Page 127 of The Sacred and the Tormented

His gaze traveled to her injured leg and Rion’s blood boiled at the sight. But it was her strange behavior that concerned him the most.

She’d been afraid of his magic since the day he’d hurt her, but she’d never outright fled from it. He wanted to help protect her, yet she wouldn’t allow it.

And when she’d first seen him, she’d barely glanced his way. But none of them had time to address that now. Not when Ellie had just killed the male she loved and Saoirse was barely on her feet. And certainly not with Vairik’s sinister plan in mind.

Another crack in the floor and Rion’s magic strummed through his body as if answering Arianna’s magic’s call. It’d always done that but something about this moment was different. It felt as if their energies were two sentient beings conversing. Plotting.

The ground shook beneath their feet again and another crack crawled along the left wall before more boiling steam burst into the room.

Vairik gripped the railing above, his brow furrowing. Then Rion scented his anger, a blast of ancient magic rising up from his body.

Arianna’s magic was more volatile than even his own, fed by an equally ancient rage he’d never seen from her. If she suffered from the emptiness of the bond, she didn’t show it.

Rion clenched his jaw and resisted the urge to reach for his chest. Even with Arianna standing right beside him, he could scarcely breathe.

But shewasbeside him. She was safe and alive and the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on. A few moments alone, a few days and the bond would rebuild.

But first they had to get out of here. Alive and with Ellie.

The Dark Fae lunged, plunging their world into chaos. He kept an eye on his mate, trying to stay as close to Arianna’s side as she’d allow.

She kept backing away and avoided his magic at all costs. He caught her eyeing him, her gaze wary as if he were the enemy.

Rion glared at Vairik. That blasted male had tampered with Ellie’s mind, there was no reason to assume he hadn’t done the same with Arianna’s.

One of the beasts lunged and his heart broke all over again when Arianna cried out in pain. He blasted everything surrounding them and ripped the hound off her body with his bare hands.

Earth and rock crushed the creature before it even hit the ground. He knelt at Arianna’s side, his knees scraping against the hard stone. He reached for the wound, ready to draw a rune with his own blood, but a thin layer of frost crawled up his arms, and Rion stilled.

She crawled backward before stumbling to her feet, her chest heaving.

She’d never done that before. Not even when she’d been terrified of his magic.

Rion’s heart thundered as he recognized the look in her eyes. The same look everyone else always gave him.

The floor cracked beneath their feet, along the walls, across the continent and in his heart.

“Stop,” Vairik bellowed, a tinge of fear in his voice.

Another burst of steam and Rion struggled to see beyond himself and Arianna. Then the entire castle shook, threatening to topple from its foundation. He felt it with his magic first, a burning fire rising up, up, up until molten rock spewed from the crack directly below Vairik. It consumed the dark creatures and Fae who were unfortunate enough to be standing too close.

Ellie stepped away, her face a twisted grimace at the sudden interruption.

He didn’t know how Arianna had done it or why or if she was even aware. But when another crack crawled up the wall, Rion realized she’d just sealed this entire castle’s fate.

“It’s time to go Evelyn.” Vairik commanded. His voice was far too calm for someone who knew everything they’d worked for was about to come crashing down.

Rion looked up at Conall’s lifeless body. Whatever information they’d hoped to gather, whatever people they’d hoped to free, it’d all been for nothing. They’d died for absolutely nothing.

Ellie huffed but obeyed, pivoting and craning her next back to stare up at Vairik’s retreating form.

Rion’s heart jolted. If she left with him now, there was no telling if or when they’d ever see her again. That monster had already made Ellie do something that would haunt her for therest of her life. If he didn’t grab her now there might not be an Ellie to bring back at all.

Rion had lived his entire life doing unspeakable things because of this monster and his games. He’d be damned if he let Ellie suffer the same fate.

Another fissure erupted and Raevina stepped into the path of the fiery blast, using her magic to bend the spraying rock in another direction. He felt Arianna’s magic race across the space to subdued it.

Ellie crouched and ice spread around her feet.

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