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“No,” Lenora said.
Stellan’s red cuffs brightened.
The Crown lifted from the throne and struck the floor at my feet.
Every red mark under Stellan’s skin went dark.
Adrian laughed on the other side of the doors.
“Pick it up, Bryony.”
35
STELLAN
The Crown had never freed anyone without demanding more in return.
It lay at Bryony’s feet with its narrow black points turned towards her. The red restraints under my skin remained dark. For the first time since Adrian had cut his commands into me, I couldn’t feel him pulling at my body.
That was exactly what the Crown wanted Bryony to notice.
“Don’t touch it,” I said.
She looked from the Crown to me. “I’m not fucking touching it.”
Adrian’s voice carried through the damaged doors. “It has already freed him. Pick it up and the rest of his restraints will follow.”
I moved closer to Bryony without stepping between her and the Crown. “It wants you to believe control is the same as freedom.”
“I’ve met that sales pitch.” She kept both hands at her sides. “I didn’t like the salesman.”
The black dagger punched through the crack again.
Stone split around it. The main doors opened several inches, stopped and ground wider as Adrian forced his arm into the gap.
Lenora took position on my right. “His guards are holding back.”
They’d seen the Crown silence my cuffs and watched two vampires die. Adrian could order them forwards, but fear would slow them for a second.
I only needed one.
“Bryony, keep the Crown in sight,” I said. “Don’t let it reach your hands.”
“That’s a horrible combination of instructions.”
The black blade moved another inch into the room.
“You can complain when the doors are closed.”
Adrian stepped through the gap.
“Kneel,” he commanded.
Nothing happened.
The shock on his face almost made the last century worthwhile.
I reached him before he could recover. My shoulder hit his chest and drove him back into the opening. His dagger arm struck stone. I caught his wrist with both hands and slammed it against the door until his fingers opened.
