I had a million questions but for now, I held my tongue, waiting for Keradoc to make the next move.
“Do we understand each other yet, Daughter of Darkwinter? Or do you need additional persuading? I would be more than happy to have your friends moved to… less hospitable accommodations than they’re currently enjoying, and that’s saying something.”
Thoughts of Jax and Elian shivering their assess off in some rank dungeon zapped the last of my strength. The craziness of the evening caught up with me in a rush, tears stinging my eyes, my limbs trembling with exhaustion. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was curl into a ball and pass out in front of the fire.
“I’ll do as you ask, Keradoc,” I said wearily. “Because you’re holding us hostage and I’ve got no good choices here. But I’m telling you—I don’t know the spell to summon my ancestors, I’ve got literallyzeroconnection to them, and I can’t perform a summoning ritual of that magnitude and complexity under pressure. Even if I was on board with this plan—which, make a note of this for posterity, I’m absolutelynot—it’s not something we can force.”
“Force? No. But plan and prepare for? Together? That’s something we can certainly do.” He stepped close again, his sweet scent drenching the air around me. “I’m not the enemy, Miss Barnes. Remember that.”
His smile was sad, his eyes softening as he captured me in another entrancing gaze, and like a fool I let my mind fall back into memories of that kiss.
“Haley,” he whispered, his hand reaching for mine, our fingers brushing.
“You know nothing of it,” I hissed. But of course it was bullshit.
My gaze dropped to his mouth, my stomach fizzy as he leaned in close, his warm breath tickling my lips as he…
Clamped a cold iron cuff over my wrist.
“What… what is this?” Shaking free of the trance, I clawed at the iron uselessly. “What have you done?”
Magick bit into my skin. Dark magick.Hismagick, crawling up one arm and down the other, spreading through my veins like ice. My teeth began to chatter, my skin erupting in goosebumps.
“Relax, Darkwinter,” he said, shaking out his fingers. They looked red, as if they’d just been burned.
The cuff, I realized. Iron was poisonous to fae.
“It won’t harm you,” he said. “It’s merely a dampener cuff. It will ensure your magick can’t be used in an attack or in any other way that might undermine or harm me during your stay.”
I cursed myself for being so stupid. So weak. Why had I let my guard down around him? Why had I thought, even for a second, that he was capable of even a shred of compassion?
“And you expect me to perform a complicated blood ritual while neutered?” I snapped, still trying to pry off the cuff. “I’m not sure you’ve thought this all the way through, genius.”
“You’re not neutered, just muted. You’ll still be able to practice summoning spells and other small magicks, provided they’re not intended for use against me or my guards or staff. Then, when the time is right to call upon your ancestors, the cuff will be removed and you’ll have access to your full power.”
“Yeah? And what makes you so sure I’ll behave myself onthatnight if you don’t trust me to do it now?”
“I have every confidence you and I will have reached an understanding by then. Perhaps even a level of trust.”
“Right now, I trust you to be a complete asshole, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”
“Nevertheless, this is your reality now. I suggest you make peace with it, and channel all that fire into crafting an effective ritual. Now, I must return to the party and ensure the remaining guests are ushered away without incident. If there’s anything I can do to make your stay more palatable, well…” The grin returned, only now it was the grin of a dark wolf, his eyes shimmering like raw amethyst in the firelight. “My chambers are right down the hall. Should anyneedsarise…” His eyes trailed down my body, then back up, blazing a hot path. “Don’t hesitate to knock on my door.”
“I’d rather knock your head into the wall.”
“You could certainly try.” He gave me a small, mocking bow. “I remain, as ever, at your service.”
And with that, Keradoc of Midnight was gone, leaving me furious, bone-tired, and—worst of all—dangerously, impossibly,ridiculouslyaroused.
“Fae magick,” I said, desperate to convince myself that’s all it was. “Hell of a drug.”
8
ELIAN
Are we dead yet, brother? Wasn’t expecting the afterlife to smell so rank.”
Yeah. Jax hadn’t said a word, and I was talking to the fucking shadows again. Shadows and rats and the ghosts of ten thousand men who’d taken their last broken breaths in this dungeon long before we showed up.
