How long had I been unconscious? I remembered screaming, signaling to my allies to move forward with the plan. But if I was unconscious for the next phase, the plan couldn’t continue.
I was so disoriented by my thought process that I didn’t see Calista moving toward me again. Something heavy slammed into me, and I crashed to the floor, tumbling across the marble, my limbs throbbing. Pain speared through me, and I sensed my invisibility fading.
Shit.
With a groan, I rolled out of the way just in time, narrowly avoiding another strike of Calista’s claws. Gasping, I climbed to my feet, hastily checking my body for open wounds. All it took was one drop of blood, and she would have me.
“Go ahead,” I rasped, glaring at Calista. “Use your Demon Fae magic, Calista. Show me who you really are.”
Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “I can kill you easily, girl. With or without my powers.”
I spread my arms. “Then go ahead.”
She smirked, triumph gleaming in her eyes. “I don’t have to. I have plenty who will do the deed for me.” Her hand went to the small glass vial attached to the necklace at her throat. She poured a drop of blood from it onto her finger and sucked on it. Her eyes closed, and power thrummed around her as she no doubt tried to summon soldiers using her blood magic.
I waited, still trying to catch my breath, my eyes fixed on the throne room doors, which remained closed.Come on,I thought.Tell me I’m not too late.
If all went according to plan, Stella, Denton, Huck, and the others would have rendezvoused with our rebel allies, and the troops would have stormed the castle by now.
Calista’s smile vanished, her eyes flying open, shock etched into her face. Either her soldiers were busy fighting for their lives, or they were dead and couldn’t respond to her command. “What—” She, too, glanced toward the doors, then back at me, accusation burning in her eyes. “What did you do?”
“I did whatever it took to claim my birthright,” I said. “That throne is mine,Calista.”
Fangs flashed as she bared her teeth at me. “You think that can stop me? Those pathetic soldiers aren’t the only tools I have at my disposal.” She withdrew a vial of blood from her skirts, and my own blood ran cold. With a savage grin, she uncorked it, pouring a droplet of blood on her finger and bringing it to her mouth. Her eyes closed, her expression smoothing.
I tensed, my arms rigid at my sides as I waited to see who she would call to her aid. A commander? A powerful fae warrior?
My heart jolted in my chest when Theron shifted on the ground, his body sliding eerily along the cold marble floor.
A sickening feeling rushed up my stomach, churning violently. I was going to be ill. I waslosingmy mind…
Theron’s body was distorted, limbs bending at awkward angles as he rose from the floor. His eyes remained closed, his face deathly pale. He looked like a rag doll being tossed around.
And that was exactly what he was.
He was not himself.
He was not in control.
He washers.
Tears stung my eyes. I watched in horror as he stood before me, each movement jerky and unnatural, like he was a demon possessing a human body for the first time.
Step. Step. Step. He inched toward me, feet shuffling awkwardly on the floor. He lacked the powerful prowess, the firm strides, of the hunter I was so accustomed to.
This man was a complete stranger.
“Kill her,” Calista hissed, her voice resonating and bouncing off the walls of the throne room.
“No,” I moaned, shaking my head as I backed away from Theron.
I couldn’t fight him like this. The alleys in Tolston were one thing; that was when he was actively resisting her influence.
But this? Was he even still alive? Was his consciousness in there at all?
Or was Calista controlling his corpse?
My vision swam as tears filled my eyes. “Theron, please,” I whispered.
