Page 31 of The Shadowbound King

In a sudden movement, the streamers of magic whipped around Rane’s throat and yanked him forward.

The men collided in a clang of steel. In the space of a heartbeat, the energy in the chamber turned sexual. Rane andAndrin grappled, the sound of ripping fabric and metal on metal mingling with their labored breaths.

I scrambled backward, not stopping until the bars of the cage dug into my spine.

Masculine aggression filled the air. Gauntlets clattered to the marble, and then Andrin tangled a hand in Rane’s hair and forced his head back. The shadows continued winding around Rane’s throat, forming thick loops that climbed to his chin.

Shock held me immobile. The castle could have crumbled to the ground, and I wouldn’t have noticed.

Andrin gazed down at Rane, his stare dark and possessive. Rane appeared helpless in the king’s grip, his breathing ragged and his chin forced high by the shadowy ropes around his neck. Color stained his cheeks. But he didn’t seem frightened or unwilling. On the contrary, his eyes glittered with…something.

I leaned forward, and I recognized the look in Rane’s purple gaze.

Hunger.

With his free hand, Andrin drew a finger down Rane’s cheek. “You always serve me so well.”

The men twisted into shadow, their bodies disintegrating into thick, dark clouds. The mass streamed across the room and into the bedchamber. Seconds later, sounds drifted in the air.

Armor hitting the ground. Masculine growls. A hoarse cry. The creak of bed ropes. After a moment, rhythmic grunts, squeaking bed ropes, and the thud of wood against the wall created a lurid symphony. There was no mistaking what unfolded in the other room.

My face burned, and a strange restlessness squirmed through me. It felt wrong to listen. But what choice did I have? As the sounds continued, I huddled against the pillows, my gaze on the bedchamber’s doorway.

Rane didn’t just keep Andrin safe. He shared the king’s bed. But there was something more to it than just physical desire. The energy around Andrin had been ominous. Sinister. They’d returned from the Edelfen, where the elven woman Vivia said others had been wounded.

“Let me help you,” Rane had implored Andrin. What kind of help did he mean? What lurked in the Edelfen that made someone as formidable as Andrin return bloodied and close to losing control? And what did my father have to do with it?

Caged and collared, I was in no position to find out. But Andrin wanted me alive. And now I knew I was safe from his and Rane’s advances. As sounds of passion continued to spill from the bedchamber, I curled up on the pillows.

Ginhad said I would serve wine during feasts. As humiliating as the task promised to be, it was an opportunity to learn more about the Autumn Court. For the moment, I was weaponless and powerless. But knowledge was power. I’d arm myself with it.

And when I got the chance, I’d thrust it through my captors’ hearts.

Chapter

Eight

ANDRIN

Iopened my eyes to a darkened bedchamber.

Rane sprawled on his back beside me, one forearm over his eyes and his hair spread across the pillow. His mouth was slightly open, and his chest rose and fell in the rhythm of deep sleep. As usual, he’d kicked the blankets off like they’d insulted his honor.

He was a mouthwatering sight, his pale skin glowing against the dark sheets. The fire had burned low, and its light gilded the thick curve of his bicep and the indentations of his abs. His cock lay thick and soft against his thigh. The wounds he’d sustained in the Edelfen—and under me—had faded to a soft pink.

Outside the bedchamber’s windows, the sky was dark. Closing my eyes, I cast my senses wide, letting them dig under the soil of the meadow beyond the Embervale. Deep in my consciousness, where my connection with the land dwelled, Autumn stirred.

I sank my senses deeper into the dirt, letting it break apart in my mind. Information flowed back to me as the land spoke in a rush of crisp air and crackling leaves. The ground was still warm from the sun, the air above it kissed by the cooler temperaturesof early evening. The night was young yet. Plenty of time for a feast.

And plenty of time to see Mirella assume her new role. It was necessary, especially after the day’s battle in the Edelfen. As Rane had warned, the shadows grew more powerful. My people were weary. They needed a reason to rally. I couldn’t give them Walto just yet, but I could give them his daughter.

The leaves crackled again. Behind my closed eyelids, the soil continued to crumble, giving way to swirling shadow and dozens of pairs of glowing, malevolent eyes.

In my head, I recoiled. I’d pushed too deep. Delved too far into the darkness. But even as I thought it, I knew it wasn’t true. I hadn’t pushed any deeper than I normally did.

The darkness had seeped closer to the surface, corrupting my bond with the land like infection smothering healthy tissue. Shadows swarmed behind my closed lids. I had to sever the connection. But as I pulled my senses from the dirt, a bright spot appeared in my mind.

Hesitating, I peered at it. Small and golden, it sparkled like sunlight on water. Confusion and curiosity gripped me. Suddenly, the radiant speck dimmed. Then it winked out. The shadows raced toward me. I opened my eyes, breaking the bond.

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