A locked cellwould have beenthe same as a locked door. We could have escaped if needed, vampiric strength being capable of ripping open locks or bars. But we can’t break open a cell locked with Hunter magic.
Second is going to kill me.
King Nerian stumbles into view, gripping the bars, and his palms sear against them. He steadies himself and removes his hands, shaking out his charred flesh.
“I love an obedient female,” he says and guzzles wine from the bottle his guard hands him.
My eyes narrow on Nerian. “This is an overstep I won’t look past, Nerian.”
“Are you uncomfortable in there? I’m sorry. You’re right,” he slurs.
Nerian jerks his chin, and Balor unlocks my cell, which confuses me until two soldiers snap into existence and shove Del into the cell with me.
“There. That’s better. Someone to keep you company through the night.” Nerian laughs.
The cell locks again and magic buzzes.
“Howdareyou jeopardize a queen like this during dreamwalk!” I snarl, my gut dropping at the vulnerability of Del and me in such proximity when we’re out of our minds.
Del’s panicked eyes share my concerns.
Nerian laughs and ignores me. “Don’t play with my future wife without me, Deleos. Ordo—I don’t really give a fuck.” The king tilts his chin at us, and his eyes flash. “Let’s make itinteresting.”
Oh gods.
The bastard summons our clothing through the bars, and I shield myself, fangs bared in my undergarments.
Emmanuel hisses in the neighboring cell, just as disrobed, and Del chains his gaze to the ground, away from an almost-naked queen.
Skin exposed and fear ratcheting, I stare at Del’s muscled flesh and the countless points of contact the gods could use to thread an eternal bond between us.
Nerian just started a war. And I’m inside his cell, wrapped in Hunter magic.
The king sneers at me. “Sweet dreams, my dear.”
And then they’re gone, snapping into nothing.
Silence extends before Del breaks it. “Nerian doesn’t know the meaning of tact or self-control anymore,” he says, eyes still pinned to the ground.
“Did he ever?” Em asks.
Del snorts.
I drop my arms, a shiver clanging through me from the chill.
There’s nothing I can do about our circumstance, and Del’s already been vulnerable in front of me, sharing his human name. What’s a little scantily clad skin stacked up next to that?
Patrick.His name rings like a church bell in my head, demanding me to honor it.
Del sighs. “I can’t believe Nerian did this, though. I wasn’t expecting to be in a cellwithyou … or this naked.”
“Gods!” Emmanuel barks from the other cell. “It’s fucking insanity in this godsforsakenfuckingplace. I’m going tofucking rip his pitiful dick from his groin and stuff it in his shit-eating mouth!”
Del smirks at the ground.
I join him.
“I’ve never heard you string so many words together, Em,” I say.
