Page 84 of Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

I inhaled a shaking, broken breath. “Um…”

“That’s not an answer,” he half sang.

I shook my head, swallowing against his hand. “It’s…” I cleared my throat and closed my eyes, forcing myself to smell it. He was holding it out less than a foot away, but the smell was pungent. Sugary, sour. “I-it’s...” My eyes opened as the name popped into my head. “M-Mersine Berry Juice.” What? Why would he bring me that?

Trick twisted the cup around as if trying to get the crystal glass to catch the light that was no longer there. “And what does it do?”

“It, um—”

His hand tightened.

Anger found me at his reaction. I was allowed to use that word.“Egotistical prick.”My eyes narrowed as I pulled against the restraints. “It rids the body of b-bruises,” I told him, my voice still a little raspy from the amount of blood I had swallowed. “Paired with—with Asilos Root and Allure Antler, you’d be almost good as new.” Almost.

“Good,” he stated easily. “Now drink,” he told me, bringing it to my mouth.

I kept my mouth shut tightly. He had poisoned it, Iwas sure.

When he realized what I was doing, Trick pushed me into the counter until I felt my thighs start to bruise. “Drink,” he threatened, his voice a low growl.

I shook my head.

He pressed my head against his chest until I could no longer move, the liquid coating my lips.

Trick leaned down and sank his teeth into my skin, the bite so sharp, I couldn’t help but gasp.

He poured the liquid down my throat, causing me to cough, half my mind focused on that spot on my neck where he started to suck.

I gulped down the too sweet liquid, trying not to choke, my nails digging into my own chest as his teeth nipped painfully at my skin.

He lowered the cup and ran his tongue over the bruise he had just left, a shiver falling down my spine, my stomach churning. “Good girl,” he mumbled against my ear, causing something in me to simmer in a way I loathed. My eyes rolled back in my head, arousal dripping down my thighs as my hips pushed back into him, feeling his hardened cock press against my ass.

Trick pressed his tongue flat against my neck and licked up to my ear. “Now I have to cleanse you.”

My eyes flashed open, rationality taking over. I shook my head, gritting my teeth. “Let. Me. Go,” I ordered, the window completely steamed up. Where was Cole? Was there a shield between us and him? Would he be able to do anything if there wasn’t?

“You broke every rule, Angel. I told you what the consequences would be.”

I used every ounce of strength I had to shove back against him, although it did very little good. “Not every rule,” I spat back.

He smiled against my skin, a chuckle sounding deep in his throat, causing a shiver to slide down my spine. “So, you did read them.”

Over and over andoveragain. Because every time I tried to get rid of the parchment, it reappeared.

I set it on fire, buried it, threw it in the river, fed it to the pigs,ate it. It always showed back up within an hour of me getting rid of it.

The roses hadn’t been as durable.

“Fuck you,” I hissed.

“You will,” he mumbled, causing my teeth to grind painfully together. “But first.” He lifted his free hand and dropped something into the sink.

It didn’t take more than a second to realize what they were.

I gaped, my stomach twisting as my eyes fell to the sink where four severed dicks now rested. He had killed them. All four of those men, he had held true to his word.

I screamed through my teeth, fighting against him. Pushing, thrashing, the pain from my own injuries piercing through me.

“Kyra,” he sang in a way that made the very hairs on my skin stand on end.

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