Page 230 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“No,” she snapped, her hands landing on his chest and shoving hard.

He had to hold in his gasp at howhother hands had been. When he looked down, he half-expected his shirt to be singed.

“Stop interrupting me, and let me speak, Axel St. Orcas,” she demanded.

“This is what should have never happened,” he shot back. “As much as we wish it were otherwise, we are still Fae and Legacy.” He saw the wince, let himself feel it in his soul. “And because I was careless, selfish, and short-sighted, I let this happen.”

“What, exactly, isthis?”

“You think that—” He shook his head, trying to get his thoughts in order “No. You know what? You want to know what to be prepared for? Any manner of torture, Katya. That’s what you should be prepared for. Be prepared for him to offer you to others. Be prepared for him to watch while it happens. Be prepared for him to conduct business with others while you are screaming. Or maybe he’ll take another route. Maybe he’ll force me to torture you. Draw blood. Taste it. Drink it. Maybe he’ll use you to finally get what he’s always wanted. Or maybe he’ll simply kill you. Correction. He never gets his hands dirty. He’ll makemekill you, and that, in turn, will kill me. But he won’t let thathappen either. He’ll make sure I stay alive to relive that moment over and over.”

“Axel,” she breathed, and then her arms were around him, and he was clutching her tightly to his chest.

“I can’t have this, Kat,” he whispered into her hair. “And because I tried, you will suffer for it.”

“I agreed to this, Axel. I?—”

“You didn’t know what you were agreeing to,” he interrupted yet again. “You didn’t know. You didn’t?—”

“I didn’t know how cruel Legacy could be to Fae?” she said, cutting him off this time. Her voice had a sardonic edge he’d never heard from her before. “You forget where I grew up. You forget that before I came here, that’s all I was: just another Fae. No different from Tessa or Lange or Corbin. There to serve, no matter what that looked like. Iaskedfor this. Iwanted. Do not belittle what I desired into something you think you somehow dragged me into.”

Before he could question it, his mouth was on hers. This kiss was pure desperation and need, tongues swiping and teeth clashing. Her fingers curled into his shirt where her hands still rested against his chest. He clutched her hips, pulling her into him as though if he could keep her close, he could somehow protect her.

Then he felt the wards shudder as they were crossed.

He pulled back abruptly, both of them breathing hard.

“We have to go,” he rasped.

Kat said nothing as she stepped away from him, smoothing her hands down her dress once more. He didn’t say anything either, picking up the messenger bag he’d dropped to the floor at some point before crossing to the door and guiding her out.

Theon met them at the bottom of the stairs, tense and rigid.

“Do you know who is collecting you?” Theon asked, his voice low.

“I just assumed it was one of Father’s personal guards,” Axel replied.

“Pavil and Metias.”

“You can’t be serious.”

Theon nodded grimly. “Be careful, Axel.” His green eyes cut to Kat. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. Your help has been invaluable.”

A goodbye.

Or the closest Theon would ever come to saying one.

Katya nodded, and Axel saw her throat bob. Maybe she was finally understanding how serious this was. He wasn’t stupid. His father wouldn’t kill a fire Fae, the only one in service to their kingdom at that, but she wouldn’t be returning to the townhouse with him. They all knew that.

He probably should have packed some things for her now that he thought about it. Not that it would really matter.

“Let’s go,” Axel muttered.

“I’ll check on you later,” Theon called after him.

He just offered a wave over his shoulder.

“Axel, pleasure to see you, as always,” Metias greeted, his voice as greasy as his slicked back black hair. Dark, beady eyes skipped to Kat, and the smile that curled on the male’s lips could only be described as slimy.

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