Griffin placed the crown atop his head and in doing so, he accepted the position he never wanted. One he would take if it meant saving Raven.
He would need to free his wings, which had been clipped for far too long. But in order to do so, he would have to make a deal with a devil.
His attention surveyed the crowd that had grown and he found the man he hated.
The royalty he despised.
His mother’s other son.
Prince Branton of Luscinia.
Epilogue
Jayce
Violencia
Jayce paced the room he was in, theprison. Sparrow slept soundly on the four-poster bed in the center of the space. The brightest part of this was their reunion, his time getting to know her. But a part of his heart was missing, and he hadn’t heard anything of Raven. If she was okay, where she had been taken—anything.
They were deep in the Faction headquarters, tucked in a secured area, and while they had everything needed, Jayce was going insane at the inactivity.
The door whipped open, drawing his attention. He paused his pacing, his eyes narrowed in anger. “What do you want?” he whispered.
Nightingale stepped inside, her entire attention focusing on Sparrow fast asleep in the bed. “The plan has gone awry. Raven will no longer be brought here.”
Jayce straightened his spine, stomping towards Nightingale. He glared down at her. “What has happened?” Even in his anger he kept his tone hushed, careful to not wake Sparrow.
“My intel has advised that Raven was taken from Grypheem before herwedding ceremony.”
Jayce stiffened at the words. “Weddingceremony?What has happened?”
Nightingale narrowed her icy eyes. “I have done everything, it is time for my jack to be played.” She shouldered past Jayce, moving swiftly to the bed that Sparrow slept on.
Jayce spun around to wrench her away, but the sight before him gave him pause.
There were a plethora of emotions washing and whirling across Nightingale’s face as she reached for the blanket, pulling it up better over Sparrow. She lingered a moment longer before physically shaking her head. “Sparrow will be kept safe, you have my promise. But you need to retrieve Raven.” The words were soft as they floated to him.
“How can I trust you?” he demanded in a whispered hush, his hands clenching into tight fists as he attempted to contain his boiling rage.
“I have kept Sparrow safe every step of the way, and I will continue to do so now. Ivan has taken Raven. You must take a small crew and infiltrate his Facility.But be warned, his entire compound is filled with traps and trials. This won’t be easy.” Nightingale murmured as she got to her feet, but her attention stayed firm on Sparrow.
Terror and panic clawed at Jayce’s throat. “How does Ivan have her?!” He didn’t mean to snap the words as loudly ashe had, and Sparrow rolled over in her sleep, offering a slight whimper.
Nightingale moved swiftly, practically teleporting before him, covering his mouth with her hand. “Because another man has betrayed me. I expected nothing less and already have a contingency in place. But you must rescue Raven before it is too late, Ivan aims to destroy her. To turn her into his pet. You cannot allow that to happen.”
The influx of information spun painfully in Jayce’s stomach, a screwdriver that wouldn’t stop no matter how deep it went.
He fell back a few steps. “Oh god.” It was a whispered anguish. His gaze skipped to Sparrow. To the little girl who asked about her mother every day they had spent together.
Nightingale’s eyes danced in frustration. “Sparrow will remain protected, she will be kept here and cared for. I will spend as much time with her as I can too. She will be happy, but you must retrieve Raven.”
Jayce closed his eyes, breathing in and out a few times, before whipping them open again. “I will rescue her, but to what end? Will I be your prisoner again? Will we be locked away as you set fire to the world?”
Nightingale offered a half-smile. “Maybe one day you will thank me for all of this. For keeping you all alive, for setting the stage for a safer future. For protecting your daughter when you didn’t even know she existed.”
Jayce’s face heated in irritation. “You are the reas—”
“I am the reason Raven had a chance.” Nightingale snapped, her tone pitching louder than it had before. “When you rescue her, it will be time.”
