Selene bared her teeth at them, but her eyes were focused solely on Savine. “Now that you have me, what do you plan to do to me, Savine? All these years you’ve waited for your revenge. I could see it in your face this summer when you saw me near your little human.”
Savine felt the rage building inside of him. He thought back to the day Selene dragged him to the Tower of Teeth. How she ripped into his soul, blaming him for Lilith’s death. The dread, the terror cut through him like a fresh wound.
Avery laid a hand on Savine’s arm and he took in a gasping breath.
“You harmed me once, and you tried to do it again by taking Avery from me. There are many, many things I’ve dreamed of doing to you over the years. But I don’t need to now. I have a soulmate. You were wrong about me and I won’t waste another moment of my life on you. But what I will do, what I have the right to do as king, is ensure youwill notbe united with your mate until I say.”
Selene’s eyes seemed to glow in luminous violet. “You have no right. Soulmate bonds transcend nations. No king or queen can stop what the Goddess ordained.”
Savine twisted his mouth into a smile. “And yet, that is just what you did to me when you took Avery from me. You knew she was my soulmate, and yet you took her.”
Selene hissed, “You never deserved to have love again, not after what you did to Lilith.”
Savine drew his hands into a fist. This woman was trying to get him to lose his temper, trying to force Avery into breaking her promise to Rue. His breathing was coming in harsh spurts.
Avery’s touch once again brought him back to himself. He let his heart rate settle, let himself come back to reality. He never caused Lilith’s death. He was a victim as much as she was, and Avery wasn’t harmed at Selene’s hand. She was alive as well.
“We’re not talking about you and Savine anymore,” Avery said. She spoke in a tone that commanded attention, like the queen she was. “If you try to say anything to him again, I’ll personally break that promise I gave to Rue. Understand?”
Selene nodded, her face hiding how she felt about Avery’s command. “Understood. Can you let me out of these bindings?”
“Absolutely not. You’ve already proven you can’t be trusted, so get comfy. You’re staying in those vines until we decide what we’re going to do with you. Now I have some questions for you, and you’re going to answer them.”
“Why would I do a thing like that?”
“If you actually want to be united with Rue, you’ll start talking. Look, Savine is capable of keeping you two apart. But, if you do want to see her again you’ll be working extra hard to get on my good side. I control that old man over there.” Avery said the last sentence in a whisper, like she was letting Selene in on a secret. As always, her whispers were hardly quiet, and Savine heard every last word.
He wouldn’t deny there was truth in what she said.
“Very well. What is it you’d like to know?”
“What’s going on with my sister? Is she safe?”
Selene let out a bitter laugh. “She is the darling of our king.”
“What do you mean?”
“He made quite a demonstration of his devotion at the Night of Feasts. And now they travel together to Goldoth.”
Savine watched as Avery’s lip twitched. “Is he forcing her to do these things?”
“She seems happy to serve the King of Nephel, and appears to enjoy his attention.”
Bitter disgust masked Avery’s face. Savine knew she hated Rylo as much as he did. Knew how much it hurt Avery for Morgan to choose to live in Nephel over Latiah.
“What about Susan?” Avery asked.
“She is well cared for and has found romance of her own in Elio. She remained behind in Nephel as King Rylo traveled to Goldoth.”
Savine couldn’t resist asking, “If you are here, and Rylo is in Goldoth, then who is currently watching over Nephel?”
Selene’s brow furrowed and she pursed her lips. “I did not plan on traveling to Orofine, and now that I know Rue is safe, I should return. It was impulsive of me to come here. I see now that I shouldn’t have done it.”
Savine folded his hands as he said, “No leadership is in the Towers at the moment? Interesting.”
“I’ll not return here. Rue knows about the bond now. Once she is well she can come to me. Give me my leave so I can return to the Towers.”
Savine sneered at Selene.
