Footsteps clipped across the floor, stopping just before me. “If he’s so strong and powerful, he’ll be able to control his Elemental side at his worst—especially for her, no matter how dismal his state is. Both sides have to be depleted. That’s what she said. Then he’ll be ours to control to get into Arcadia. And the Seraphite Stone will then be ours to wield.”
“What if he doesn’t refrain from it, though? He’ll kill her,” Grim said, fear leaking into his voice. It was odd hearing anything besides putrid arrogance coming from him. It didn’t belong, but I loved the sound of him scared. And Ireallylovedthe fact that I was the one responsible for that. It made me hungrier to survive. If only to kill him slowly.
“He will.” Forest said confidently. “I’ll order a squadron of guards in here just in case.”
Grim released a heavy sigh, hesitating before agreeing. “Fine. Bring her in then.”
“Very well,” the king announced before shifting his attention to a guy at the door. “Inform Guard Commander Kittle to assemble some of the best for the interrogation room.”
My wheezing breaths rattled through the room, the only sound as we waited for our newest guest. My mouth salivated at the thought of the newest aura they presented me with. I couldn’t remember or understand why I’d been so resistant to feeding off their energies before. Tingles warmed my body as I imagined fueling my magic.
The door clicked open, my heart leaping, ready to set myself free with the newest arrival. King Forest directed his voice at me. “Now, the rules are simple,” he started, the sound of a lighter set of feet entering the room. “Once your bracelets are removed, you can either answer my still-waiting question about the Endarkened or deplete someone dear to you.”
“Chrome!” a girl’s voice screeched, cutting through the king and I’s one-way conversation. “Oh, gods.” Her voice trembled in horror.
Ignoring the girl’s outburst, I guttered out to the king, “I don’t…have anyone…dear to me.”
“What happened to him?” the girl sobbed. “He needs a healer!” Her wails pouring into the room nudged something inside me, and I didn’t know why. I supposed I looked pretty horrifying, but I didn’t expect someone to have that reaction at the sight of me.
My mouth moistened at the anticipation of feeding from her magic, giving me something to swallow besides blood.
“If you answer the question, I’ll send her out of the room to safety. If not, well then…” Forest trailed off. “Consider yourself Failed Experiment Number Two.”
Blood garbled in my throat as my dangling and grotesque limbs twitched at my sides.
Forest taunted me. “All this time, you thought you were untouchable.” His breath heated the shell of my ear, a sensation I wasn’t familiar with.
The warmth made me flinch away. Too much heat—my body rejected it.
“And here I am, reminding you of what you are—a monster. A half-breed.” He fisted my hair, pulling me close to his voice again. It came past my ears now. I couldn’t even guess when the last time I’d had it trimmed. “A weapon.Myweapon. And you’re about to see for yourself just how much of a monster you truly are.”
Still unable to open my eyes and get a full view of the room, I had to rely on my hearing.
“Come on, baby doll. It’s okay,” Grim encouraged in a soft voice I didn’t think him capable of. As if speaking to a small child. Soothing the girl, he cooed, “Shh, it’s going to be okay. Just stand right here and—”
“No! Help him!” I could barely understand her through the tears and panicked breaths. The shuffling of feet squeaked on the floor, as if a small skirmish had broken out. “Let me go! Don’ttouchme,” she growled. “Chrome!”
“Take off the bracelets,” Forest ordered someone in the room. Possibly a guard like he’d alluded to earlier?
My palms began to sweat and my heart beat to a war drum in my chest. Thinking of the impending rush of power had me gasping for air, my adrenaline picking up in anticipation.
“Chrome!” the girl screamed again. A pair of feet ran toward me, only to be stopped. “Gods! Someone help him!”
“Restrain her!” Forest demanded, his voice cold and undeterred.
“Pumpkin, you gotta stand still. He’ll be fine,” Grim tried to reassure her.
“No!” she sobbed, her sniffles loud.“Chrome,”she whimpered, her voice breaking. “I’m so sorry.”
Masculine hands gripped my wrists, unclasping my bracelets. Immediately, my feral essence lashed out. Both my Kinetic and Elemental sides sought out their necessary sources. The lights flickered in the room as I pulled from the electricity fueling the fluorescent bulbs. The power of the entire building whirred in and out as I pulled from it, feeding my Kinetic side.
I reveled in the wild maelstrom of my magic. Fuck, I’d missed it. Second by second, my muscles grew stronger. The shredding in my brain ceased, my body going limp in euphoric relief.
I needed more. So much more.
“Get back!” Forest ordered, his voice growing in concern.
“Chrome!” the girl’s voice broke through again. “I’m here!” she declared. Then, on a quivering exhaled breath, she whimpered, “Take from me.”
