Page 61 of Hallowed Games

“If you’re going to act like a harlot, Elowen, I will treat you like one…” He trailed off, his voice deep and husky. “Perhaps this is why the Archon cursed you.”

The Archon. Yes! That is what I was supposed to be doing.

“Deus Invictus, Archon Magne,” I muttered. “Deus Invictus, Archon Magne!”

I was on my back again, fully clothed, as the vision disappeared. My blood roared, body humming with desire. My heart pounded, and Maelor waited for my answer. My entire body felt flushed, glowing. The ache between my thighs hadn’t subsided.

“Five miles,” I said through labored breaths.

“Good girl,” he said softly. “But next time, start the chanting sooner. It really took you a while.”

I swallowed hard. “Weird.”

Curiosity sparked in his eyes. “What were your visions like?”

My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. I swallowed hard. “Just killing people. Total massacre. So much…so much carnage.”

He frowned. “Oh. One more time, Elowen. Tomorrow night will be harder. And if you mess that up, you die.”

I nodded. Archon, I wanted him.

But this time, as I envisioned him bending down to claim my mouth with his, I had the words already on my tongue.

Deus Invictus, Archon Magne. These words would be my salvation.

CHAPTER 28

Percival stood by my side in a row of Penitents. As we waited to give our confessions, torchlight cast flickering silhouettes over the dark mahogany booths. Muted voices carried through the latticed wood windows, the quiet hum of unburdening.

A metallic scent floated through the air under the smell of incense. In the temple’s marble atrium, we weren’t far from the dome where Sion had slaughtered three people just yesterday.

Percival leaned down, whispering to me, “Are you ready?”

I nodded, distracted. Even with the cloak on, the cool temple air washed my skin with a chill, raising goosebumps. The thing was, I didn’t have anything under the cloak except a damp chemise and my underwear. That was all part of my plan.

Maelor was very clear that when his dark side came out, he lost control. He was also very clear that women were his weakness. I just had to make sure I got into the right booth; he was the Raven in the last whispering chamber on the left. Then, I’d pull off my robe and loosen his tongue.

Sion’s words sang in my mind. A Raven who thinks of nothing but forbidden touch, and a witch who can kill if she does.

One of the chamber doors creaked open, and Sazia stumbled out, tears streaking her cheeks. She didn’t meet my gaze as she walked past us, shoulders slumped. What were they saying to people in there?

Percival nodded at me. It wasn’t the Raven Lord’s booth, so he took my spot, and he crossed over to the open door. I waited, rocking a little on my heels, until Maelor’s door creaked open.

Lydia sauntered out, smiling serenely. She was starting to look a bit like herself again. With a dewy flush in her cheeks, she radiated self-assuredness. Now that was the Lydia I knew.

She flashed me a little smile, then fluttered her fingers at me in a wave. “Do you know what, old friend? I think the Raven Lord likes me.”

I stared at her as she walked away. How had I never realized how much she was like her father?

I took a deep breath and crossed over to Maelor’s chamber.

As I stepped inside, his eyebrows knitted together. In here, the shadows seemed to caress his sharp cheekbones and jawline, and his black eyelashes were a stark contrast to his pale eyes. “It’s you.”

I took the seat across from him. It was so cramped in here that our knees touched. “I’m here for my unburdening.”

He wasn’t wearing a full wool cloak, but rather a lighter robe of cotton that buttoned up to his throat. The fabric looked rich and soft to the touch.

With his eyes on me, he stood. “Excuse me a moment.”

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