Page 90 of Starkeeper of the Fractured Crown

Trick watched me carefully before walking up to me again. “I know enough. I know the denial you live in. I know how much you hate yourself for craving certain things. I know how deeply that hatred is ingrained into your soul. And I know exactly what it’s going to take to convince you that there is nothing wrong with you for liking certain things. I know a lot more too, but it doesn’t pertain to this specific conversation.”

I straightened, my arms going slack at my side, my lips parting as I finally put together what I hadn’t before. “How do you…” My eyes widened. “Did you read my journals?”

“You keep a lot of secrets, Kyra, even from yourself. We’re not doing that. Rule. 3.”

Rage boiled under my skin. So much, so fully, that I couldn’t control my body as I raised my hand and slapped him with everything I had.

The slap rang through the forest as if we were in a canyon, the echoes vibrating through me, the pain sparking down my arm.

Trick kept his eyes locked on mine.

I panted, my heart hammering, any good feeling he had given me earlier, gone.

“You catalog your injuries,” he stated evenly and without a hitch. “But I’ve searched, I’ve watched but not even my shadow will tell me who is hurting you.” His eyes darkened. “I don’t know why. In fact, I’ve contemplated destroying it too. If you don’t tell me who is hurting you then—”

“Thenwhat?” I snarled, hot tears cutting through the rain. “What will you do, Trick? Keep pushing meto the edge of cumming and then cut me off? I’ve experienced so much worse. There is nothing you can do, nothing you can say, to get me to tell you who is doing it.”

“Why?” he half-growled. “Why protect him?”

He truly had no idea. Not a single clue.Because she’s my mom, and I need her to love me.“Why does it matter to you? I’m just anotherthingto you, aren’t I? A little plaything to fuck and discard. To play with, leave whimpering in the woods, and disappear. A war is coming, right? Everyone in the world knows what Trick Michael does when a war approaches.That’swhat I’m waiting for,” I said, trying to ignore how icy the world had become. “It’s just a matter of time before the great High King disappears for another ten years. I won’t even be alive by the time you return,” I spat. “There is no bigger ‘fuck you’ than that.”

He leaned in then, slowly, like a predator who knew his prey didn’t have the guts to run.

It wasn’t that I didn’t have the guts, I was just too stupid to back down from this particular fight.

“Are you threatening to kill yourself, Angel?” he whispered in my ear before leaning back just enough to meet my eyes.

Our noses were less than an inch apart. I could feel each breath he took touch my lips and I hated it so much my hands shook. “I’m stating a fact.”

“Hmm,” he mumbled, glancing to my lips. He ran a tongue over his bottom lip and lifted his eyes slowly back to mine. “Then you leave me no choice.” He released a sharp whistle and straightened.

A tendril of shadow broke apart from him and shottowards me. Before I could do anything to shield myself, to run, it slid into my mouth and down my throat.

I coughed, grabbing my throat, gasping for air, the chill spreading through my body, swirling in my stomach, stretching out to every toe, every finger, every nerve-ending.

It lasted seconds. I shuddered, my eyes jerking up to his, fear slamming through me. “What the fuck did you just do to me?” I demanded, sliding a hand over my stomach as if I could touch the thing that now lived inside of me.Hismagic that now pulsed through my veins.

There wasn’t an ounce of light in his eyes, no hint of that evil smirk. “I’m sure you’ve heard my voice once or twice since I locked that collar around your neck. Allowing my shadows to become a part of you will amplify that. It’s uncomfortable giving up two shadows to you, but there’s no one else in the world I’d rather make the sacrifice for than my sweet little addiction.”

My eyes widened, heart pounding against my ribs. “What?” I whispered. “Take it back. Takethemback.”

“No,” he answered easily. “I can’t read your mind, but I can hear you if you choose to speak to me. I’ll feel it if your heartbeat becomes too fast or too slow. It works both ways too, with the speaking thing. You aren’t versed enough to know how to tune into my heart yet, but soon you will be. Go home, Kyra. Don’t break anymore rules.”

I screamed through my teeth as he turned away from me. Thatasshole!

He looked back as if hearing my thoughts. “And I’m not going anywhere. Not this time. Not unless you’rewith me.”

“I willnevergo anywhere with you,” I spat venomously.

He took me in one last time and then smiled softly. “We’ll see.”

My panic exploded as soon as he started disappearing into the shadows. “Wait,” I called. Despite my absolute disgust in him, I was terrified of being alone tonight. “Evanora,” I said, hating myself for needing his sudden reassurance. “The witches.”

He glanced back as the shadows swallowed him whole. “You’re safe. Go home. Have wet dreams about me and then deny them,” he smiled. “See you soon, Angel.”

I stared after him until I couldn’t see him anymore before I turned to the city, terrified. But a small piece of me believed him. He said I was safe and I…I trusted that.

God, what the fuck was wrong with me?

---