15
HALEY
In a cavernous room on one of the castle’s upper levels, Keradoc stood at the head of a conference table with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring down at us and looking supremely pleased with himself.
Gone were the formal silks from the party, replaced with an intimidating military ensemble that could only be described as Fuck Around and Find Out—The Dark Fae Collection.
All black, of course, and perfectly tailored to suit his lean frame, with a mix of soft leathers and hard, polished metals I was pretty sure didn’t even exist on the earthly realm. Various pins and badges decorated his uniform, and nearly every inch of him was strapped with weaponry of the sharp and pointy nature.
A particularly stunning dagger hung from a holster at his hip, the jewels encrusted on the hilt almost an invitation to grab it, jerk it free, and shove the blade right into his chest.
Somehow I resisted the urge, glaring at him with the daggers in my eyes instead.
He glared right back, fury simmering in that violet-eyed gaze.
Everything about him was spotless and precise—but for one thing.
His boots. They were covered in blood splatter. It was the same story with the rest of the guards who stood at attention behind him—more than a dozen fae, not counting another dozen on the opposite wall, and several who’d been left outside to man the exit.
Where the witches and gargoyles had gone, I hadn’t a clue. Seemed Keradoc had a whole host of supernaturals at his beck and call; all he needed to do was snap those elegant fingers and issue a command, and they’d come running, guns—and magick—blazing.
I recalled the prisoners from earlier. The Darkwinter fae and their company.
Jax was right—Keradoc and his men had likely interrogated them. And in the end, when he’d wrung out every last bit of useful intel, he—
I swallowed hard, lowering my gaze once more to his blood-stained boots.
“Now that we’ve all gotten a live demonstration of what happens when you try to escape,” the warlord said, “I trust we won’t be repeating the mistake. Is that a fair assessment? Or am I being too presumptuous? Admittedly, I wasn’t expecting you to push things so far on your first night as my… guests.”
One eyebrow raised in a perfect arch, he looked at each of us in turn.
Jax, still bloodied from the chokeweed encounter, his jaw clenched tight, rage radiating off him in waves.
Elian, pale and bruised and—if his blown pupils were any indication—tripping on the Black.
Hudson, still in warrior form, his wings bound to his back with iron bands that wrapped around his torso.
They were all draped in heavy chains spelled with fae magick so dark I could practically taste it, like burnt toast and ozone.
Keradoc hadn’t bothered restraining me. Even if my magick wasn’t muted by his cuff, he knew damn well I wouldn’t make a move against him now—not while the guys were immobilized and Keradoc’s backup team had tripled in size.
It was an intimidating show of force, but I’d seen his cruel side in the throne room. Seen what he’d done to those shifters for their so-called treason. The fact that the guys were still alive and relatively unharmed—even after our attempted escape? That told meexactlywhat I needed to know.
Keradoc needed them, just like he needed me.
The question was… what the hell did he need themfor?
“Takes a real man to hold off on making threats until his enemies are all chained up,” I said. “They teach you that at the Academy for Warlords and Supervillains?”
Keradoc bristled but didn’t take the bait. Instead, he lifted a hand and glanced down at his black fingernails, sighing as if I were nothing but a petulant child. “Miss Barnes, do you have any idea what it costs me to keep prisoners alive in this castle?”
“Doyou? I wasn’t aware you kept them alive long enough to work out the financials.”
A dark laugh slithered out from between his lips. “Fair point. In truth, I’d much rather toss you all over the wall with the dead as a reward for my ghouls. Alas, my priorities require a different approach.” His smile fell. “I need you alive.Allof you.”
Just as I thought.
“What the hell do you want with us?” Elian asked, his words slurring. Jax still hadn’t spoken, but the intensity of his gaze told me exactly what he was up to. Trying to find the chink in Keradoc’s armor. Trying to mine his fears.
