Page 143 of Shadows of Ruin

My pulse quickened. The heavy boots of the guards behind us echoed in the hall.

We took a few more turns, until I realized I had no idea where we were in the palace. Not that I had it mapped out in my mind perfectly, but I knew enough to know we were getting far from the safety of my chambers.

“Raya?” I asked as quietly as I could.

She shook her head once.

The guards behind us made no effort to stop us or speed us up. We turned again, a shorter corridor greeting us. The windows lining the hall overlooked the magnificent gardens. Yet I had no time to admire them.

Raya slowed, catching me off guard. I looked at her as her grip tightened on my arm. “Illiana,” she said, my name coming out of hers slowly. She grimaced and a trickle of blood pooled under her nose.

“Raya.” I tried to pull my arm back to help her, but she didn’t let go. “Your nose is bleeding. I don’t have anything?—”

I froze. Her hand grasped my forearm too tightly.

The bleeding. It came from fighting mind magic.

She stared at me unwavering, blood falling in a slow drip from the edge of her lip onto the stone beneath us.

I tugged at her, pulling to run, but the guards behind us closed in. Raya yanked me forward as a single tear formed in her eye.

She opened the door at the end of the corridor, forcing us through as the guards positioned themselves behind me.

Raya fought the king’s mind magic, but still, she led me along to whatever awaited me.

Fates above.

“Raya, please,” I begged. “You can fight this.”

She pulled me through, and the archway opened into a massive circular stone room. Half of it was lined with bookshelves, while the other half contained open windows. In any other situation, it would have taken my breath away.

Now though, I had no choice but to ignore the cavernous views from the window in favor of what lay before me.

Because along the far wall, next to the bookshelves, hanging from a pair of chains with blood pouring in rivulets down his body, was Storm.

Storm barely raised his head, but it was enough to see the terror in his eyes when he noticed me.

The man in front of him turned, even though I knew who it was already. The obsidian crown gracing his head remained firmly in place despite the evident signs that he’d been delivering brutal torture.

“Ah, the guest of honor has finally arrived.” King Dargan grinned wickedly, and Raya dutifully tugged on my arm, leading me straight to him.

Chapter 41

Lana

Istruggled against the restraints tying me to the chair that faced Storm’s bloodied body.

The king stood across the room, murmuring to Raya.

Raya, who had betrayed us.

Even if it was outside of her control right now. Kade’s biggest fears were coming true. No wonder they never told her everything. The king’s ability to push past her defenses and see her thoughts was just as dangerous as they all suspected.

“Storm?” I asked.

His eyes were trained on mine, and he gave me a strained smile. “I have endured torture before, and he will have to try harder than that to break me,” he said calmly.

“Why are we here?” I asked.

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