Page 67 of Throne of the Wolf Queen

He gripped tighter, and my body tensed. Pablo’s name died on my lips as Matthias dragged me through the swirling darkness.

I glanced at Matthias, my heart stuttering. His gaze roamed my face, a grin hooking up his mouth at my expression and he reached out. I grimaced, my hand knocking his aside. A shiver tore down my spine. My fingers twitched, desperate for the security of Pablo’s fur.

‘We’ve lost everyone,’ I said. ‘Pablo. I need Pab. We should head back.’ A grin, feral and dark, spread like a stain over his face. ‘Matthias…’ I pulled my arm back, but his grip only tightened as he started to take an upwards path. Away from the rebels. Away from everyone.

‘Matthias. Please. Pablo. You know I need⁠—’

‘Ifan’s up there. Sleeping,’ he said.

Ifan? I dug my heels in, a sob catching in my throat. The brothers were working together. They had to be. ‘Mother can help him. I just need to get him to her.’

He was calm. Too calm.

‘Matthias. Stop,’ I snarled. He raised his stubbled chin, refusing to glance my way, his pace increasing on the dusty path. How had it come to this? Would I have to turn my powers on the man I loved?

‘Matthias!’ I screamed his name, my heart splitting as I knew this wasn’t my husband. I dug my pathetic nails into his hand. Cursed him. But the beast leading me to my doom didn’t even look back.

My tears carved paths through the dust on my cheeks as I writhed against his iron hold. I slammed my fist against him, again and again, still holding back the magic threads that writhed in my chest. My screams rent the air, but still Matthias hauled me upwards. Up towards his brother. The empress.

I threw myself backwards, wincing as my hip smashed into a rock. Matthias turned, a dark warning flashed through his eyes as he knelt down and I shuffled back.

‘Matthias…’

My skin crawled as he cocked his head, before his eyes shuttered and closed. I struggled for air as I scrambled back, when his gaze locked onto mine.

He reached for his boot and a dagger glinted in the air. I kicked out, but he pushed my boot aside, grasping my wrist.

‘No…’ I cried. But in the next heartbeat, he had the dagger in my hand. And he tugged my hand forward, placing the tip against his heaving chest.

‘Matthias?’

Through the swirls I met his gaze. His hands fell limply to the side as though drained of all the strength he’d used to seize me. His mouth worked and pain flashed through his eyes.

‘Please.’ His voice broke as I shook my head. ‘Please, Sorrow. Please… Do it, save yourself.’

Ice flooded my blood as understanding slammed into me.

‘No.’ I dropped the dagger. Matthias tried to grab it but I took hold of his hand, held it between us. ‘There’s being dramatic and thoughtless, Elmswood, but even for you this is insanity.’

‘You don’t understand, Sorrow. You don’t—I can’t⁠—’

‘I do…’ My words faltered at the devastation etched onto his face. The broken king looked like he would turn into ash in the breeze. I laid my hand against his cheek, my heart cracking as he slumped into my touch. ‘And I know the boy I adored is still in there, Matthias. That my Matthias is reckless, stupid.’ The briefest flicker of a smile played on his lips. ‘But he knows how much shit he’s caused and still has to make up for.’

His hand captured mine. His eyes closed.

‘And he’s going to let me go back down the path. Return to⁠—’

The ground trembled, and a stream of small pebbles trickled down the pathway. His eyes snapped open, searching mine. His skin, once a golden copper, was now sallow and pale in the feeble rays of the early evening sun.

‘What’s that⁠—’

A pained scream cut me off. A wolf snarled. Matthias twisted his head back to the path. Pab! He’d found me! But then a woman screamed, and Matthias scrambled to his feet.

‘Mother?’

He tore away. Bile rose up my throat as Isbeth screamed. Savage snarls drowned out the thunder of Matthias’s boots.

Pablo wouldn’t hurt her. He had no reason to. Unless it wasn’t my wolf. Unless it was one tainted by my treacherous gift.