Panic seeps out of my pores as the massive snake coils around my body, squeezing my waist and holding down my arms.
It briefly pauses its ascent long enough to hover in front of my face.
The scales are black, but with each flicker of the sconce from across the room, a dark maroon reflects against the light. Its eyes are red, glowing like a ruby shimmering in the night.
The snake that was around his shoulders back in the hidden library…
My spine tingles as I fight against the grip of his magic on me—helpless as my gaze flickers over to an unfamiliar pair of eyes staring back at me.
“Relax,” Graylen murmurs. “He just wants to meet you formally.”
Bile creeps up my throat as the forked tongue of the snake snaps out toward me.
“Get it off of me,” I snarl at Graylen.
He laughs, the noise so innocent it sounds like we are merely playing a game we both enjoy.
There was a time when I hated him—when I was annoyed the moment he walked into a room—before he became the man I fell for. But even in all of our time in Crea, I’ve never feltafraidof Graylen.
This version of him…it terrifies me. Enrages me. And I can’t even scream for help.
“I know this isn’t you,” I push, avoiding making eye contact with the beast coiled around me. “Vidaris is controlling you somehow—forcing you to do this.”
He steps closer to the bars, and in turn, the snake wraps around my shoulders gently, a soft caress. A feeling that makes me want to crawl out of my skin.
“Oh, but it is, Lu,” Graylen taunts. “You know me better than anyone. Do I look unhappy? Trapped?” He huffs a laugh. “Vidaris didn’t force me to do anything; sheremademe into something better.”
The bitter taste of doubt fills my mouth. There’s nothingin his gaze, no flicker of emotion or sign that the man I love is still in there.
“Don’t worry,” Graylen continues. His hands wrap around the bars, fingers relaxed as he leans forward. “Even without your magic, we’ll always be connected. You and I? We’re a match made in the stars. It’s not just love, Lunaria. It goes so much deeper than that.
“Vidaris helped me see things more…clearly. What you should be asking is why our connection is so special.” He pauses, his breath spanning across my face. “Haven’t you thought about it?”
My fingers don’t so much as twitch, even as they ache to slap that smirk off of his face. I don’t know what game he’s playing, but I refuse to entertain it.
“The special goddess-forged girl doesn’t want to talk?” Hetsks, shaking his head, dropping his hands, and stepping back. But it doesn’t make me feel better.
“Fuck you,” I snarl, hoping Vidaris is somehow able to hear the words intended forher.
Graylen takes a predatory step forward, nearly nose-to-nose with me. I can still only move my eyes, but I couldn’t look away from him if I wanted to. He tilts his head to the side, his tongue swiping across his lips.
This isn’t Graylen, the protective and playful man I had fallen so deeply for. This is the Snake. Prepped to sink his fangs into me—somehow more terrifying than theactualsnake still wrapped around me.
“Leave.” A new voice, deep and masculine, cuts through the dungeon.
Graylen growls, glancing over his shoulder.
I didn’t hear anyone approach—didn’t hear footsteps echo off the stone.
“Now, boy,” the stranger snaps.
Graylen turns back to me, his gaze flickering in annoyance. He makes a clicking noise with his tongue, and the snake beginsto unwind itself from around me. The moment it frees me of its slimy grasp, I fall to my knees, Graylen’s magic simultaneously releasing me.
I glare up at him, fighting between wanting to scream for him to stay and telling him to fuck off.
“Later,” Graylen whispers with a wink.
He spins away, the snake slithering alongside him as he disappears into the darkness.
