“While I was in captivity, Adreona, the head of the Panateia, used my brother against me. I was forced to watch while they hurt him to get me to cooperate. To get me to try spells to cure vampirism on innocent vampires. But that was not the only horror I endured.”
Lennox’s hand balled into a fist on the railing. “Any time I did not cooperate, I was punished. Innocent people were killed before me when I refused to try the spell. Their blood spilled at my feet. Or I was stabbed by Adreona herself. Left in a magic-drained environment to heal on my own for several days before they healed me enough not to die.” She took a deep breath. I squeezed her hand as I waited for her to be ready to continue. She took one more breath, her eyes meeting mine before turning back to the crowd.
“But that was not Adreona’s favorite punishment,” she continued. “I was used as her whipping pole when she deemed it necessary.”
Lennox turned, exposing her back to the crowd. She stood straight, her shoulders strong as she let the world take in her back. The crowd roared as did the rage inside me.
Yes, she was out of their clutches now, her back would heal. But every time I saw the scars I was reminded of what they did to her—and the impact those scars had on Lennox. She was putting on a strong front now, but I knew she wasn’t fully back to herself. It would still take time. Her breakdown the other night was only the start.
It had killed me, fucking destroyed me to see her curled up on the bathroom floor feeling ashamed on her scars. It took everything in me not to destroy the room in a fit of anger over how those scars made her feel.
Lennox Adair would never be weak; she was the strongest person I knew. And we all agreed. When she showed her back to the rest of our friends this morning, their reactions were similar to mine. There was no sadness, only rage from our friends at what they had done to Lennox. Lennox had to hold back Kara from taking off and finding Adreona herself and slitting her throat. Nico, Declan, and Luce had all quickly volunteered to help Kara, but Lennox promptly shut them down.
“I am not here to ask for your sympathy. She could notbreak me.” Her voice was strong as she turned back to face the crowd, bringing my attention back my wife. “I am here to ask you to fight with me. To fight with me against the Vanir and the Panateia. If this is how they treat your High Queen, your prince and princess, what might they do to any other innocent off the street? They are already taking innocent vampires, what is stopping them from taking anyone else? They must be stopped!” Her chest rose and fell as her hands balled into fists at her sides.
“Over the next few weeks, my court and I will be heading out to each of the seven courts, to tell them my story and ask them to fight with us. It is up to them, up to you, if you will fight with us.” The crowd cheered as she continued. “It is not my wish to bring war upon Lethenia, but if that is what it takes to stop these monsters, then that is what I will do. I will fight for you. I will fight for Lethenia. Will you fight with us?”
The crowd roared.
I couldn’t tear my gaze from her. She was magnificent.
The strongest person I knew.
My mate was a fucking badass.
23
ADREONA
Nakul’s limp body lay at my feet, his blood continuing to seep out from the wound in his neck that stretched from ear to ear.
Galib still breathed where he sat hunched over in the corner, his face badly beaten. If I wasn’t already short of trusted guards, Galib would have met the same fate as Nakul.
But I couldn’t take any more losses right now.
Not when Nol and Lennox Adair had managed to slip out from underneath me.
I should have known better than to keep the witch heir alive. I let her slip in right under my nose. Not thinking twice. I was too focused on Keziq starting her work on Lennox.
I wouldn’t let Luciana Ambrose outsmart me again.
I’d sooner kill the witch heir.
Now I was left with no bargaining chip, and I was no closer to reversing vampirism.
I should have killed Lennox when I had the chance.
I won’t make the same mistake twice.
I’d make them pay. The whole lot of them would pay. I only hoped Keziq’s magic had worked.
“Are the legions ready?” I slipped my dagger back into place at my side, stepping over Nakul’s body. My new guard, Damla, nodded. “They are ready and waiting for you.”
“Good. I hope you’re well-rested, it’s a long ride to the Blood Court.”
Magic sizzled around me, I swore I could almost see it crackling on the ground at my feet in the early morning sunlight. Keqiz had been cultivating her magic for days for this spell, needing every last drop to snuff out the magic in the palace.
It had taken a lot of convincing on my part to get Keziq to join the Panateia, but my efforts were not in vain.
