood of gaining her assistance is much higher.”
“Oh,how I’ve yearned to glimpse your face againsince you nearly killed me a few months back, just so I can slit your throat,” Onyx said to Royal on the other side of the bars.
Talitha had allowed us to borrow the book with the map. And before we arrived to pay a visit to our newest prisoner, she and a few of the other elder Mystics had weaved and chanted spells over mixed herbs that we were instructed to take for our protection against the vile Tempest magic.
My eyes tightened. When had Royal tried to kill Onyx?
Royal, her rich aqua hair now trimmed short into a bob, giggled. “Oh, we always have so much fun, don’t we, love bottom?”
“Loads,” Onyx replied dryly. “You have exactly five minutes to start talking, or I get to live out my own little fantasy of staining your throat red. I think it’ll go great with your hair.”
Gods, these two were even more twisted now than when they’d been together before. I never thought they could become more toxic, but here we were.
“There’s nothing to tell, baby. I just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She gave her classic doe eyes, puckering out her bottom lip in an exaggerated gesture.
“Your five minutes start now,” Onyx said, pulling out his dagger. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, Royal…”
Royal teasingly bit her lip, slinking closer to the rails. “I’ll always tempt you.”
“The only thing you’re tempting me with right about now is an Endarkened’s kiss.”
Royal rolled her eyes and slumped against the rail. “You’ve become boring with age.”
“And you’ve grown more repulsive, which is quite impressive, really.”
I remained by Onyx as he dealt with Royal. This was definitely more his territory than mine, but we didn’t have time to waste.“Hurry up. We need to leave.”
Onyx pretended not to hear me, as he maintained a hard starewith his nemesis. “First, I need to know how your Kinetic blade nearly killed me back at the Perry Hollow.”
“It was a blade the king gave me. Told me to test it out.” Royal shrugged. “Is there a reward for me being a good girl and answering your questions by chance?”
“Sure thing, baby girl.” Onyx smiled, a crooked one that insinuated dirty things. My stomach soured at the thought.
Royal perked up. “Oh, really?”
“Mhmm.” Onyx stepped closer to the bars, trailing a finger slowly down one of the metallic poles. “You’ll see,” he promised, his voice dropping into the husky tone that had me hardening. I ground my teeth, fighting against the instinct my body had always had with him, even if it wasn’t directed at me. “Why were you with Chrome?”
“The king had me go with him as a backup to help bring back that whore daughter of his.” Royal shrugged again.
Onyx continued to caress the bar with his forefinger, but with her reply, he added his middle finger. “What exactly does he want with her, baby?”
“Probably to torture her, I guess.” Royal’s eyes sparkled as she bit her lip, entranced by Onyx’s fingers.
I, however, wanted to vomit. But if Onyx’s tactics were working, I wouldn’t outwardly complain.
“You know what I’m most excited about?” she asked, her voice sounding like she was speaking to a baby.
