Rhett turned, and the hem of his forest-green coat, etched with silver, whispered across the marble as he led us toward the descending stairs.
The gleam of torches dimmed into a dull orange glow. The walls closed in, with a scent of wet stone and dew. The palace above was luxurious, ideal for formal ceremonies,bleeding elegance and grace. Down here, however, dwelled magic from beyond, with creatures that still haunted Skylar’s dreams.
I glanced sideways, noticing how Nyssa’s hand brushed against Castor’s as they walked behind me. Their quiet connection was a treasure to behold as it grew. I was thankful for her peaceful grace that calmed my brother’s unpredictable nature.
The entrance to the Labyrinth was exactly as I remembered. The dark cobblestone stairwell leading to the abyss beneath the keep held the same dark magic as it had before the first trial. I remembered walking down these steps behind Skylar as she entered the trial of the mind. She was bold, fearless, the makings of the champion alpha queen she was today.
The smell of death and decay lay thick in the air, along with something dark and sinister that tugged at my magical senses. Something still dwelled beneath the Aelius palace that caused goosebumps to appear along my flesh.
The Labyrinth was far from dormant.
The stairway emptied into a corridor lined with torchlight to guide the way. The world was hushed down here, except for the rhythmic dripping of water and, beneath it, the low pulse of monsters trapped with their keeper lying in wait.
When we turned the last corner, the temperature changed. Warmth brushed against my skin, impossible to mistake or ignore.
Skylar stood before the swirling black mist that concealed the entrance to the Labyrinth, flames curlingaround her like a living cloak. Her golden-brown hair caught the glow of torchlight, and her eyes, bright like living embers, flicked toward me as we came into view.
The faintest hint of a smile ghosted across her lips before she said, “You sure took your sweet time returning.”
“Aw, did you miss me, Spitfire?”
I reached for her. The tension in me loosened at her proximity.
“How’s it going?”
“As good as it can,”she answered.
“And how did Magnus take the news?”
“That is not my story to tell. I’m leaving that topic of discussion to Neera.”
That would be a sight to see, I thought to myself, wrapping my arms around my mate as the warmth of her touch seeped into me, filling our bond with serene comfort.
“What is he doing here?” Castor’s voice rang out like a bell.
Skylar sighed and called her flames, illuminating the space.
Behind Skylar, tucked in a corner near the entrance to the Labyrinth, Seamus sat shackled against the stone wall. His posture was relaxed, with his light-colored hair falling into his eyes. Even in chains, he looked too composed, too calm. The glowing shade of emerald still brightened his eyes, marking him as the rightful ruler of Aelius with a kiss of ancient magic. However, now there was no arrogance in his gaze, only exhaustion.
Even after five hundred years of his cruelty, I still saw the warrior I had once calledfriend.
“It’s time to talk, Seamus,” I said.
Skylar’s fire dimmed to a steady ember beside me. Eyes darted between us. She could feel my emotions, the tangled history humming under my words through the bond.
“You came,” Seamus said quietly. His deep voice carried the weight of centuries, but was lined with something brittle underneath. “I wasn’t sure you’d listen.”
I stepped closer, folding my arms. “If Skylar says it’s worth my time, I’ll listen. But that doesn’t mean I trust you.”
“I didn’t expect the audience,” he said quietly. “Thankfully, the Labyrinth can mask my presence, or else I suspect Minaeve would have already retrieved me herself.”
“Why is he not dead?” Castor muttered.
“Why indeed,” Seamus said dryly. Lifting his head, his eyes, still that same piercing green I remembered from my youth, met mine without flinching. “Minaeve didn’t just turn me, Daxton. Sheremademe. You know what my power is—how easily I can invade a mind and bend a will.”
“I remember,” I said, voice sharp. “You once used it to disarm enemies, discover the truth, and rule with a fair yet firm hand. Even to end battles before blood was ever spilled.”
Seamus’s jaw tightened. “And she used it toendourworld.” He released a slow, trembling breath. “I was under her control for centuries, and I didn’t even remember why or how. Every time I began to wake up and evade her, she dragged me back under with another oath, another command. I stopped counting the lives I ruined in her name.I stopped trying to be anything but the monster she made me.”
