Page 223 of Kneel Before Me

At first she’d thought nothing of it. Now it scared her.

Daphne made her way toward the caves as fast as she dared. She did not care that Kronos hadn’t sent for her yet. She needed him. Daphne stumbled through the passageway. As soon as Kronos’s door was before her, she banged on it. It opened immediately.

“Daphne?” His eyes traveled over her, his brow furrowing in concern. “What are you doing here?”

She couldn’t seem to speak. She swayed on the spot, leaning against the doorframe.

Kronos caught her waist with his hand, holding her upright. “Daphne,” he said urgently. “Are you well?”

She was not well.

“I…just need to sit down,” she managed to say.

Immediately, Kronos pulled her toward the bed, keeping his hand on her waist. “Is this better?” she heard Kronos ask as soon as she was seated, clear concern written all over his face.

“Yes,” Daphne whispered. She could tell the word did nothing to convince Kronos.

“Are you hungry? You should eat. I will find you something—”

“No,” she said, grabbing his arm. “Please. Just stay here with me.”

His body was hard next to hers, overwhelmingly warm, undeniably alive. “What is the matter, Daphne?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I feel…weak. There’s something wrong. I can feel it. I’m…”

His brows furrowed in concern. Then his gaze dropped to her neck. “What is that?” Kronos whispered.

Suddenly Daphne remembered what she had done with Maximus—how his teeth had broken her skin, no doubt leaving a mark.

“It’s nothing,” she whispered, covering the mark with her hand. “It’s just—”

“I do not mean that, Daphne,” Kronos said harshly. “I mean your necklace.”

Daphne frowned. She was still wearing the emerald. “The prince gave it to me.”

Kronos’s eyes went hard. He stood, leaving her on the bed and crossing to stare into the fire. In his absence, Daphne felt weak once more.

“Kronos?” she whispered. “What’s wrong?”

Daphne couldn’t understand his behavior. It was just a necklace—how could it possibly matter more than a hickey? Was he jealous? Or worse, angry with her?

“It doesn’t mean anything,” Daphne said slowly. “We just…have an arrangement, remember?”

“It does mean something,” he said. “But of course he would not tell you that.”

“It’s just a necklace, Kronos.”

“That necklace is made from the blood of my people,” he cried.

Daphne flinched. She knew Kronos only raised his voice when the situation absolutely warranted it.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered tentatively, touching the necklace. “It’s made of gold.”

“Basilisk blood can be alchemized into gold.”

Daphne was too shocked to react.

“For years the royals have captured us,” Kronos continued, still staring into the fire. “For years they have taken us from our families and tortured us in the dungeon. My people suffer while the humans prosper.” He turned to face her.