Page 141 of The Fallen Fae King

“You would dare ask me to be loyal to you,” my eyes glow red, “when I know what you have done to Aurelius — what you have always done to him. I made it law in my kingdom that people like you would have their knots hacked off, before their vile heads.”

For a moment, Maximinus appears confused and then he pales. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You do.”

“Who told you…?”

“I have spies.”

My moths told me what they saw when I was brought to the Shadow Court with Nebet.

My moths shared secrets that despite all the confessions that we whispered to each other in the rose garden, Aurelius was still unable to voice.

I couldn’t protect him then. I have dreamed of being able to do so every day since.

“He’s your enemy,” Maximinus sneers. “Why do you care? Don’t you hate him?”

“You have planned it that way, haven’t you?”

Maximinus gives me a long look. “You are not how I imagined.”

“And you are just the Alpha I thought you would be. So, I have a counteroffer. You beg me for mercy now, while your heart is still light enough to imagine mercy possible. Then I rip it from your chest. By the time, however, I send your heart to be weighed by the Shadow Devils — because your Gods will have no use for such a blackened thing — I suspect that even they will throw it to burn in disgust with the rest of you.”

“Insolence.” Maximinus slaps his palm against the bars, which is a victory to me. “I will teach you manners, Blood. I did the same to the fae. I needed to strip away his power in the most painful way. I simply need to find the right pressure point because everyone has one, then all pets can be taught to behave.”

“I am not a pet.” Then a sickening memory hits me. “You truly did poison my Raven. Blinded him. You’re the reason that he’s dying.”

Maximinus gives a satisfied smile. “All fae deserve to die. Their lands belong to Draca Kingdom. We are going to build a beautiful empire on them.”

With a howl, I throw myself at the bars.

My fangs and claws extend, and I battle the cursed magic that is restraining me, as my shadows raggedly climb the walls.

I shove my arm through the bars, not caring that my skin is sizzling against the silver, attempting to grab hold of Maximinus, the murderer of my Blood Lover.

Maximinus stumbles back out of my reach. His skin is pale and clammy.

I swipe my claws at him, feral with righteous rage.

“Beast.” Maximinus runs his hand over his sweating bald head. “You will change your mind. You know why? Because I hold a secret that I know you need more than blood.”

“I don’t need anything from you.”

“Even news about your missing twin?”

I still.

Slowly, I lower my arm.

I move back from the bars, holding my burned arm to my chest.

My heart is beating rapidly.

It’s a lie.

A trap.

But on the Void, what if he does know where Lazarus is?