No, not again.
I put a hand to my chest, trying to still my growing panic as I tried to recall anything about how I ended up here.
Sidna singing, her hands on Nico—and then nothing.Fuck.
“Luka?” I said, my voice hoarse. “Nico? Nol?” Worry clawed at my throat for my brother—he had escaped captivity too, only to be locked in another cage.
“He’s not awake yet.” Sidna’s violet eyes blinked back at me in the darkness. A moment of relief washed over me, I wasn’t in Adreona’s clutches.
“It appears my magic had less of an effect on you.” She crouched in front of my cage. “Interesting.”
“I’ll slit your fucking throat,” I snarled.
Sidna only laughed. “I’d like to see you try.”
Her nails rapped against each of the bars of my cage as she moved. There was the sound of metal creaking as Sidna disappeared from my view.
“Come on then.” A ball of flames appeared at her fingertips, revealing the open door to my cage.
I leapt for her. My hands closed around her ankles. She tumbled to the ground, her ball of flames falling wayside. She cursed, trying to right herself, but I held strong. I laid myself across her body, keeping her pinned to the cold stone ground. Her nails clawed at my arms, drawing blood. I felt it trickling down my forearms as I tried to pin her arms to her sides with my knees as I searched my body for weapons.
The dumb bitch didn’t take them off me when she rendered me unconscious. A cool hint of excitement zinged through my body as my hand wrapped around my blade.
Sidna settled underneath me, her body going limp before she opened her mouth and started singing.
It was a beautiful song, I felt it all the way down to my bones. It consumed me and made my limbs feel like warm honey dripping off a spoon. My hand slacked around the blade in my hand. It fell to the ground with a clang.
“Get off me,” Sidna crooned before resuming her song. I obeyed her direction, standing beside her, my arms limp at my sides.
Sidna’s song continued to pour from her lips. “Good girl.” She patted my cheek, her beautiful violet eyes gleaming. “Now, take your little blade.” She closed her hand around mine and brought the glimmering steel between us. “And go embed it in your mate’s side.”
I nodded, Sidna’s words flowing through me as her melody continued. I had to stab Luka. My hand tensed around the blade. I needed to stab Luka.
“He’s in the cage over there.” Sidna nodded her head behind her. “I’ll get him out for you. You wait here.” My feet remained frozen as I listened to Sidna’s footsteps on the cement and the sound of metal creaking and something being dragged across the floor.
Light filtered into the room as Sidna lit a lantern, illuminating Luka’s slumped body on the floor, his head lolled to the side with his eyes still closed.
Sidna stopped her song to give another direction, except it was not to me this time. “Wake, Luka.”
Luka shifted, his head rolling from side to side as he groaned. A deep part of me yearned to go to him, but I remained frozen in place, obeying Sida’s direction.
Finally, Luka sat up, rubbing his hands over his eyes. “Lennox?” His gaze fixed on me. “Where are we?” Fear laced his voice. “What’s going on?”
“Now, Lennox.”
My feet moved without me putting them in motion, taking slow steps toward Luka. He stood, his gaze flicking between me and Sidna. “Lennox, what’s happening?”
My lips remained pressed together, Sidna having not permitted me to speak.
There was only a foot between Luka and me now. I tried to slow my steps, every muscle in my body going tight as Itried to slow my steps—to stop my feet from moving—but I couldn’t.
My body trembled as I made it in front of Luka, only an inch remaining between us.
I placed a trembling hand on his shoulder. “Lennox, Sweetheart, what’s going on?” His eyes searched mine as I tried to fight my movements, but it was like I didn’t have control over my body. I didn’t want to hurt Luka.
But I had to.
“Do it,” Sidna said, breaking from her song for only a moment. “Now.”
