Page 41 of The Blood Crown

You.Notus.

"At what cost?" she asked.

He swallowed, eyes dropping to her lips, her throat. "A blood oath—to my father."

"No—" She had little understanding of the ancient magick enacted in blood oaths, but she knew they were binding. Powerful. His father was cunning, ruthless, and if Ven offered an oath to him, it could very well mean he would never leave this place.

His voice was ragged as he gripped her hands in his own. “It’s only a matter of time before Maloch tracks us here or my father discovers the power you possess—that the King of the Void is searching for you," he pressed. "And then there will be no escaping this place. Not for you. Not for Karro." Anguish flickered across his face. "And I will not damn you to this existence."

If it had only been herself—she would have accepted her damnation beside him. But Karro . . .

"I won't leave you," she uttered. "We'll find another way."

And something bitter as the winter wind froze over Ven's eyes as he replied, "Even if I escape this place, you—and I." His gaze hardened as he held her stare. "We will never be together."

She pulled away from him, sliding from his lap as he released her. "I don't believe you—"

"I have nothing to offer you, Aurelia," Ven said coldly. "This—this is all we will ever have."

The male sitting in front of her was a stranger. His face devoid of any emotion, composed into a mask of indifference. It was as if none of what they'd just shared meant anything to him.

The words hung in the air, stealing the breath from her lungs as a fist pounded at the door.

Chapter 21

Pacing the cold stone floor, Aurelia chewed at the inside of her cheek, stopping abruptly at the bare black wall to look down at her palms.

White heat flooded her veins, smothered just as quickly.

Useless—her magick was fucking useless here.

She'd been too stunned, too hurt by Ven's words to say anything as he left.

He'd pleaded, begged her to tell him why she had come back through the mirror. And when she finally did, when she'd finally torn herself open for him . . .

I have nothing to offer you, Aurelia.

She saw it for the lie that it was. Because what they'd shared—however fleeting—thatwas real. But none of that mattered. The very thought of leaving him behind threatened to break her, even if he'd spoken the truth. Even if there would be nothing between them if they made it out of this place.

Everything they’d fought for—the safety of the human realm, clawing their way through demons and the ancient beasts thatroamed the in-between—it did not end here—wouldnot end here.

Fuck him.

She wouldn’t be leaving this place without him.

They did not fight alone.

Closing her eyes, she braced her feet apart. The humming energy answered her call, her magick rising to the surface. White heat sparked between her fingertips, evaporating as it was stifled by the silver cuffs around her wrists. If only she could find the keys to unlock them . . .

Her power might be useless . . . but she had another gift at her disposal.

Pressing her ear against the thick door, she listened to the hushed voices of the guards, waiting until footsteps echoed away into the corridor.

Pounding a fist against the door, she waited for a grunt in response, covering her mouth as she mumbled incoherently.

“What?” came the grumble from the other side.

She feigned a coughing fit, sputtering a string of nonsense until she heard the thunk of the heavy latch lifting.

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