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“You took Eden, and your brother took Camellia. Do not lie to me anymore!” he snarls as Eden gasps.

“Are you joking?” I laugh. “I’ve never touched her.”

“Enough lies!” He bolts out of his throne to pace around the dais. “If you won’t accept payment and we cannot discuss this civilly, then you leave me no choice.”

“Lux,” I warn quietly when the king’s guards grow restless.

“Let them,” he grumbles as Sol raises his palm.

“I’m so sorry, Eden,” Sol calls out. “I know it is not your fault that they have ruined you.” All at once, the banners on the walls drop to reveal a dozen hidden openings.

“Archers!” Eden screams.

I grab her and push her behind me, blasting a jet of fire to the right while Lux’s wave takes out the archers to our left.

But it takes me a second too long to realise the archers are not archers at all, just propped-up crossbows. And along with the guards on the dais, they were merely a distraction from the single guard who moved as quickly as a shadow behind my back to lock something metal around my neck.

I barely have time to register the stranger’s scorpion tattoo on his wrist as an oppressive feeling forces me to my knees.

Eden yelps while the guards on the dais leap forward to help subdue Lux. His violent waves take down five men before the dark-haired guard sprints up behind him and collars him too.

Iron collars.

“What is that? What have you done?” Eden yells at her father when Lux collapses.

“Not enough,” I snarl, finding my strength and standing back up. The iron might be suppressing our magic, but we’re still half-human. I can fight with my fists as well as any other man.

“Sit the fuck down.” Someone points a sword at my chest, but I knock it away, gritting my teeth through the pain.

I knock out four guards, before Lux’s voice stops me. “Don’t be foolish, Castor.”

I’m about to argue when the look in his eyes catches me off guard. He shakes his head slowly, and for the first time in my life, I find myself doubting if I can trust my own brother.

He didn’t actually take Eden’s sister, did he? Camellia?

If he did, would he hide it from me?

Before I can question it, a blade presses against my throat.

“If you care for Eden, you’ll calm down and do what that bastard king says,” a low voice murmurs in my ear. I catch sight of his scorpion wrist tattoo again. Who the fuck is this guy?

“Cuff them and put them in the north tower,” Sol barks at his guards. “I’ll interrogate them myself later.” My hands are locked behind my back quicker than I can tell the king to go fuck himself.

“I didn’t hurt your sister, Eden,” Lux insists as he’s restrained. “I don’t know where she is. I promise you.”

But she won’t look at either of us as we’re dragged away. Instead she’s led out of the room by the dark-haired guard, an odd softness in his green eyes.

42

EDEN

“They did what to you?” Gilia gasps as I shiver in my yellow tutu. My dance tights do little to keep the nighttime chill away. The guards have cleared the snow from our outdoor dance circle and placed little fire heaters along the surrounding hedge. But I still feel so cold. So alone.

Even with nine of my eleven sisters huddled around me.

“Lux said it’s some kind of faerie bond,” I explain. “It made me want to be close to him all the time, and the longer I resisted it the worse the pain got.”

“How awful.” Heather clutches her orange skirt. “So you were forced to accept it? What happened when you did?”