“To be ready in the night. One of these nights before the black moon. That is when we expect the witches to come and you must be gone before then.”
“Lysi,butthismakes an escape all the more unlikely,” I told her, referring to her being locked away with me.
“No,” she whispered. “This will make it easier.”
I furrowed my brows. “How so?”
“He will free me eventually. And then he will ignore me for a brief time, as if the mere sight of me will make his temper rise. And he can’t have that. He already senses Jacques’ hesitation. Benn knows he will need to tread carefully around the others, at least for a short time.”
A huff rose from my throat. “And he thinks you have the mind of a child?” I asked.
“It has its advantages,” she told me. “Being overlooked.”
I regarded her in the dark, my eyes studying the lines of her face, at least the half that wasn’t pressed into my chest.
Lysi, this female was powerful. I didn’t think she knew how much. How much of anadvantageshe could be against the fog.
She was an advantage for my horde that I couldn’t ignore.
Perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps Kakkarihadmeant for me to be here…because it brought me to her.
I need her, came the realization. Not only to escape this hellish place, but I needed her for myhorde. Weallneeded her because she could do what no one could: control the limits of the fog.
That was when I realized that when I did escape the Dead Mountain, when I unshackled my wrists and took back my sword…I would need to takehertoo.
I amowedher, I thought, my fists clenching in the cuffs.
She was my prize. I’d felt it in the fog, hadn’t I?
That she wasmine. She’d vowed it to me in that beautiful, haunting voice I could stillfeel:Lo rune tei’ri, Vorakkar.
And though thissarkiawould never get her claws deep enough into me to control me again, I realized that she was incredibly useful.
And when I took her to my horde, whether she was willing or not, I would show her just how useful she would become.
Lysi, I thought.I will secure her for my horde’s safety.
No matter what it took.
Chapter Nineteen
It was Tess that came to retrieve me from my newest prison.
I didn’t know how long it had been but one moment I was talking to the horde king and the next, my eyes were cracking open to the sound of the door.
Not long, I decided. I’d been here only long enough to sleep.
To have a good sleep, I mentally amended. Despite my aching side and the tenderness of my face, I felt surprisingly well rested. Despite the fact that my hair hadn’t dried yet, the right side of my body felt meltingly warm.
I heard it then. His heartbeat. That had been what lulled me to sleep, I remembered. Strong and even and soothing.
“Mina,” Tess called out for me. “Come away from him.”
She sounded afraid. The idea made me want to laugh. She was afraid that I was plastered against the horde king, situated between his strong thighs, and sleeping against the male who’d only wanted to make sure I’d be warm? But she wasn’t angry at the male who’d struck me, who’d ripped my dress off and touched me, who’d kicked me until I couldn’t breathe, and then thrown icy water over my body for good measure?
I could see now. Tess had brought in a torch and it flickered over all the shadowy, dark places of the room. Lifting my gaze, I saw Rowin was watching me. There was a strange expression on his face as his eyes flickered back and forth between mine.
In the torchlight, I saw the wound on his face was already beginning to heal. I wondered about his shoulder, his tail. He hadn’t made a sound as the blade penetrated. As for his shoulder, he’d told me he’d endured much worse.
