Talon's gaze swung to me. “I didn't know you were in that cupboard, Amara. I didn't know you existed until a few years ago. So you're wrong, I haven't been hunting you your entire life. I hope that makes you feel better.”
“I'm going to tear you into fucking pieces!” Malik roared.
“You were with them?” I asked as a strange calm settled over me. “A Fury with Triari? How?”
“I was friends with them. I told you that I often visited Eden—that wasn't a lie,” Talon admitted. “I was the one who convinced them to go after your father. We only wanted the elixir.”
“I was there. I heard my mother begging you.”
“If your father had just—”
“You will beg too,” I cut him off coolly. “Just like her. But you will beg for death, not life, before I finish with you.”
Talon stared at me, then nodded crisply. “I believe we have an understanding, Your Majesty. One of us will die before we part ways. You, however, are in a cell with no magic, and I own you. So, I highly doubt it will be me.”
“No one owns me, especially not those who try.”
“I take it back,” Malik said viciously. “It will be far more fun to watch my mvarra kill you.”
Talon stared at Malik a few moments, then commanded, “Bring me my gun!”
Chapter Thirty-Six
I went still; we all did. Malik only grinned. He was immortal like me, all my men were now, so a bullet wouldn't kill him. But I had a feeling that Talon's gun wouldn't be loaded with bullets.
Then another Fury strode in the room.
“Fuck,” Rain hissed.
Indeed. Dealing with one Fury, a Triari, and a few humans was bad enough, but if Talon had a whole team, or even an army, of his people there, we were really fucked.
The Fury held a paintball gun, as I'd expected. He handed it to Talon without a hint of emotion, his dark eyes as cool as a reptile's. Talon took the gun, aimed at Malik—who just stared back and continued to grin—then fired. Mal wavered on his feet, but kept standing. I blinked in surprise. Talon fired twice more, in rapid succession, and Mal crumpled to his knees, groaned, and then passed out.
“Fucking Bleiten,” Talon growled. “Tough bastards.”
“You have no idea,” Cyprian said in a soft, dangerous tone, his green eyes gleaming with the promise of blood.
“Get him into the extractor,” Talon said to the humans.
The second Fury went to stand near the door, his arms crossed. It was all smoke and mirrors with Talon. The men we thought were the muscle were only cannon fodder. Servants. His true strength had been hidden, just like his intentions.
“No!” I shouted and grabbed the bars of my cell. “Don't do this!”
“Calm yourself,” Talon drawled as the Germans opened Mal's cell. “I'm only taking enough to weaken him. He's my leverage over you, after all. Malik and all the people you love. All of them here, under my control. Remember that when it comes time to experiment on your blood.”
My blood—it went cold as I stared at him. Talon grinned.
“The Triari experimented on my blood over and over,” I bit the words out as Malik was dragged to the extractor. “They couldn't find a way to remove the elixir.”
“I am not Triari,” Talon said as Ugela smirked. “And I'm smarter than Traegur.”
Kyrian cursed at the mention of the Triari Prince who had tried to take my magic—one of the men who had killed my parents. Malik was strapped in and the sphere closed.
“Don't do this,” I said again.
“I'm doing this to all of them, Your Majesty,” Talon announced. “Just a little insurance in case the suppression potion wears off too soon. You won't be strong enough to put up a fight, much less break those chains.”
“You motherfucker,” Leo hissed.
