Page 81 of Broken

Ireland tightened her grip on Cole’s hand. “Or what?” she asked. “You’re going to kill me? Or maybe just him, because I’m kind of valuable, actually. A mix of Bright and Dark magic, which—as you well know but would like to forget—is more powerful than either of them alone.”

“Silence!” the High One said. “Or we will destroy you!”

“Yeah,” Ireland said. “You keep trying to do that, with your Retrievers and all. How’s that working out for you?”

That stunned them into silence. But not for long.

“We will destroy your companion,” Bathiaz said. “You care for him.”

“Yes, I do. He’s my mate. And for people who supposedly champion life at all times, in all forms, you sure do use a lot of death threats.”

“Creatures of the Dark deal in death. They deserve what they deal in.”

Ireland tried to follow that logic and failed.

“Don’t even try to harm him,” she said evenly. “Or we will make you regret it. I’m not your creature anymore.” She reached up and pulled her shirt collar away from her neck, showing her claiming mark. “He’s my mate. I’ve bonded with him.”

“Anathema!” Bathiaz spat. “You are defiled, and your magic must be cleansed, or destroyed.”

He pointed at her. “Now come forth!”

“No. You have no power over me.” Shit. This was escalating fast. And the wolves weren’t here yet.

Bathiaz gave an ugly laugh. “But we do.”

Together, the Council uttered a Word of Power.

Cole felt himself ripped away from Ireland like they’d been pulled by giant hands. The bracelet was torn off his wrist, and he flew through the air and landed painfully amidst a group of rocks protruding out of the ground.

Before he could get his breath, the boulders grew and changed around him, until he was trapped in a barred cage made of stone.

Looking across the valley, he saw that Ireland was on her knees on the flat rock, her wrists fastened to the low columns with golden chains.

Bathiaz gestured to Cole’s bracelet where it lay on the ground. Ireland was still wearing hers. Sakir strode over and picked up the bracelet, putting it on his own wrist.

Bathiaz chanted the spell, and the bracelets lit up briefly.

The High One said, from his throne, “You have defied us for the last time, Outcast One. We will teach you the error of your ways.”

He lifted a hand in Sakir’s direction. The Fae held his hand out and activated the bracelet. Ireland’s body seized in pain, and she screamed.

Fucking bastards. Cole threw himself at the wall of his prison, but the stone was strong with magic, and even his shifter strength wouldn’t budge it.

He tried reaching out with their bond, trying to take some of the pain from Ireland. Sakir broke off the punishment, and Ireland collapsed between the pillars.

I’m with you, he said to her, feeling her pain, her anger. But for the first time, no shame. She didn’t blame herself.

Sakir activated the pain again, and Cole roared with fury, connecting with her through the mate bond. Just hold on. Plan B. Hold on a little longer.

He could feel her reaching out to him, trying to fight Sakir. He pushed all his love and support through the mate bond, helping her to fight the magic coming through from the Protector bracelet. And then he felt something else there.

Riker.

Riker was still in the damn bracelet.