I breathe through my irritation. “No. But eventually, she’s going to die being our captive. You know as well as I do that dark magic has a cost to the soul, and hers is already depleted. I’m not sure how much longer she’ll be able to continue using it. There has to be another plan.”
She waves away the concern. “I just need her for a little longer, then we can kill her.”
In that moment, I’ve never been more thankful for Mother and Father’s lessons. If I were anyone else, Asmo even, I wouldn’t have been able to school my features well enough. Not from the First Witch, at least. I act like her words don’t burn a hole inside of my heart, like my very being isn’t writhing in protest at her words.
Just in case, I turn my back to her and face the bed, hiding my expression. “Good.” I peel my shirt from my torso and toss it onto the floor, then stand before the bed.
Cora’s footsteps grow closer and I brace myself for her touch. I force my mind to empty, to go to the happy place I always envision, the only thing that gets me through this as I let my body operate on autopilot.
The little cave that Asmo and I would play in on the grounds of the Serpent Court. Our safe space away from Mother and Father. Where we would read books to one another and travel away from the hellscape we were forced to endure, where we would pretend to be voyagers to different kingdoms and live different lives. When we got older, it became a place to drink in secret, to split a bottle of wine and commiserate over our problems, to just be ourselves.
But today, the landscape has changed. Instead of the usual cave, it’s a bathroom. Elle lays inside a clawfoot tub, her red hair splayed over the porcelain edge. There’s a smile on her face and freckles dancing on the apples of her cheeks. She holds out a bar of soap. “Come on, Marik.”
I have no choice but to obey. Not that I would refuse even if I could.It’s like my feet have lost any will of their own. I take the soap and kneel before her, knees hitting the stony floor. I don’t feel it. She holds her wrist out to me and I begin to lather the soap. Her head rests back on the tub’s edge, and she exhales a deep sigh.
“This is my favorite part of the day,” she murmurs.
“Mine, too.” My voice comes out rough.
I can’t resist the way my mouth tugs upward at her voice, at the fact that I’m able to give her this. I rub the soap in soft circles, careful to scrub every inch of her, loving the way it washes over her freckles.
“How was your day, my little snake?” she asks with a cheeky grin on her face. The water sloshes as she leans closer to me, her honey gaze flitting to my mouth. I close the distance between us and press my lips to hers.
The vision shatters as I erupt, spilling my seed all over Cora’s stomach, her skin so pale that black veins can be seen weaving their way down her hips. Black veins that pulse as she climaxes. I shudder, glad I can pretend it’s from my orgasm.
I collapse on the bed beside her. She rests her head on my chest, staring up at me with chilling bone-white eyes. I force myself to smile at her. It’s not hard once I picture the way Elle’s mouth quirked upward when she saw me.
Chapter 37
MAE
After consummatingour bond a fourth time, Asmo and I emerge from his living quarters. His arm is slung around my shoulder and I lean into him as we walk down the dirt-lined hallway. He nods toward my door as we pass it.
“Do you want to move in with me now? Or should we move into yours?” he asks.
I hesitate. Sharing a room together sends a message that I’m eager to avoid. But now, I know Asmo’s not just a boyfriend or someone I’m dating.
He’s my mate.
“Mine,” I say, “I saw the state of yours.”
“I don’t think I should be held responsible for the way I behaved when my mate was being held captive,” he drawls.
I give him a shove. “Yes, you should be. You’re still responsible for your behavior.”
“You’re right. Plus, if I’m to be High King, I can’t be throwing dishes in anger.”
“I think you’re already High King.”
His answering chuckle fuels my soul. Despite the circumstances, this is the happiest I’ve felt in months. I feel whole. Complete.
We walk to the mess hall together in time for the dinner service. As we enter, the sweet smell of maple syrup hits me. My stomach growls as a hunger pain moves through me. I haven’t had real food in days, and breakfast for dinner was always my favorite.
I beeline to the buffet and snag a plate. My mouth salivates as I see the spread before me. Fresh biscuits, grandiose stacks of pancakes, sweet maple syrup, ripe strawberries, steaming scrambled eggs, and thick slices of bacon. I pile my plate full—one of everything—and carry it to the closest table.
Asmo approaches, his own plate overflowing with food. Mostly bacon and eggs. Fine, more pancakes and biscuits for me. He watches me shovel food into my mouth with a frown on his face.
“What?” I ask around a bite of syrup-soaked bacon.
