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This was wrong.
I ran harder.
I crashed to the ground from some force that collided with my side.
I struggled on the ground as large arms and legs wrestled me into submission, pulling me to my feet.
“I’ve been gleefully anticipating when we would next meet,” Valen said as he approached me, his face ominously underlit from his torch, like a caricature of an evil villain from a children's picture book. But this wasn’t a children's story, and the fear was real and cold down my spine.
I hadn’t stopped my struggle and as he neared, I struggled more to free myself with everything I had.
Valen was dangerous.
Valen was a killer.
It was all wrong. I had to escape.
I could hear Dylan roaring. Not shouting, not screaming, but roaring. He was shifting, I knew, despite not being able to see anything past Valen.
“SHUT HIM UP!” Valen called angrily. “Shut them both up! We need to leave now.”
Something solid hit me in the head, instantly stopping my screaming and struggling. I sagged in the arms holding me.
I could feel myself being jostled roughly as I was carried swiftly somewhere. My head was a loud buzzing, and swaying strokes of light on black was all my eyes could make out.
More jostling and pushing, and I thought I was in a vehicle.
The interior was bright, but my vision was a blurred mess of colours with no edges. I felt a rough hand around my jaw, pulling my unsteady body forward.
“I see what she sees in you.” Valen’s voice broke through the buzzing in my head. I lifted my arms, heavy and limp and pushed him away from me with everything I had, it wasn’t a lot. He laughed, releasing my jaw. I felt his hands on my breasts and with them what felt like a cold, slimy worm wriggling down my spine.
“Get off,” I tried to shout, but I wasn’t sure if I even made a sound. I struggled, twisting until I was out of his grasp and his laughter was loud alongside the buzzing in my head.
My vision was very slowly clearing, and I could distinguish between him and the interior of the vehicle, but I couldn’t make out his features.
I gripped my head. My fingers found wetness, and when I held my hand up in front of my face I saw blurring red. Blood.
“That was a hard blow. I’m impressed you are still conscious,” he said, and I felt him move closer to me. I pushed myself as far away as the small space would allow.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked. Through the low buzzing in my ears I heard how my voice slurred.
“Because I want something from Selene, and she wants you. We’re going to have a good old-fashioned swap,” he told me, his voice lifting with excitement.
18. Cries in the Night
Selene Borealis
I was losing what little patience I had left. If I had to smile, laugh, or thank another well-wisher, I would lose my mind.
Oskar was soon to be put painfully in his place. The fool was yet to realise the consequences of his actions. Blindsiding me with an engagement announcement we had not discussed, or planned was a mistake he would pay for. And to make such an announcement at a tacky Academy ball, as if I wasn’t heir to the throne, as if my engagement announcement was something commonplace. A Royal engagement was to be a celebration among the kingdom, weeks of events and travelling to each noble House showing face and graciously accepting useless gifts.
Percy was shocked dumb; I saw it in her face. I had planned to prepare her before any announcement was made. I would send her away for a few days, back to the castle, to save her from enduring the initial excitement that would follow. She wasn’t ready.
I would break every bone inside Halvorsen’s body for forcing me to smile and feign happiness to keep up the pretence of our whirlwind relationship. All I wanted to do was go to my pet and reassure her that she was mine, that I wanted - that I needed - no other. Ensure that she knew this was all a game. A game I had no choice but to play, for the kingdom, for her.
Heidi had led her away to the dance floor, away from the well-wishers that had descended upon me. I was grateful that she would provide a distraction.
The sound of a shifter was so very faint; I almost thought I had imagined it until I heard the quiet roar again. It put me on edge. It was not common to hear a shifter in their beast form. It was against the Academy code of conduct. The fact that shifting was an immensely painful experience associated with a lack of control and resulting in extreme fatigue meant that those with the ability rarely chose to shift form.
