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We all whipped our heads toward the main gate to the dungeons as it thrusted open, and longing shot through the bond, despite the poison weakening it. “Sebastian,” I whispered.
Erianna climbed onto her knees, wrestling against the chains. Avyanna stepped back as Sebastian was forced inside by five guards. My jaw slacked on seeing him, coated in blood, his shirt hanging from him in shreds, branches poking out from his black hair.
“Olivia.” He stopped on seeing me, then tried to force his way to me, but the guards slammed his back against the wall.
“Stop!” I screamed. One landed a punch in his gut, the other wrenching his head back, then placed a chain around his torso. “Please, don’t hurt him.” I willed my magic, but nothing happened.
Erianna fought against the chains too, and the guards looked at each other. We were in the main dungeon, one meant for a hundred mortals to be hoarded in between feeds, but it meant we could all be together.
Avyanna glanced from me to Sebastian, then back to the guards. “Put him in his own cell,” she warned. “Salenia wants to keep these two together, though.” She pointed at Erianna, then at me. Why did she want us in the same room?
“I’ll find a way out of this,” he promised, but we both know it was unlikely. I wetted my lips, tears falling down my cheeks as he was dragged back out of the doorway.
“I love you,” I shouted, then leaned back, letting my head drop back against the wall. Erianna sobbed and seeing her like that just made me angrier. Fueled by Sebastian’s yells and Erianna’s tears, I looked Avyanna dead in the eye, venom dripping from every word as I threatened her. “Zach isn’t here, but he’s coming for you, and he has a century of living in this castle. He knows every way in and out, and hewillfind you.”
She let out a shaky exhale, looked over at us once more with a blanched face, then turned and walked out the door.
***
I awoke to the sound of footsteps, then a figure hidden by the darkness as the flames on the torches had since died out. He hurried in front of me, but I was too weak to move. “My queen,” he whispered, and my mouth fell open. “I’m relieved you’re alive.”
“Niall,” I said, my voice coming out cracked out in places. I prepared myself for whatever blow he planned on hitting me with, but he brought a tin cup of water to my lips. I sniffed the cup, but couldn’t detect a hint of poison in it to keep me weak.
“Drink,” he ordered when I hesitated. He tipped it against my mouth, and I gulped down the liquid, craving more when the last droplets were gone. “Eat,” he said, and I breathed in the smell of bread and cheese. He shoved the food packaged in brown paper into my hands. “Where’s Vangard?” he asked, and confusion swept over me.
Why was he helping us?
“I….he was taken further down, into a different cell,” I whispered. “Erianna,” I croaked, and he nodded, his dark hair hanging around his face like a curtain. “I have blood for her. I’ll be back.”
I watched as he raced to Erianna, then pulled out a glass vial sloshing with crimson liquid. He had two of them. My heart swelled. Was this some cruel trick by Salenia?
Erianna drank the contents, then stood straighter, giving Niall a thankful nod. He looked at us, then sped away to find Sebastian.
My eyes widened as I looked at Erianna, and she shrugged, shaking her head as if she had no fucking clue what was happening either. My stomach churned, reminding me of the wrapped food in my hands. I quickly unwrapped it, then ripped a bite of bread between my teeth, chewing it quickly, barely enough to swallow. I devoured everything until the ground in front of me was covered in crumbs, and I was thirsty again.
Niall returned, then crouched in front of me, his eyes wild. “Vangard’s safe,” he said, calling my husband by his last name, as always. “I gave him blood. I’m going to get you all out of here, but first…”
“No.” I whispered. “She’ll be on guard if we escape.” I couldn’t believe what I was saying, and judging by Erianna’s stare, neither could she. “We’ve been poisoned too. My magic is useless while Avyanna’s spell lasts.” I swallowed, a lump forming in my throat as I realized I was dooming the three of us to a longer stay there. I lowered my voice to a whisper. “Kill Avyanna, and her spell breaks.”
His eyes widened. “I’m happy to, but I’m surprised you’re giving those orders.”
I thought about Anna and the whole it would leave in all of us, but most of all, Zach. “Casualty of war,” I said.
He nodded. “I haven’t seen her. Salenia must be keeping her hidden.”
“She was down here earlier. She will return to ensure I can’t access my magic. Salenia will be paranoid, focused on us. She won’t be focused on you.”
“What do you need me to do?”
Desperation swam in his eyes, and I straightened my back. “Whyareyou helping us?” I asked, but a part of me already knew. Ever since Azia’s and I’s lessons, it swam in the back of my mind.
His jaw clenched. “She’s threatening someone I care for.”
“I thought you cared about Salenia?”
“I hate her,” he spat. I lowered my barrier enough, feeling his anger ripple from him in waves. Something was different about him. I’d seen that sparkle, the maddening one that threatened to destroy everything in its wake. He was in love.
“Salenia doesn’t need to be back in her original form to die. Look, if Gwen’s body becomes mortal, then she will still die a mortal. She’ll go straight to the afterlife, where her siblings will be waiting for her,” I explained. “You must kill her the moment she’s mortal again. Do not hesitate.”
