Page 59 of Steel Heart Iron Claws

“Lord Basten.” He bows.

“Open her fucking door,” I order.

The guard’s throat bobs as he quickly turns the handle, looking away tactfully in case he should catch a glimpse of his mistress in early morning disarray.

At the sound of the door opening, Lady Runa shoots up in bed, her hand darting to the knife she keeps beneath her pillow.

She might be a coddled noblewoman who hasn’t onceemptied her own chamber pot, but she’s still a Valvere. And they all sleep with knives.

“Wolf.” Her body softens when I step into the low light and nudge the door closed with my heel.

It’s too dark for her to see the blood on my temple. All she sees is a beast of a man supposedly risking everything to enter her bedroom. Mistaking my intentions, she drags a hand along her low neckline, her breath growing shallow as her pupils dilate.

“Wolf, I knew you would come?—”

She slinks out of the silk sheets and makes as if to touch my face, but I grab her wrist in the shackle of one hand and slap my other one over her mouth.

“Listen closely, you Valvere bitch. If you scream, I’ll strangle you until you’ll never make another sound. The locket. Point to where it is.”

Her mouth is damp against my palm, her pulse rushing through her veins in a mix of fear and sick arousal. For fuck’s sake. This is turning heron.

I wrench her arm harder behind her back. She moans breathily against my palm, and I roll my eyes. I wrench harder, and her moan finally turns to one of pain.

She uses her free hand to point to the wardrobe.

I drag her over and throw open the door. It’s filled with the usual silk gowns and lacy underclothes. Her finger flails toward the top drawer. I pull it open so hard it falls out, spilling priceless jewels all over the floor.

I nudge through the pieces with my boot until I see a locket engraved with an S.

I snatch it up, wrenching it open.

And freeze.

It's not just a beautiful face staring back at me—though,damn, she makes the fae goddesses look like heifers. It’s the defiance in her eyes. Sea-blue eyes. Eyes that snag me like a fishing lure and reel me in, stranger or no.

My breath hitches, and an intense warmth spreads from my fingertips to my chest. It's maddening, this unearthly pull. I don't recognize a single curve of this face, yet I feel bound to her in a way that's beyond logic.

She lives in more than memories.

Yes. Yes, she does.

I close my fist around the locket, then release Runa with a shove toward her bed. She catches herself on the mattress, looking back over her shoulder with pupils completely blown. Slowly, she runs her tongue over her lips where my handprint still marks her face.

“Wolf Bowborn. If you fight like that, you must fuck like a god.”

My jaw clamps so hard that my molars ache. As much as I want to shove this vile woman out the four-story window, I force myself to the door instead.

“The gods will be here to fuck us all over soon enough,” I growl as I leave.

Chapter 18

Sabine

My father is a fae.

Ghost and Whisper too.

The thoughts are so mind-shattering that it’s all I can do to keep breathing. I’m splayed out on the Hall of Vale’s banquet table, broken ceiling debris scattered around me, like some grotesque dessert waiting to be served.

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