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Just as he nears the entrance of the cave, I speak to him.

“He told me to Silas, told me he wouldn’t let our child pay for his sins!” I scream to him as he starts to walk out of the cave, he freezes for a second only to turn on us.

Matitus and Dragus both walk toward me when his voice calls out. Both are covered in the blood of the Dragons they killed as well as from their own wounds.

“You mean the Fae’s sins, everything has and always will come back to the Fae.”

I shake my head. “That’s not true Silas, we never killed her, that was your father, your father did it and caused the war.”

“Yeah, but it started with a fucking Helcate!” he screams. He then shifts, flying off.

“Come Elora,” Matitus says.

“You’re really not going to say anything, anything at all?” I ask as he holds out his hand toward me expecting me to take it.

“He is right, the Fae started it, and if his father asked for death, you should have let him do it. His father didn’t need to die by your hand, you took his only chance to say goodbye,” Matitus answers.

But I know he never would have gone through with it, his father also must have known that too.

“He will calm down Elora, he just needs time, time to wrap around the fact he had his father for a few minutes and lost him again,” Dragus tells me also stepping forward. I look at both their hands, they genuinely believe he would calm down. Yet I could feel his hatred, it feels hotter than the day he met me, hotter than anything I have ever felt.

If it weren’t for the child I carry, he would have killed me that I also know without a doubt, he wants me dead even if it means killing him in the process, killing our mates. History with the Dragons always seems to be doomed to repeat itself, a never-ending cycle of anguish between two species destined to never quite be together.

The activity in the cave resumes slightly. Those that remain, who aren’t dead, are standing around awkwardly like they’re too scared to move in the presence of the Kings. Too scared to move and draw attention to themselves. The air here is so thick with death and bloodshed. Silas’s father’s body is lying on the rocks below unmoving, a reminder of what I have done, what he made me do, yet I know his intentions were good. I also fear that he doomed us to repeat the past again.

“And if he doesn’t?”

“He will, he loves you Lora. He is just upset,” Dragus says, reaching for me, but I step back. I am not willing to take that bet, I have taken that bet more times than I can count now and only just narrowly won. I won’t bet again, not when it comes to our child.

As soon as I step out of the cave’s entrance, I let my wings free, letting them carry me higher.

I look around, spotting the castle. Aldrin trudges through the snow toward it with Pluto’s brother. Relief floods me. He’s okay.

Without a second thought, I take off. Silas must be nearly home. I hope I have time. Matitus shifts, giving chase. He isn’t the one who catches me.

Silas knows instantly I intend to leave, the stupid blood promise I foolishly made giving me away.

His roar of anger blasts over me as I flit over the mountain, heading for the trees below for cover. I don’t expect his fury to fuel him.

Suddenly, he sweeps past, knocking me with his wing. The brute force slams into mine. A searing pain rips through my back as I screech in agony.

Before I know it, I’m falling. Tumbling toward my death.

He broke my wings.

Broke my chance for freedom.

With it, he broke me.

His growl echoes as his talons cage me just before I hit the trees.

The impact knocks the air from my lungs, my scream dying as pain ravages my body. My wings fold against me, forced closed.

One wing looks snapped in half, veins of magic fading from purple to black as the light within flickers—then snuffs out completely. Matitus collides with him, grunting.

I can barely see beyond my cage of claws, but flashes of black scales tell me Matitus is attacking Silas. Silas’s pain radiates through the bond as Matitus bites into him.

A powerful strike of Silas’s tail sends us spiraling toward the ground, spinning at rapid speeds. I scream, my stomach twisting. Silas crashes onto his back, rolling as he lets me go.