Page 33 of Dark Fate

Panic flickers acrossMeadow's pale face. She opens her mouth, but only a quaver emerges.

Lucianrakes both hands down his face melodramatically. "Well, isn't this just fucky luck? Little Miss Brainiac needs a study break before unscrambling fae witchcraft shit..." He rounds onMeadow, eyes a storm. "Here's some math for you, flower—we've got about twenty damn minutes before Mistress Crowned Sadist starts wondering why her boy toys haven't come crawling back to heel yet."

Amara's got a rep for craving her wild shindigs when the clock strikes late, andLucian's hitting the nail right on the fucking head. Chances are, she'll come sniffing around for us soon enough.

I fix a steely gaze on the girl, barely holding it together, and let out a low snarl. "Time frame,Mouse. Cut the crap—how long 'til you bust this wicked enchantment?"

Her throat bobs. "A-an hour at least... maybe more ... forgive me!"

In a blind fury, I spin around, and my fist flies, obliterating the creaky old shelf behindMeadowinto a storm of splinters, showcasing just a taste of my unbridled power.

Meadowlets out a high-pitched squeak and scuttles backward like a startled cricket, hugging that tome to her chest like a lifeline.

The hellish miles between me andDaniare tearing me apart—every damn tick of the clock feels like a year, and that gap where our connection used to burn bright is just fucking emptiness now, pulling at my mind like a relentless void. Without her, I'm just a lost bastard at sea, with no direction, sinking into that goddamn darkness, with none of her light to guide me back.

"For fuck's sake,Rhy, get a grip!"Luciansnarls, his voice cracking like a whip. "Blowing up bookshelves helps no one." He grabs my shoulder with bruising strength that I scarcely feel. "We need Pixie Brain here intact if we wanna ditch dog collars, yeah? So put a chokehold on that temper!"

I grit my teeth, battling the urge to unleash the fury within, the beast that's clawing to break free.Lucian's words cut through the bullshit—flipping my lid will only land us in hotter water. So I hold it back, muscles knotted, forcing the monster back into its cage.

Then the damn shouting shatters the silence in the library, booming through the corridors. The queen's hellhounds are going batshit below, growling and snapping, their noise mixed with the cold, hard clang of the guards locking shit down.Lucianand I lock eyes, and it's as if we're peering into the same deep hellhole. My gut drops as if it's sprouted wings and taken flight.

I grabMeadow's delicate wrist in a vise grip, pulling her hard as we sprint like hell through the library's upper levels—my mind races with escape routes.

Slip into hiding? Useless—those bloodhounds will track us down.

Stand our ground and fight? No way in hell with these magic collars still clamped on us.

My gaze snaps to the prize—a majestic stained glass window, the moon's light turning it into a masterpiece of color. It's a Hail Mary, crammed with risks, but with our backs against the wall and capture breathing down our necks, it's the one move we have left.

Without hesitating, I gun it for that window, our rainbow-tinted escape hatch. Beside me,Meadow's panic hits a fever pitch, her frantic pleas soaring as she tries to pull against me and my momentum.

"We’re seven stories up, My Lord," she whispers. "I won’t survive that drop!" comes her high-pitched protest, terror raising each note.

I don't bother with sweet talk. In one quick move, I hoist the tiny fae up, tucking her under my arm like she's a damn inconvenience. Her fingers are white-knuckled around that grimoire, fear turning her grip ghostly, the tome pressed against her heaving chest.

"Trust me, I’m your best shot. Now, hold on." I order, hearing the urgency in my own voice.

Meadow looks at me, her eyes two terrified pools reflecting the lightning decision in my mind. And then we’re crashing through the stained glass, an explosion of colors tearing apart around us.

For a heartbeat, we're caught in freefall's silent embrace, the night air a cool caress against my skin... then reality rushes back with the cruel tug of gravity.

Then Lucian, a shadow against the moon, his howl of exhilaration piercing the night right behind us.

Danica

14

My entire body feels like one massive bruise as I slowly peel off my sweat-plastered training clothes and collapse onto my bed. I'm sure even my hair is sore after the intense sparring with Erik. Every overworked muscle burns from the session.

Who knew learning badass combat skills would be so grueling?

Wincing, I roll to my side, muscles shrieking. Note to self—Invent Fantasy World ibuprofen ASAP. Or at least beg Faderyn for a magical hot tub.

Not that I'm complaining too much. Once my heart stopped ricocheting around my ribs from Erik's surprise attacks, the exhilaration of actually going toe-to-toe with a vampire warrior began to sink in. And miraculously, I avoided having my ass handed to me on a platter in under ten seconds.

Until he pulled that dirty sweeping kick, at least...My back kissed dirt hard enough to bang the air from my lungs three times. But still—I was moving, landing a few blows! Once the shock wore off, fury and stubbornness made me get up swinging every time.

It's unreal—this newfound speed and reaction time awakening inside me. As if my cosmic DNA has decided, now is the time to activate my warrior upgrade package.

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