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“Look in the mirror and you’ll see why,” I snapped.
“Point taken,” he said. “But don’t worry about your shadow king. He and his Mist Guard have been hit with a dose of valerian fog. They’ll be fine when they wake, though they won’t be going anywhere for a while. I didn’t want to risk them catching up to us.”
I scoffed. “Nothingwill stop him.”
“Your faith in him is sweet,” he said as his eyes went distant, haunted. “But I have trapped the four of them in iron chains infused with my gemstones. They won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Iron chains?” All the blood drained from my face. “But there are shadowfiends out there.”
“They have their weapons. They’ll be fine.”
Eyes narrowing, I jerked my hands apart, and the rope burned my skin. I had to get away from Oberon, not just for me but also for Kalen. I looked down at the ground and made my decision. With a deep breath, I threw my body sideways and launched off the horse. Pain struck me like an anvil when my body hit the ground, my shoulder and head ringing with another wave of torment.
But I didn’t let it stop me. Kalen needed my help. I crawled to my knees and then pushed up to my feet.
And then a hand seized me.
Oberon wrenched me around, towering over me with his sharp, curving horns. “Don’t make me dose you with more valerian.”
I tried to yank my arm out of his grip, but even in his weakened state he was stronger than me. “Let me go!”
“No,” he said flatly. “I’m taking you to Albyria and ending this. I’ll release the Mist King once it’s done.”
“You’re a monster,” I hissed into his face.
Sorrow filled his tired eyes. “I know. Vow to me you’ll stop trying to escape, and I’ll let you enjoy the rest of this journey awake. Otherwise, I’ll have to dose you with the valerian.”
“I will never make that vow to you.”
“Very well.”
Oberon dragged me back over to the horses. The heavy mist stung the wound on my head, but it was nothing compared to the icy terror in my veins. If he dosed me with valerian, I wouldn’t be able to fight back. Kalen would remain trapped in those iron shackles, and if a shadowfiend showed up…I didn’t want to think what might happen to him. He was so brutally strong and powerful, it seemed impossible that anything could harm him, let alone destroy him completely.
But the iron chains would dampen his magic. He and the others would be powerless against those creatures.
With a growl, I leaned down and clamped my teeth on Oberon’s arm. I bit as hard as I could, giving in to the bloodlust raging through my veins. A momentary victory rushed through me when a shout of pain ripped from his throat. He released me. I stumbled back. And then he slammed his fist into the wound on my head.
The pain took me to my knees. Darkness crept into my vision just as Oberon pressed a cloth against my mouth. I clawed at the ground, desperate to get away. But then the sweet scent of valerian filled my head and took me under.
Forty-Five
Kalen
“Well, this is a fun time,” Alastair grunted as he struggled against the iron bonds that trapped his body to the rock. “Anyone have an idea what the fuck just happened?”
I pulled at my own chains. A few moments ago, I’d woken, along with the others. We’d found ourselves like this. Chains wrapped around each of our arms and legs and our torsos. Iron chains infused with gemstones. I’d tried calling upon my power, but it was no use. It wouldn’t work while I was trapped like this.
“I’ll give you one guess,” Fenella said, her chains clinking as she folded her arms.
“Oberon,” Niamh said grimly. “He must have spotted us.”
“And he took Tessa,” I growled. “I am going to rip him to shreds for this.”
“I’m sure he realizes that,” Fenella said. “Hence the chains.”
“What I don’t understand is why he didn’t just kill us?” Niamh asked, her brow furrowed. “He knocked us out with that valerian fog. Why keep us alive?”
“I had the same thought,” I said.
