Page 62 of The Other Side of the Mirror

Aviel took my frozen realization as acceptance and gave me a wicked smile, as if pleased I had given up. Like I wouldevergive in to him.

He still had a satisfied smirk on his lips before he pushed them against mine, brutally kissing me as he held me down. I could feel the evidence of his arousal pressing against my hip, and I wished yet again I had my dagger to cut him into pieces, starting down there.

Would it be smarter to kiss him back to distract him or try to bite a chunk out of his tongue?

Aviel bit down on my bottom lip, and I cursed as he drew blood.

“There she is,” he said smugly. “Or did you think I would forget who you are and let you lure me into complacency?”

I railed against his hold, careful not to pull on my chains lest they burst open. But Aviel stood suddenly, getting off the bed while tugging at the laces of his pants. Turning away, he walked over to retrieve a crystal glass filled with an amber liquid from a nearby table before taking a drink.

“Patience, darling. I’ll break you soon enough.”

My heart leapt into my chest.

Before he could turn around, I slipped one hand carefully from its manacle, reaching blindly underneath the pillow.A syringe. I palmed it as best I could, avoiding the point, and slid the hand holding it back into the iron bulb. Aviel chuckled darkly when he heard the clatter of my bonds, but he didn’t turn around as he set the empty glass down.

I pulled the bulb closed as best I could from the inside, gritting my teeth at the effort. My fingers were sweaty and fumbling as I tugged the iron back together, the needle sticking out through a crack in the top.

“Don’t worry, darling.” Aviel slowly turned around, gazing down at me in his bed, his eyes dark. “You won’t have to wait much longer.”

“I’m not your darling,” I hissed. “I’m not your anything.”

“You’re about to be.”

I would only get one chance. Taking a deep breath, I held it as Aviel removed his shirt, stalking towards me.

Hold.

My fingers tightened on the syringe, twisting it behind my hand. I prayed Aviel didn’t notice anything amiss with my manacles. But then he was on top of me, his knees painfully pressing into my legs to hold me down, a possessive hand trailing down my body.

I stilled, and Aviel took it as acquiescence. He looked down, and I blew out the breath I was holding, pulling my hands from their bonds?—

His eyes flew up, too late, as I plunged the syringe into his chest, emptying the sedative directly into his heart.

Gasping, Aviel reared back, his malice-filled eyes going cloudy as he fell off me.

Run.

Shaking so hard I could barely breathe, I flung my legs off the bed, staggering to my feet. Then fell, catching myself with one hand. Being bedridden for days then manhandled hadn’t helped what I was fairly sure was a concussion from Aviel’s fondness of backhanding me, not to mention the days of being drugged. My fae healing, however sluggish, was likely the only thing that made me wake back up.

I tugged the torn remains of my dress around me, stumbling unsteadily toward the doorway. Every movement made me dizzier, the world going in and out of focus. I didn’t allow myself the distraction of looking behind me until I reached it.

When I did look back, Aviel was face-down on the giant bed.

If I could find a weapon, I could take him out now.

“Hurry!” Alette appeared so suddenly I nearly jumped out of my skin; my nerves completely frayed. “He’s down for now, but not for long. He’s too powerful.”

She grabbed my hand, half-dragging me into the living room of Aviel’s suite. When she pressed an elaborate silver sconce on the mantle, the fireplace swung forward, leaving me gaping.

A secret passage.

She thrust a pack into my arms and fastened a deep green cloak around my shoulders. “The staircase will lead you to the forest.Go.”

I refused to let go of her hand.

“Come with me,” I pleaded hoarsely. “He’ll kill you.”

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