“Pretty?” I growl, pushing Freya off my knee. I launch myself to my feet. “Is that all you have to say? The monster hasbondedwith her. He was never meant to. This thing was only supposed to be fake, before you captured Lan and brought him back to me. Thenwewere meant to be crowned, remember? If you’re officially bonded to Lan now, then that means the golden threads are bound around all of us. You’ll need Lan in your next heat and…don’t you understand?”
“It was an accident.” Freya pushes herself up, her eyes flashing. “But I’m not sorry. Lan feels like pack. And stop calling himmonster.”
Bewildered, I glance between the two of them. “He’s your enemy. Vampires massacred your court. You wanted this revenge.”
Daire is suspiciously quiet. His head is ducked, and he’s avoiding looking at either of us.
“Well, I don’t anymore.” Freya’s eyes are wet. “I want us to work out a way that we can all survive this, as Golden fated mates.”
I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.
She can’t mean that. Is she being compelled? Under a spell?
I once loved Lanlin. In fact, he was my best friend. I know that it’s possible to be taken in by his act.
But itisan act.
I am finally clear-eyed about that.
Freya must understand what the stakes are for all of us, both what we will gain and lose if we either capture…or don’t…Lanlin.
What has happened between the two of them that she can suggest helping him?
Suddenly, I stagger.
The edges of the cavern melt, as if in the white-hot heat at the heart of a volcano.
I am losing control of the dreamscape.
Do I have minutes left?
Seconds?
It’s not long enough.
My Omega bonded with the Shadow Vampire King.
I feel like I am the one who is a volcano, so hot inside with rage that Hadrian is ready to explode and rain down fire and ash over the realms.
Embers fall from my horns.
“Your eyes are doing that swirling thing,” Freya warns.
I ignore her, storming to tower over Daire. “Where the fuck were you when Lan was bonding our Omega?”
Daire hides behind his curls. I kick him with my foot.
He curls his wings around himself. “May the crows peck out your eyes, bastard. I would have been there if I could. Your idiot uncle taught me a load of bollocks about the Shadow Vampire King. About how easy he’d be to manipulate and…he isn’t. He’s bloody smarter than anyone I know.”
Freya becomes ashen. “Oh, fuck. Is that why he separated us?”
Daire nods.
My pulse speeds up; I’m surprised how worried I am for the fae. “Has he worked out who you are?”
“I don’t know.” Daire pushes his curls roughly out of his face. “I don’t think that I’d still be breathing if he did. But he does know that I’m not some sweet Dove. It’s bloody funny that he thinks he’s protecting his Omega from me, which is why he’s kicked me out of the royal nest.”
“He has done what?” Freya says with a quiet, deadly fury.
