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Servant Sarbo was hovering over me. He was looking at me exactly as Cael had looked at Boriel, back in that cell. A man obsessed and lost to it.
Boriel. Cael. Gods, was she free now? And Cael, had Sarbo killed him?
“Where—where am I?” I croaked.
“Somewhere safe.” His hand glided down to my neck, seeming to hesitate on my osnat before moving down. When cold fingers fondled my breast, I scooted away, only to bump my head on the wall behind me. I tried to raise my arms, to push him away but they were too limp from this horrible fever that wracked through my body.
“I followed you, see.” He paid no attention to my discomfort and kept touching me. I realized with horror that I was naked. “I saw you and that other one walking through the garden, from my window. The Mother granted my wish. And now you are here, my darling. Such a treasure. The Great One had promised, but Prius had promised too!” At this, his face morphed into something hideous, maddening. “He promised me your— Well.” He calmed then, his dirty-brown eyes softening. “The Great One is gone, and Prius is dead. And here you are. Finally.”
The Great One? Did he mean Cael?
The fever had me breaking out in chills, had my teeth chattering. A haunting sound came from somewhere until I realized it was me who was making that gods-awful whimper.
“Oh, soon, my darling. Shh, you will enjoy this. Soon.”
The man was unhinged! There was no way in this world I’d let him have me. None.
Disgust had my stomach rising again. Sarbo sensed what was coming as I rolled onto my side. He pulled away as I dry heaved onto the floor.
“Omega, we are here. Hold on.”
Was that… Auria?
A thrumming shook the walls, escalating into a pounding. I leaned back, shaking like a leaf, my eyes swimming with hot tears from my retching. Sarbo frowned down at me, standing now. He was starting to fade at the edges of my vision, as if shrinking into a tunnel.
“There is no way they found—” he started to say, but the pounding stopped with a crash as a door I hadn’t seen tore off its hinges, showering the air with dust.
“Sierra!”
Fadon. The sound of his voice filled me with such relief, I shut my eyes. I heard Sarbo scream, and then nothing but voices. I was thankful I had closed my eyes.
Someone was lifting me, and I smelled the scent of Ander. I could hear Phobius, could scent Fadon. Something covered me, and I tried to open my eyes. Why couldn’t I open them?
It was then I realized they were open. I was blind. No wonder I couldn’t see.
“She’s burning up, Fadon.”
“He must have given her something.”
His voice, my mate’s scent flooded my senses. I was growing wet, hungry. Hot, twisted, restless. Wanting.
“Fadon,” I said in a husky tone.
“Shit,” Ander cursed at my ear.
“Here,” Phobius’ velvet voice commanded, “let me take her. Fadon, get back!” Phobius had me in his arms now. And although I couldn’t track a single trace of scent from him, his holding me seemed to settle me just enough to fully understand what was going on.
I reached out, bumping my hand against Phobius’ chin. “Cael! He’s still in the dungeon,” I said, willing my stupid vision to come back.
“Not anymore,” Phobius said. “Let’s go.”
I had no idea where we were, but when I felt warmth on my face, smelled fresh air with a hint of the sea, I knew we were outside. It was warm like a late spring day, and I knew then that Boriel was free.
Phobius set me down on something thick and soft, speaking to someone nearby.
“She’s gone into heat but she’s unhurt.”
“We’ll take it from here.”
