Page 169 of Cursed Heirs

Ore had told me about that shit and it could knock out even the most powerful beings for hours on end.

And I guess that was exactly what had happened here, because now we weren’t inside the mansion anymore.

In fact, as I strained past the pain to make out my surroundings, I realized we were in a forest somewhere. Yeah, that really narrowed it down.

I was bound to a tree and Alena was right opposite me, up close, just a foot between us.

There were chains around our arms and legs and also one banded across my torso. I could barely move at all and as I tried to pull at them, they proved incredibly strong. Dark Fae metal, maybe.

Normally, I’d use my phoenix fire, which could pretty much melt through anything, but I was positioned too close to Alena, so it could hurt her if I tried.

“Alena?” I called out.

A few more tries and she lifted her head, sleepily opening her eyes.

They went wide and she started to panic as she realized our predicament.

“It’s okay,” I told her. “I’m here. You’re not alone. I’m here, firecracker.”

“Talon,” she breathed.

“Yeah, it’s okay. We’ll be okay. It looks like we’re bound by Dark Fae metal.DuariamOre calls it. Both my phoenix fire and your angel magic can break through it. But I can’t call my flames unless you call your power first, in case I burn you. So, go ahead, call your magic, then I’ll call my flames, and we’ll get the hell out of here before that maniac shows his face.”

“You don’t understand. That’s what he wants.”

“What?”

“For us to use our power. The Orb must be near. He did this so we’d power it.” She looked all around, swinging her head from side to side—pretty much the only part of our bodies that we could actually move right now.

“You’ve come to know my tricks well, darling princess,” that creepy voice sounded, before Constantine appeared, revealing himself from a cloaked state just a few feet from us.

He held theHellbornstaff in one hand, and the Orb of Vorlav in the other.

He took a step toward Alena and she flinched, fear filling her eyes.

“Leave her alone! Don’t you fucking touch her!” I yelled.

He pulled up short and grinned at me. “Phoenixes, always so fiery. Pun intended. Your mother was just like you.”

“Don’t talk about her! You don’t have the right!”

I could feel the urge there to call my flames, but I swallowed it down.

I had to. For Alena.

I couldn’t hurt her. Not for anything.

This nightmare of a being before us had already done far too much of that.

“You haven’t put it together, have you? But Alena should have. She was there, after all.”

At his words, I saw recognition there on Alena’s face.

“What’s he talking about?” I asked her.

She grimaced. “This forest… this is where he murdered your parents.”

“How do you feel about that, little phoenix?” Constantine asked.

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