Page 86 of The Duke’s Bloody Bargain

But then a rush of energy had flowed through the bond, so pure and powerful that I’d shaken, and I’d known she was fine. As I’d let it guide me, I’d reached another entrance we knew nothing about—Graves wasn’t as good at tracking as he thought—and caught the bastard.

And Rothbart would be dead if he hadn’t mentioned Odette.

The sorcerer had the power to curse people and turn them into birds. He might indeed have cursed Odette. He might have told the truth. The chance was low, though.

I was sure the bloody bastard was playing us, and if Darius hadn’t intervened, I would have killed Rothbart without regret.

A turmoil of emotions made me nervous as Darius, Myrtha, Irene, and I were riding in the carriage to Raven Hall.

Since I couldn’t enter the tunnel, Darius was injured, and Irene was quite shaken, I’d sent my footman to fetch Knight and his werewolves and waited for them to join us and recover Morquen. The fairy had been found in the middle of a tunnel and carried out, half-dazed, completely incoherent. So much for being a witness. Another servant had been sent to the fairies, to ask them to come to Raven Hall.

We’d waited for Knight to arrive in a state of excitement and fear, barely speaking, too worried about keeping Rothbart in chains. I was glad we’d caught him, but we hadn’t killed him, and he’d proved to be resourceful.

Chained and weak after I’d drunk from him, Rothbart was travelling with the werewolves in a wagon reinforced with iron. Iron drained the energy out of a sorcerer without being lethal. There wasn’t a chance he would free himself.

Meanwhile Irene, Darius, Myrtha, and I were heading to Raven Hall in a carriage.

I held Irene by the waist, caressing her back and arms, needing her closeness. “What did he do to you? You were scared.”

She pressed my palm against her cheek. “I reached a room where his minions were playing cards. He told his men they were free to do what they wanted with me⁠—”

“What?” My wrath was so intense the carriage shook. The tassels of the velvet curtains swung back and forth. “That filthy bastard. I’m going to kill him, and I’m going to enjoy it.”

“Alex, not yet.” Darius exhaled, a hand on his chest as Myrtha finished bandaging his abdomen. I wasn’t sure how many wounds he’d sustained. “Let’s wait. If he told the truth, then Odette would die if we killed him.”

“What happened to you?” I asked.

He licked his cracked lips. “The tunnel we entered collapsed. Whether it was Rothbart’s fault or an accident, I wouldn’t know. I got injured by bricks and sharp wood, and an iron bar stabbed me. The pain was unbearable, and by the time we met Irene, I’d lost a lot of blood.”

His magic had to be low. Iron was his weakness as well. He didn’t react to the contact with iron as Rothbart had done, but the metal bothered him.

Myrtha fiddled with her gloves dirty with blood. “He saved my life. That’s why he got injured. I didn’t listen to him when he said he’d heard a strange noise from the ceiling and that he’d wanted to go back. I dismissed his concerns and carried on. Then the ceiling cracked and collapsed, and he rushed to protect me, and…” She sobbed.

Admitting that she’d made a mistake and that Darius had saved her had to cost every ounce of her pride, considering how determined she’d always been to show she didn’t need anyone.

“You would have done the same for me.” Darius gave her a pointed look.

No, Myrtha wouldn’t have risked her life to save a man.

She took a box of sweets out of her bag. “Brandy balls for you. They’ll help you regain your magic more quickly, will they not?”

“What can we do for you, mate?” I covered him with my coat.

He winced. “Not much. I just need to rest and eat. Since the wound was inflicted by iron, my healing power will take a while to work, but I’ll live.”

Irene laced her fingers through mine. “How do you feel, knowing your sister is alive?”

“I don’t believe a word Rothbart said. I expect an ambush. But in the unlikely event she is alive, I…” I swallowed past the lump in my throat as I pondered the possibility. “I would be overwhelmed with joy.”

Darius leant against the wall, munching a brandy ball. “If she’s alive but cursed, we’ll find a way to free her.”

That was Darius. He never let life crush his hopes.

I put a hand on his shoulder. “I hadn’t realised how important your optimism is in my life until now. You’re always present when I need you, and you always have a hopeful word. Thank you, my friend.”

His gaze became suspiciously shiny. “Someone has to balance your foul character and pessimism. That’s why I always borrow money from you. You’re so easily discouraged you never expect to have it back.”

I laughed and hugged him, glad the contact didn’t bother me. It wasn’t as pleasant as holding Irene, but the fear didn’t rise.