Page 212 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“There are no maps to her kingdom or palace because she does not want to be found. I had assumed it was because of The Eye, and I think that is true. Maybe she isn’t cloaked, but perhaps she has a spell that makes those who leave her premises lose the memory of it,” Samkiel said.

Dianna cast a flirtatious grin toward him. “Gods, you’re so hot and so smart.”

“I agree,” I said against my smooshed pillow. “You look great for a half-dead guy. Or a recently dead guy. How did that work? Your light burns in the sky. I felt it. We all did.”

Samkiel went to open his mouth when Dianna’s warning growl stopped him. He cut her a look, and she glared back, her brows shooting up in disagreement. For a second, I wondered if they were speaking mind to mind, but I didn’t see the mark on them. Another warning growl rumbled in her throat. A skitter of fear tripped down my spine, but Samkiel seemed intrigued by the sound. His eyes glowed a bit brighter before she huffed and folded her arms in defeat. He gave her a small smile before turning back to me.

“Regardless of Dianna’s shameless flirting, she is right,” Samkiel said. “This does put us in a predicament. We are no closer to finding Nismera, and even beings who have been to her stronghold can’t tell us where it is.”

“I’m sorry. I wish I could be more helpful,” I said.

Dianna cocked her head. “Who said you won’t be?”

Worry crept up my spine, a chill curving around my neck. “Okay, why does it feel like you want to rip my head off when you look at me like that?”

“She doesn’t.” Samkiel gave her a pointed look.

“So what happens now?” I asked, not convinced he was right.

Dianna shrugged, tapping her nails against her biceps. “We keep you locked up.”

“Temporarily,” Samkiel enunciated the word.

It truly was comical watching them. Dianna was one destructive force, and Samkiel was the one who kept her and everything together. They really were two sides of the same coin.

“Okay,” I said, my eyes darting to Dianna. “Why? I would never . . . I wouldn’t. Not again . . .”

The room grew silent, the air thickening between us. It felt like an anvil pressing on my chest. How could I apologize when I’d done it for Xavier?

She held my gaze. “You are still in peak Thrash, which means whatever Kaden wants from you, you’ll do.”

“No, I won’t,” I all but snapped, hissing as I tried to push up off the cot.

“Cameron. You’ve been turned for months. Has he helped you feed? Change forms? Train? I highly doubt it. Do you have your hunger under control? Hmm?”

I glanced away, staring at the fate. He watched all this unfold with something akin to wonder in his eerie eyes.

“Exactly,” she pressed. “You’d probably blow him if he asked at this point.”

My head whipped toward her. There was disgust on her face, and Samkiel looked at her with worried eyes. I knew he was wondering if Kaden had demanded the same from her when she’d first been changed.

Dianna held up her hands. “I’m just saying, okay? I am not saying it happened. In the beginning, you are very bonded with the being that made you. It takes a bit to work it out of your system. Think about it. Hasn’t he asked you to do things, and you agreed? I assume you even went back after whatever missions he sent you on, even though we both know you normally wouldn’t.”

Samkiel watched me carefully, and I didn’t turn away this time because she was right. I had done just that. An odd sense of home pulled me back to her damned palace even though I hated it, hated him. I assumed it was because I thought Samkiel was dead and I had no place to go, but if what Dianna said was true, then I was fucked.

“Okay.” I sighed. “Keep me locked up. I don’t want to answer his call or act on anything he wishes. More than anything, I don’t want to hurt you again,” I said and eased back down on the cot, my head feeling too heavy to hold up any longer. I hoped they could hear the sincerity in my voice.

“I promise to make it as comfortable as I can until we figure this out,” Samkiel said, crouching beside me once more. I had forgotten how massive he truly was. He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I inhaled deeply, taking in his familiar scent. That was what home felt like.

EIGHTY-SEVEN

CAMERON

Sleep would not come, my body refusing to allow me the solace of unconsciousness. The castle had quieted down, and my internal clock told me it had to be well past midnight. The fresh air that circulated into my cell smelled sweet, bringing thousands of new scents I would normally be eager to explore. But right now, they just added to the throbbing in my head. I could only focus on the burn in my throat and the rumble in my stomach.

I tossed, sweat beading on my skin as an aching need ripped at my gut. Dianna was right. I wasn’t out of Thrash, not at all. Those damn underground fights and the blood had been my way of sublimating it. I turned onto my side, trying to get comfortable, and gasped. A pair of red eyes glowed at me from the darkness outside my cell. My body jerked in instinctive fear, my back screaming with the movement.

Dianna emerged from the shadows, holding a tall glass. The aroma hit me, and I jumped to my feet, my fangs descending. The pain in my back and arms was non-existent compared to the hunger. My stomach growled loud enough for her to hear, and claws replaced my nails. She stepped back, not out of fear but gauging me and my reaction. She swirled the liquid in the cup, the smell driving me mad. Without thinking, I reached out and gripped the cerulean bars. I hissed in pain and yanked them back.

---