“You’re not helping your claims that you’re not mad with these wild accusations, Princess.”
“But—”
“I must go now. I’m sure someone will be down to check on you later,” he says.
That’s what I’m afraid of. I’m down here alone and now my brother and the Head Healer both know that I know they’re murderers.
“Just keep a guard on my mother,” I say, as he turns away. “Please—don’t let her be alone with either my brother or the Head Healer. I beg you.”
He stops and turns back to me.
“You really believe this, don’t you—that the Crown Prince poisoned the King and Queen?”
“Yes,” I say earnestly. “Because it’s true.”
For a moment, I think I’ve gotten through to him. He takes a deep breath.
“I’ll promise you this—my guards won’t leave Her Majesty’s side. And no one will give her anything to eat or drink but me. I will personally see to her safety.”
“Thank you,” I say with heartfelt sincerity. “So you’ll set me free?”
He shakes his head.
“Can’t do that—sorry. I cannot take your word over the Crown Prince’s so completely.”
“But—”
“I must go, Princess,” he says. “If what you say has even a spark of truth, it’s best if you stay down here out of sight. I’ll come to check on you later or send one of my trusted men.”
And he leaves—leaves me there in the dark, chained and helpless.
Oh Goddess—what am I going to do?
77
VALEN
She is in danger! OUR MATE IS IN DANGER!
My Drake is roaring in my head, demanding that I listen to him.
I don’t feel anything from the collar, I tell him. But I’m uneasy too. We haven’t gone far from the castle but going back—especially in my Drake form—might put Irena at risk.
I mean, it would be one thing if she wanted me there—if she was waiting for me to rescue her. That wouldn’t be a problem. But what if I go back and she doesn’t want me—what if she’s determined to put what we had in the past and never think of me again?
In that case, showing up in her Court would only make her a pariah among her people—a woman who consorted with a “beast” would definitely be loathed and vilified. And…
Fuck, what am I saying? Of course I’m going back. My Drake may be feeling something I can’t sense because of all the blood we’ve taken from her. And there’s also the fact that I gave her a drop of my blood to heal, back when we first flew away together. That formed a kind of blood-bond—one that lingers between us, even though I haven’t actually Bonded her to me.
We turn in the sky, wheeling in a huge circle to head back towards the castle.
We’re going, I tell my Drake. But don’t be surprised if she wants nothing to do with us.
She needs us! he insists. We must hurry—hurry!
He stretches himself and his great wings—our wings—slice through the sky, speeding us onward. As we go, I begin to feel his sense of urgency as my own. What if she’s in trouble? What if she’s chained up in the dungeon as she was in that fucking vision the Door of Uncertainty showed me?
What if she’s dead?
