“I don’t know.”
Crack.
I hold firm, gripping the chain for support.
“When was it to happen?”
“I don’t know.”
Crack. Another hit. My body trembles and I hold back the urge to sob.
Everything hurts.
Zelos chuckles darkly. “Oh, you certainly arefun. I can see why my heir loves you so much. That’s fine. I broke his first love, I can surely break his last.”
Another crack and my vision dims, body slumping against the restraints. Faintly, I hear the king order for a new weapon, but I can’t fight the urge to close my eyes. To give into the pull to sleep. My body needs it—I need the break.
I don’t know what will happen if I do, but my body makes the choice for me, as I drop into quiet unconsciousness.
Chapter
Thirty-Four
KADEN
Just as the red haze floats along my homeland, our horses reach the stables of the palace and my back sparks with sharp pain. The beasts are exhausted, having spent most of their energy running back here in mere hours, when it should have taken days. Jumping from the saddle, I don’t check to see if Baris makes it off before I’m stalking toward the castle walls, pain rippling over my muscles are if torn.
That inky red inside my skull flickers in and out and I can only sense life from my mate. No thoughts, no emotions, just the distinct feel of agony. My worry spikes as my claws sharpen, and my beast readies to explode.
“My heir,” Zeke calls out, hustling after me. He’s as tired as the rest of us, drained from the last leg, using what we could to keep the stallions going. “You must take stock of the situation. What if it’s a trap?”
I growl as the pain intensifies. Is this what he subjugated her to? It feels as if I’ve been pulled apart, stitched together and then sliced anew. “I won’t wait while he hurts my mate.” I grit my teeth. “If it’s a trap, so be it. I’ll slaughter them all.”
I point to the High Priest, directing Zeke, “Take him, find my siblings, grab anyone loyal to us. Get them out to the safe house.” This won’t end well after I find Zelos and I won’t leave those loyal to me behind.
A building we’ve kept in the village miles from the house is our only chance of safety. My father is unaware of our connection to it because our mother bought it from her family’s inheritance.
It’s a place she’s escaped to on more than one occasion. She was never cut out for the Dark Court.
Zeke bows deeply, turning on his heel to follow my order, wrangling the men. These guards are loyal to the crown, to me, and know that what I’m about to do is important for our people.
What I’m going to do will end all semblance of submission to my father, expose our plan, but it’s needed. To keep Max safe, to stop this madness, I will become the target.
My father created a monster. Let him see what I truly am.
I don’t bother to hide when I enter the entrance, seeing the halls deserted. Just as the guards are taught, to hide into hidden alcoves, keep out of sight.
Releasing my shadows, I withdraw my sword. It’s taxing, my exhaustion causing my power to lag, but it can’t bother me. Not when I smell the guards, hear their blood in my ears.
My beast howls, a horrible sound echoing in my mind, knowing my mate is being hurt somewhere in this castle. It wants to destroy, to taste blood, to lay destruction.
He whispers a solution to my plight. My tiredness is hindering my magic, my body is weak from invisible pain, and I can feel it being drained to my mate to heal her injuries. I’ll need reinforcements if I’m to fight my way to her.
He can help me rescue Max.
The mental chains, that I spent years building in that dank dungeon, are the only things that keeps me Fae, and keeps the beast locked away. No longer. For Max, I’ll be the beast that kills everyone. For her, I’ll give up my soul so she may keep hers.
My body pops and twists. A growl vibrates from my mouth as the fangs growing longer, larger. Black claws curve over my hands, wicked and sharp.
