Page 73 of The Stolen Bride

The barb hit its target, and I flinched. “You know she intends to betray you the moment she has what she wants, yes?”

Valkara smirked at me. “Of course he knows.”

Deco rolled his eyes. “The silly goddess even thinks she’ll defeat me.”

Goddess?

“It’s true,” the dreamseer stated without an ounce of remorse. “I do. And I will.”

He cupped the side of his mouth, as if he was about to reveal a grand secret. “I intend to betray her, too,” he whisper-yelled. “I’ve planned for everything, and as soon as her usefulness runs out, I’ll deal with her.”

“Same,” Valkara said with a gleeful nod.

“Now, be a good little mouse and let the big falcon decapitate you.” He rubbed his hands together. “Let’s get the finale started so I can claim my ten prizes.”

I truly despised this man. But all the pieces of thepuzzle finally clicked into place. Why he’d teamed up with Valkara, a woman he knew he couldn’t trust. His goal wasn’t just revenge against the King of the Turuls, but to reign over all the primordials. To rule all berserker and shifter factions. He would command the most powerful immortal army in this world or any other. Able to subjugate lands. Slaughter humans. Do whatever he wanted, whenever he desired.

Both Deco and Valkara must be stopped, no matter the cost.Thatwas the greater good.

A moan escaped Viktor.

Deco grinned. “You understand your mission, Clover, and the consequences if you fail.” He lounged on the other side of the rack while the remaining soldiers took up posts near the cells.

Fighting dismay, I patted Viktor’s cheek. “Wake up for me, Tor. Come on, baby. That’s it. Yes, yes, good boy.”

He blinked open his eyes, then jack knifed to an upright position. His focus whipped to me, and he scanned me from top to bottom. “You are good?”

“I’m unharmed. And you?”

“Alive.” He shifted to search for Bodi. A muscle jumped in his jaw when he spotted the prince, who moaned, beginning to awaken. His gaze moved to the pair at the rack, and his lids slitted. “The Valkara aids Deco.”

“Yes. They’re working together.”

“Go ahead,” Deco called. “Try to escape.”

With a roar, Viktor leaped to his feet and slammed into the metal bars. He beat them with his fists, breaking bones. Slashed them with his claws, ripping off nails. Kicked and heaved with all his might, leaving his body battered and bruised. All to no avail.

“Stop. Please,” I said as the shifter king laughed andlaughed. Valkara tapped her feet, impatient. “There’s more I must tell you, but I won’t talk to you while you’re hurting yourself.”

Huffing and puffing, Viktor paused and fought for calm. The perfect opportunity. I stood and cozied up against him, petting his chest. His muscles relaxed bit by bit.

“Tell me,” he croaked. “Go ahead. I can take it, whatever it is.”

I could think of a thousand reasons to lie and hide the truth from him, and only one reason to tell the truth. I loved him. So, the truth it was. “Valkara is my birth mother. She gave me to Malachi as a baby, and he placed me in a home far from my sister.”

Juniper made a noise around her gag. Valkara tapped her knee and snapped, “Be quiet so I can overhear their conversation, or I’ll remove your tongue.”

My twin went silent, and my anger neared a breaking point.

Viktor jolted, but didn’t erupt again. “And? Continue, love.”

More pets. “And she foresaw my importance to you.”

“And?” he said, shoving the word through clenched teeth.

“She revealed to me a supposed end. How I’ll murder you and everyone we love unless I let you kill me.”

His entire body jerked. He flung his arms around me and hauled me firmly against his chest, shielding me from any threat. “I will not. Not now, not ever. I love you. Need you. Want you. Cannot live without you. She showed you a lie, just as she showed me lies.” He didn’t attempt to moderate his tone, unconcerned by our audience. “Only they will die today. Not you.”

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