Page 137 of Her Tortured Beasts

“I have no right,” I say to her. “But I’ve come here to try to repent for what I’ve done.”

How does a man repent for something like this? How do I come back from hurting her so badly? “Nothing on this earth can make up for what I did,” I continue. “But I will tear through eternity trying to figure that out. And the first step is offering myself to you.” I glance at Lyle over my shoulder. “Give her what’s in that bag.”

Lyle stares at me for a moment. He’s seen it, what it is that I’m offering his regina. But I ignore his gaze and turn back to Aurelia. She needs to know I mean what I say.

Chapter 82

Aurelia

The sight of Xander Drakos, crawling to me as fast as he can, his eyes desperately fixed on me, is something I’d never thought in my wildest dreams I’d ever see. It makes my breath seize; it makes my hands tremble.

And then Lyle is approaching the stage with a strange look on his face as he reaches into Xander’s bag. Scythe steps forwards to accept it. Gold glints as it changes hands and something crucial in me goes still as Scythe stiffly holds it out for me to see.

A gold collar and chain.

Scythe turns it so I can see what’s etched onto its surface in the same way my own was.

PROPERTY OF AURELIA BONEWEAVER

Shock and horror winds through my heart and I inhale a sharp breath. “I don’t know what to do with this,” I whisper.

“Oh, I do,” Minnie says loudly, her hand squeezing my shoulder.

“We can all give you ideas, Lia,” Sabrina says.

“I can put together a colour-coded action plan,” Stacey nods.

I glance up at Stacey, whose beautiful face is taking in the gold collar with the seriousness it deserves. And Minnie, who’s staring not at the collar but at Xander. They understand the choice I’m being given. What is at stake.

Xander remains still as I deliberate over this. This thing he is offering me is beyond belief. I glance at Scythe, his face pale, as he holds the hunk of valuable metal.“How is this even possible?”I say into the minds of our mates. “Is this even Xander?”

“Oh it’s him, alright,”Savage replies quietly.“This is something only he could have come up with.”

“Savage is right,”Scythe says evenly.“Only he’d make himself a collar of solid gold with rubies.”

“He’s giving you his ego on a platter, regina,”Lyle says, sounding troubled.“Willingly.”

“Should I do it then?”

A small smile curves Scythe’s lips.“He’s the one asking for it.”

My collar looked exactly the same. That was by his design. That was by his desire to repent.

I nod as regally as I can. I’m clutching the arms of the chair to hide the fact my hands are trembling. “Put it on him.”

Somebody in the crowd cheers and then everyone joins in as Savage takes the collar and snaps it into place around Xander’s neck. The beasts in the hall roar with approval, shouting and howling and stomping their feet as Savage takes Xander by the lead and parades forward, holding up the chain like it’s a trophy.

I hold out my hand for the golden chain and Xander nimbly frog leaps upon the stage, making Beak and a few others snort. Scythe takes the lead and reverently hands it to me. I take it, and Xander crouches by my feet, looking up at me as if seeking approval. I look at the chain in my hands.

“I am your slave,” he says above the din of the crowd. “And I want everyone to see it.”

Minnie exhales slowly behind me. “And you’ll do whatever she wants?”

“Anything,” Xander confirms.

“We should make a list,” Minnie murmurs as Savage and Beak hurry everyone out of the room.

“Tomorrow,” I say distractedly, looking down at the giant dragon, whose eyes are fixed on me. “We should get to bed.”

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