She looked over at him. His green eyes were already on her.
“Go to him,” he said, impatience in his tone.
Maeve stepped forward, gathering her dress in her fists as she stepped down the dais. Her heels echoed twice across the hall before Mal called out.
“Stop.”
She halted at once.
He Obscured, suddenly behind her. He circled her and brought his lips to her ear. Together, their eyes locked on Reeve.
Mal whispered, with his arm snaked around her, so softly she had to concentrate to hear every word. “I don’t want to hear a single word of your rebellious resistance. Is that clear? You find out who his Inheritor is and put a stop to the Inheritance. All your traitorous thoughts are best kept to yourself. If you cost me this army, and theallegiance of the man that leads them, then it will cost you every last one in The Dread Lands you care for.”
Maeve understood then. She was the bargaining chip between Shadow and Reeve. He was here to bend the knee in exchange forher. He offered his armies for her. He saved Maxius again and again for her. Another Inheritor, someone who wasn’t in a fated bond with Maeve, might not care to lay down their sword and let Shadow reign.
They might fight.
The thought made her sick. Reeve couldn’t possibly be so reckless.
Mal dropped his arm and stood at his full height, passing by her and examining Reeve.
He looked back at Maeve. “Crawl to him.”
The spark of rebellion he had just warned her against kicked inside her. She couldn’t contain her cry as a whip of Magic slashed across her, bringing her to her knees. Her eyes burned as they squeezed tightly shut. The white gown pooled at her waist as her palms made harsh contact with the floor.
She pressed her knees into the cold tiles, her hands moving forward at once, crawling as she was commanded. Reeve didn’t spare her a glance. With each of her movements, his eyes remained on Mal.
“Is this necessary?” drawled Reeve.
“If you had just bent the knee the first time I gave you the opportunity,” replied Mal smoothly, “perhaps you could have spared her the embarrassment.”
Magic crackled like electricity down her spine, the residuals of her refusing to follow his command. She whimpered against the weight of it, forcing herself to keep moving forward. Palms then knees.
“You didn’t want to give her to me the first time,” Reeve reminded him.
When she reached Reeve’s feet, her breathing was tight and labored. He dropped into a crouch, his face inches above hers. His fiery eyes scanned hers and then locked on the lingering bruise from her duel with Mal. His brows pulled together in annoyance.
Without asking or offering, he stood and pulled her to her feet, his eyes still locked on hers. He placed her behind him and turned back to Mal.
“I don’t intend to draw this out,” said Mal.
Reeve nodded once.
Magic snapped between them, harsh and sharp, a whip hitting its mark. Maeve gasped as she felt the exchange between them. The Enslavement Curse Mal placed on her shifted into Reeve’s possession. Her stomach turned over, but the chain she’d felt pressing against her mind was gone.
Completely gone.
“It is done. Amaranthine Maeve Sinclair is yours.”
“It is done. The Senshi Warriors, yours to command.”
Mal moved towards the empty throne. Reeve’s eyes found Maeve.
Eryx appeared at Maeve’s side. He did not look at her. It was only his duty to Reeve, who now controlled her, that brought him to her side. She knew the hatred he felt for her.
The firelights in the Throne Room flickered. Shadow’s oppressive blanket of weight filled the air, pressing down on them. Maeve pitched forward. The room spun violently, blurring in one perfect loop. Without her Magic, Maeve could barely stand in her presence. If this was the evil meant to ascend upon Earth, she could wipe out the entire race of humans with ease.
“You’d come across the Black Deep and not bow to your Queen?”
