Page 88

He took it and stepped forwards.

The waist chain snapped.

The broken length struck the floor behind him. Stellan stared at it, then crossed the ruined threshold with my hand still in his.

For the first time in a century, the Blood King walked out of the throne room.

23

STELLAN

Nothing dragged me back. I stood inside Cecily’s room with Bryony’s hand still in mine. The iron collar remained around my throat, and its chain had scraped through the hole in the wall without tightening.

Bryony looked past me at the broken length on the throne-room floor. “Waiting for the house to change its mind?”

“I’m allowing it every chance to disappoint me.”

She stayed close.

I took another step. My body expected iron to bite into my waist, even with the restraint lying several feet behind me. The only pressure came from Bryony’s fingers around mine.

She squeezed once. “Still no regrets?”

“Ask me again once we know the house has accepted it.”

Her fingers tightened around mine.

I looked back at the chain. It stayed on the floor.

Bryony studied me instead of the broken chain. “How does it actually feel? You’ve been waiting over a century for this, and all you’ve done is insult the house.”

“It feels wrong,” I said. “My body is waiting for the iron to stop me. I can remember walking these rooms, but I can’t remember taking a step without measuring how badly the next one will hurt. I’m trying to believe the chain is truly on the floor.”

Her expression softened. “Then take as long as you need. I’ll stand here and insult the house for both of us.”

“You’ve shown considerable talent.”

She laughed, and I pulled her against my chest. The sword stayed lowered at her side, while her free hand settled over the raven tattoo near my ribs.

Her pulse had slowed since the throne room, although I could still smell the blood under the bandage around her palm. I could also smell sex on her skin. My fangs pressed against my lower lip before I made them withdraw.

Bryony noticed the change in my mouth. “You’ve just fed.”

“That has never stopped me wanting you.”

“I meant the fangs.”

I let the fangs show before making them withdraw.

She looked down at my ruined trousers. “You need clothes.”

“Soon.”

One seam in her leggings had torn, and blood marked the green jumper.

I slid my hand to her hip and checked the fabric. “Harrowmere will provide more.”

“After it tried to strangle me?”