“What is happening?” Marcus asked softly.
But I couldn’t speak, my body frozen on the spot. Amyntas washere. He had searched for me for two years before suddenly stopping, leaving Dimitri and I in peace. How could he beherenow? Looking like he had spent an eternity in the darkest pits of Hell?
“Or,” he continued, leaning casually against the bars of his cage, “are you here to savehim? I’m afraid he’s beyond saving.”
“What are you talking about?” I whispered, watching his eyes turn malicious.
“I’m talking about your mate, of course. The one whose playground lies behind that door,” he said, pointing at the other side of the room. “I’ve never been there…But all the ones who did serve a particular purpose.”
My heartbeat stopped as I took a step closer. “What purpose? What do youmean?”
He arched a brow, the smile shifting into something terrifying. “That stupidquestof his. A quest that’s impossible.”
Another step. Hands balled into fists at my sides. “Stop talking inriddles,” I groaned.
His hand shot through the bars and caught my throat before I could react. My back met the hard metal of the bars and—fucking burned.
I screamed in agony, unsure if it was because of whatever was burning my skin on my back or the sharp pain from his fangs piercing the muscle of my shoulder.
“A quest that won’t helpme,” he growled when he pulled his head back.
He fell backward as Marcus lunged, plunging his poisoned dagger in Amyntas’ chest, allowing me to stumble into my friend’s arms, hand reaching for my wound.
Dark blood mixed with an oily, burning liquid covered my palm and my vision blurred, knees buckling under my weight.
Fuck.
“Lola!” My stomach threatened to empty itself as Marcus shook my shoulders. “Lola, open your eyes!”
I did, my eyelids feeling heavy as I turned my head to the side. Amyntas looked possessed, white eyes shining, blood covered bared teeth and hands shaking at his cage.
“Because of you, I’ve beenstuckwith your fucking Maiden’s mark. Because you escaped and brainwashed your whole family, I’ve been forced to search for you, unable to move on, unable to sire myHeir!”
The room spun and I tried to stabilize myself, only colliding with Marcus once again.Fuck, fuck, fuck, no…
“I—I didn’tforceyou to—” My hand clasped my friend’s arm for support as I nearly fell again. “Force you to choose me—” I paused, catching my breath. “I advised you—advised you against it.”
That was it. I was going to fucking die.
I was no longer an Astral, and Dragon’s venom? Probably the only thing—apart from hunters and Arc—that could kill a demon, and any living being except for other Astrals.
Maybe the little Astral blood I had left would save me. Maybe I—
The room swirled and my eyes closed as I felt my body get closer to the ground, only stopped by a cursing and stumbling Marcus.
“Do you know what makes me happy right now?” Amyntas growled, hitting at his cell door. “The knowledge that you’re going to fucking die in a few minutes. And you being dead? It’ll erase your Maiden’s mark. I’ll be free, at last. Don’t you think Ideserveto be free from chasing after you? Don’t you think you deserve to bepunishedfor leaving me to my demise?” he screamed.
“What the fuck is your problem?” Marcus yelled back, cradling my shaking body against his chest.
Amyntas let out another animalistic growl and Marcus was sent flying back, his head hitting the concrete wall with a loud crack.
“Marcus—” The word died out in my weak throat. He didn’t move.Shit.
I pushed on my trembling legs, forcing my body to fight through the pain and grabbed Marcus under his shoulders. We needed to get out of here. Amyntas was out of control and I couldn’t let him bite my friend either—if he even hadany venom left…
I ignored the feral Dragon fighting against the restraint of his cage and pulled Marcus toward the back door. The one that might lead me to Arc.
I pushed it open with my back and hurled my friend with me, nearly falling on the ground from the effort and silently praying that no one was waiting on the other side. Drops of sweat rolled down my forehead and into my eyes and I screamed in frustration as I pulled his unconscious body the last couple of feet to hide us behind a storage room door.
