Page 24 of Demonic Division

He shakes his head, gripping the bars fiercely with his clawed hands. “I don’t have much time. He’s coming. Coming to take you away from me.”

“Who is?”

He shakes his head again, his eyes taking on a wild glint. “You cannot trust him. You cannot trust his words. No matter how he tries to poison your mind, don’t let him. Fight him, Dagny. As only you can.”

“I don’t understan?—”

“He will tell you he’s in the right—that I am no more than a bloodthirsty monster deserving of my fate. But I will not have my story twisted by the lying tongue of envy. You must know I only did what Ihadto do. I only did what was necessary to stop him from erasing me. I never wanted to kill Fenryr. I would not have if there was any other way.”

My mouth dries at his confession. “I… who is Fenryr?”

M reaches through the bars, his fingertips grasping at air, desperate to touch me. “Remember what I told you, wildfire. And if you get the chance… come find me. There is so much more we need to talk about. So many more secrets I need to share.”

“What secrets are you talking about? Why can’t you?—”

But before I get to finish the question, the dungeon door slams open, spilling light across the stone floors and causing me to squint. Instinctually, I look back to where M should be but am greeted with nothing but shadows—like he was never there in the first place.

A shiver runs down my spine as Kaebl steps into the corridor, his footsteps light despite his massive bulk. He stops in front of my cell door, golden eyes cruel and swirling with shadows that mirror the darkness surrounding us. The golden fissures running across his exposed forearms cast a gentle light onto his face, illuminating his godlike features. At this distance, I could reach out and run my finger along those strange markings, but I still have enough sense left to know that would be catastrophic for me.

And still, something inside me is pulling, begging me to touch them. To touch him.

I fight against the powerful desire, stumbling back a step as Kaebl waves a hand in front of the bars, causing the lock to slide open. Without a word, he throws open the door of the cell and grabs my arm, dragging me out of the cell and up the stairs like an incessant toddler, all the while listening to the sounds of M's taunting laughter.

Right when we reach the top, M's voice rings out, full of defiance. “You can’t keep her away from me forever, Kaebl.”

Kaebl’s shoulders tighten, but he doesn’t respond as he pulls me through the door and slams it shut.

The laughter dies.

12

Kaebl

The human'spulse races beneath my grip as I lead her down the hallway. She doesn’t fight, but I can tell from the thoughts swirling in her mind that it’s not from fear. No, the little creature is cunning. She’s biding her time, waiting until I show my weakness. And if she finds it, she’ll strike without mercy.

How remarkable.

I can’t help but look over my shoulder at her, finding her silver-rimmed eyes already trained on mine, shining with malice. But there’s something else there, too. Something softer. Something I have no idea how to place.

I frown, turning and hastening toward the spiral staircase at the end of the passage. Unlike the one off the main hall, this one leads deep beneath the surface of the ice. Dagny’s breath catches as we descend, her muscles tensing as the shadows consume the last of the light from the surface.

Saliva floods my mouth as the scent of her fear fills the small space. The beast beneath my skin rears its head, flicking a long serpentine tongue into the air to sample theintoxicating taste. I hold my breath for the rest of the descent, my skin shuddering with the effort to keep the monster at bay.

My bare feet connect with warm, damp stone, and I know we’ve reached the bottom. I wave a hand, shooting a small reserve of magic from my veins toward the sconces that line the walls. Blinding light flares to life, and Dagny lets out a little gasp as the underground hot spring is illuminated.

The room is set in a stone the color of sand, condensation dripping from the ceiling and collecting in small puddles around the space. Shimmering silver roots pierce through the stone in several places, twining fingers reaching toward the center of the room where a thick cloud of vapor swirls from a large pit filled with beautiful, crystal-clear water. It comes from the same source the Welwigs drink from, warmed and cleaned by the magic thrumming in their roots. Judging by their length, it’s time for a clearing—and I make a note to ask Cyprien to hack away some of the roots when he returns from his scouting.

I look toward Dagny, expecting her gaze to be filled with awe. Instead, I’m met with something much darker.

“What is this?” She juts her chin up to look me in the eyes, fighting to keep contact when I know everything inside her wants to shrink away. “Why did you bring me here? What are you going todoto me?”

I jerk at her accusatory tone, my nostrils flaring slightly as I look her up and down. Without words, I point a finger in the direction of the bath, shoving her forward with the other hand on her back.

A zap of electricity flows through my veins at the contact, followed by a warmth I’ve never experienced before. She looks over her shoulder, making eye contact,and I watch as her pupils blow, engulfing the warm brown of her irises. My fingernails sharpen to deadly points, digging into her skin and drawing pearls of blood to the surface, but she doesn’t make a sound. Her focus is on my neck—at the artery thrumming rapidly beneath my skin.

That same warmth from earlier crackles beneath my skin, and my lids lower in bliss as it spreads from the area, heating my frozen limbs. Before my control can slip, I rip my hand from her skin, clutching my arm to my chest and forcing my eyes from hers.

“You want me to take a bath?” she asks, her small voice echoing off the damp stone walls and ricocheting to the center of my heart. Her gaze burns into my profile, but I can’t bring my eyes to meet hers.

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