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“It could be, but I think there’s more to it. This necklace called to you. Why? These are answers we will not get here. We need to go home and figure this out.”
I nod as my anger cools to its usual smolder. In its wake, remains the uneasy feeling of no longer being in control of my life. The freedom I’ve felt for the past three years feels at risk of being taken.I’ll burn this realm to the ground before I let that happen again.
Raising my hand, I open a portal to the backdoor of The Keep. In a flash, it appears, and we step back into our kingdom at last. My shadows calm as my boots hit the soil of home.
Chapter 38
Theo
Rubbing my eyes, I yawn loudly, causing Hiram to look at me over his shoulder. I shake my head, fighting off sleep while I wait for the queen to return. It’s strange being the one waiting for their warrior.
Part of me wishes she would have asked me to join them while the other part questions if that’s truly what I want—to be an Umbra soldier, forced to remain in the dark.
This time away from the queen has caused my mind to run through the various potential outcomes of our torrid love affair. Do I return to Lux and risk being labeled a traitor? My punishment would be death, but I know she would never allow that to happen.
Do I throw everything away for a woman I’ve known for a month? If I stay, will I end up being the secret king of Umbra? Our lives forever hidden from the rest of the realm.
My heart pains as I wonder what Lily would think of my betrayal of her and our kingdom. I hope she’d be happy that I finally found someone who pulls my heart like she did. Even if the new threads link me to the queen of our enemy.
The back door slams open as loud footsteps thunder through the hall. Hiram and Silas quickly bow.My queen has returned.
I set the book I wasn’t reading down on the table and stand, anxiously waiting for her to come into view. Flashbacks of her covered in blood and bruises knot my stomach as the fear of her being injured again races through my mind.
When her curly, red hair pops into my line of sight, I take a deep breath in relief. The scowl on her face says their quest didn’t go as planned. The hair on my arm rises as if she’s charging the air around all of us.
The queen stops in front of my cell with Nyx on her heels. They speak in harsh whispers before the queen shoves something into his chest, obviously frustrated.
She walks into my cell. Her face twists in agitation as she takes large strides toward me. She slams into my chest, engulfing me in her arms. She squeezes me tightly while burying her face in my chest.
I close my eyes as her rose scent invades my senses, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close. I look to see Nyx’s face mirroring hers. His expression is tight as he grips the item in his hand. Whatever happened on their quest isn’t good.
The queen’s shadows pour from her, creating a wall in the shape of wings. I trail my eyes along the black mass as it moves and encloses the cell. The tips of what look like raven wings skim the edges of the space as they flutter as if in mid-flight.
I pull her away from my chest to get a better look at her. Those jade eyes stare at me with rage, burning hot inside. I kiss her softly, trying to balance her anger with calm. She grips my hair tight and deepens our kiss with fury.
We pull apart, breathing heavily as fire sparks in her eyes. Her shadows recoil in a flash, and she opens a portal to her chambers. I have no time to object or hesitate as I’m dragged across the threshold. She yanks me into her for a rough kiss as she fumbles with the buttons of my shirt. An irritated groan comes from her right before she rips my shirt open, buttons scattering across the room.
I grab her wrists and push out of our kiss, holding her away from me. “Are you ok? What happened tonight?” I ask as she struggles in my grip.
“I’m fine.” She speaks through gritted teeth. I release her wrists and grab her face, forcing her to stop.
“Answer me honestly or this ends,” I refuse to be kept in the dark any longer.
Her eyes narrow as she glares at me, and I add a little pressure to my hold. She huffs in frustration before her body relaxes slightly.
