“Sometimes, I think you have a death wish, Moira.” He sounded so much like Lugh then that a new wave of pain roiled within my heart. “The wraiths will feed once we take the mortal realm. Why are you asking me thesequestions?”
“It’s boring down here,” I replied. “I’ll take any entertainment I canget.”
Wraith Lugh whipped toward me and stalked up to the bars. Magic poured off his body, white hot and electric. Our mating bond snapped tight. I gasped, eyes widening in both fear and shock. The magic felt the same as it alwayshad.
It felt likeLugh.
“Listen to me,” he said in a low growl, leaning so close that his face pressed against the bars. “I am only keeping you alive long enough to bring the Queen here. Do not think I am showing you any kindness. Once I have defeated the crown, your life isforfeit.”
He twisted away from the bars and stomped down the dark corridor. I stared after him, my heart hammering. He could deny it all he wanted, but I had seen into the very depths of him just then. The wraith might have taken over the body, but Lugh wasn’tgone.
He was in there somewhere. And I just had to get himout.
22
Ibarely slept that night.My mind whirred; my heart throttled in my chest. Wraith Lugh didn’t want me to know that the real fae still lurked deep inside of him. He wanted me to believe that there was no hope. Truth was, my Lugh must have been more in control of his body and his mind than the wraithrealised.
He’d kept me alive. He fed me three times a day. Sure, that wasn’t much. He’d also attacked me and locked me up in a cage. But a nightmare wraith would have never let me live, nor cared that I needed sustenance tosurvive.
Lugh was alive, and he was just waiting to getout.
When the door cracked open and footsteps pounded toward my cell the next morning, I was ready for him this time. Now that I knew the truth, I had a purpose. Now that I had seen the light in his eyes, I hadhope.
“Back against the wall. Same deal as before,” hesaid.
With a deep breath, I jogged back, holding my bodytight.
Lugh cracked open the cell door, and that was when I pounced. I was taking a massive risk, but it might be the only chance I had. My body whirled toward his, my fists outstretched. Shock flittered across the wraith’s face as I made contact, knuckles pounding deep into his flesh. He stumbled back, leaving the cell door hanging wideopen.
I rushed forward, my feet pounding against the stone floor. He roared as he jumped from where he’d fallen. I might be strong, but I knew the wraith was even stronger. I had to make it up those stairs and out the door before he caughtme.
Fists pumping by my sides, I raced up the stairs and threw open the door. And found myself face-to-face with a dozen hungry wraiths. They stood, eyes glassy, around a sparse corridor lit only by flickering torchlight. A few glanced my way, but they didn’t really seem to notice mypresence.
That’sodd.
No time to worry about that. Wraith Lugh had reached the steps and would erase the distance between us withinseconds.
I had to get out ofhere.
As I rushed forward, I chose a random fork in the corridor, flinging myself left instead of right. Hey, the prophecy might be complete shite, but I wouldn’t risk it, not likethis.
Lugh roared from behind me. I kept running, feet pounding, lungs aching, arms whirling through theair—
My feet tripped, slamming hard into a random object strewn across the floor. Hands flying up to catch me, I launched forward. My knees made contact with the stone, and a sharp stab of pain lanced through mybody.
Dazed, I glanced behind me to see Lugh storming down the corridor. His eyes were wild with anger, and his entire body brimmed with that unmistakable power that was his. He bore down on me, nostrilsflaring.
I grabbed the object from the floor, jumped to my feet, and held it up beforeme.
Itwas...
Lugh’s brokenspear.
I stared at it, dumbfounded. “Where the hell did you getthis?”
Narrowing his eyes, he stormed toward me. I jumped back several feet, pointing the weapon’s five sharp points right at his chest. “Careful. The spear might be broken, but it can stillkill.”
Lugh went still, and his voice was dark and dangerous when he finally spoke. “I can call all those wraiths in here within an instant. You’ll be dead before you can take your nextbreath.”
