AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He said ‘sacrifice,’ Nigel.” I glared at him. “I know what that means.”
Nigel shrugged. “I can’t say he doesn’t deserve it.”
“For what?” I shoved at Nigel’s chest. “For killing some hell beasts? He doesn’t know where Godda is. Neither of us do. You know that.”
Cheers erupted behind me. I’d shifted my attention to Nigel and turned my back on the stage. I spun around in time to see Liam’s head fall to his chest. It bobbed there as he hung suspended between the chains that held his arms outstretched. The demon woman turned to face the audience, a sly smile spreading across her face. The crowd went wild.
“Don’t worry, Edric,” she called. “He’s still alive.” She flicked her wrist, and Liam’s head snapped up, eyes open and staring blankly, unseeing, out into the audience. “But now he’s under my control.”
The Hunters began to roar and yell in appreciation. My heart lurched. Up until this moment, I had convinced myself we’d find a way to escape. Seeing Liam’s blank stare, seeing him at the mercy of that merciless woman, made a chill creep over me. If I valued my life, Nigel was right. I needed to get out of here. Fast. The world suddenly seemed much scarier than it ever had back in sunny California.
“Silence!” Edric called. The Hunters obeyed. “Find out if he knows where Godda is,” he commanded.
“He doesn’t know,” I moaned. My voice carried farther in the silence than I had intended. Edric’s eyes turned to me, and all the others followed his lead, including Nigel’s mother.
“We’ll see about that,” she said. She stepped toward Liam and placed her fingertips at his temples.
Edric leaned closer to me. “How are you so certain that he doesn’t know?” he asked.
“He told me, and Fae can’t lie.”
“The girl is correct. The Fae doesn’t know where your wife is hiding,” Lilium said.
“He’s using his powers to keep the location from you,” Edric yelled. “It must be there.”
“He’s keeping nothing from me. His mind is completely open. He is at my command.”
Edric glanced between me and Liam. “His feelings for the girl?” he asked Lilium.
Nigel’s mother closed her eyes a moment. Nigel tensed beside me, his hand gripping me tighter.
“They are what we suspected.”
“Good.” He turned to Nigel. “Bring her to the platform.”
“But, sir,” Nigel said. “You said…”
“Bring the girl,” Lilium commanded. Her voice rang out, echoing off the arched stone ceiling.
I stared at Nigel, silently begging him to help. But he pushed me forward and forced me toward the stage. Edric followed in our wake. I watched Liam’s face as we approached. His eyes remained unfocused, staring out into the crowd. Nigel reached to guide me, but I shook him off and continued walking toward Liam. If Nigel wouldn’t help me, I’d figure out how to save Liam on my own.
I stepped up onto the platform. Edric and Nigel followed closely behind, both of them pressing me toward the demon woman. She’d removed her hands from Liam’s head and positioned herself in front of him on the platform so I could no longer see him.
“The sacrifice will be most powerful if he submits to it willingly,” Edric said to Lilium as we approached. “If you indeed have control over the Fae’s mind, release his chains and call off the serpent.”
The sly smile reappeared on the demon woman’s face. The spirits standing guard released the cuffs around Liam’s wrists, and they snapped open and clattered onto the platform. The serpent uncoiled itself and slithered over to Lilium. She reached a hand down, and it climbed her arm and draped itself across her shoulders. Defenseless, Liam’s body sagged like a puppet resting on its strings.
At the demon woman’s command, Liam’s mind took control of his body, and he snapped to attention. Fear coursed through me. With a flick of her wrist, she’d brought Liam under her command, and he had magic and training. I had nothing. She could break me with a thought.
“Good,” Edric said. He turned to Nigel. “Now, make sure the girl knows nothing of Godda before we eliminate her.”
My heart beat faster. My mouth went dry. I gulped and stared at Nigel, even though I knew it was pointless to hope he wouldn’t follow orders.
Nigel stared back at me until Lilium snapped him out of it by saying, “You heard the Master. Are you a demon or not? Do I have to do everything?”
Nigel took a step toward me, then he was in my mind. I closed my eyes and twisted away, lifting my hands to cover my temples, but it was too late.
I’m sorry, he thought at me.I have to.
