Page 129 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

Ryder threw himself at the bars but only ended up sprawled on the ground.

“Don’t be dramatic,” the witch ordered. “You’ll see the chimera soon enough.”

“If you’re so condescendingly wise,” Cady snapped, and I cringed. “Why don’t you just tell us in plain terms what’s going on? You seem to think we’re defeated anyway.”

The witch studied my sister then promptly turned on her heel, back in the direction from which she had come. Cells stretched as far as I could see, lit only by sparse torches. As the witch walked farther away, panic gnawed at me.

“Wait,” I said. The witch paused. “You brought us here for a reason. You didn’t just kill us outright, which means you need us for something—you needFreya.She’s hurt badly. She needs help.”

The witch did not face me but whistled sharply. Though I couldn’t hear it, a door opened and shut. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall, and a man in a crisp, blue uniform emerged. Golden lapels glimmered on his narrow shoulders. He bowed to the witch before him.

“Watch them,” she instructed. “If the Redfern witch’s wounds do not stop bleeding within the hour, alert me. Make sure her chest rises and falls.”

The man bowed once again, and the witch left the dungeons as swiftly as she had entered them. The man walked through the hall and turned to face us. I wondered if he was really as pale as he appeared or if the torchlight played tricks on my eyes. When he caught my stare, he grinned and revealed a toothy, blood-stained smile.

Ryder growled. “Since when do bloodsuckers work for witches?”

“Says the dog in the crate,” the vampire shot back.

“This is what they send to guard us?” Cady scoffed. “I’m offended.”

The vampire leered at my sister, and I didn’t need magic for my blood to boil.

“Such young, powerful blood,” the vampire purred. “You’d tasteexquisite.”

Though every muscle in my body protested, I rushed to my feet and put every ounce of hatred, rage, and fear into my stare.

“Shut thefuckup,” I commanded and pressed my face against the bars, “andstay away from my sister.”

“It’s fine, big brother,” Cady promised. Her smile was chilling. “I conquered a Master, remember? This plebian would be nothing for me.”

The vampire gulped and fell silent.

Minutes stretched by, and exhaustion forced me off my feet, then eventually to lying on the ground. I stared and stared at Freya, as if I could will her to heal. Her blood quickly clotted, and without panic making me shake, I recognized the breaths that expanded her ribs.

I fell asleep watching that tiny movement.

???

Someone punched me in the face,was my first waking thought, followed shortly by,who is yelling at me to wake up?

“Walker,” Freya hissed.

When I recognized her voice, memories flooded back to me, and I snapped to attention. Dark spots danced in my vision, and pain laced my head, but I ignored it and studied the witch in front of me.

Blood crusted above her temple, but Freya’s gaze was clear and filled with concern.

“Arion isn’t here,” she said tightly. As she studied me, worry rounded her eyes. “Walker, yournose.”

Like an idiot, I touched it and hissed. It hurt like a mother, and it was splayed across the side of my face.

“I think it’s broken,” I said. Some of my hoarseness had faded and revealed just how nasally I sounded.

I glanced over at my sister, but she and Ryder were fast asleep.

“Youthink?”she demanded and sighed. “We need to reset it. Then-then I’ll find Arion.”

“Maybe he didn’t get sucked into the ripple,” I said, but it was half-hearted even to my ears. I cleared my throat. “Maybe he’s already free in the court, wreaking havoc.”

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