Page 74 of The Stolen Bride

Tears stung my eyes. The declaration hit deep in mybones, and I clung to him. “I love you, too,” I rasped. So much.

“Ja, but do you love me more than the foolish Benjamin? And you must answer honestly because you owe me. This one has been in my queue, attempting to claw its way out. I might be internally, eternally scarred.”

Despite the awfulness of the situation, I snorted. “It’s not even close. What I felt for him is a drop of water compared to the ocean I feel for you.”

“Good. That’s good. But I have more questions.” Viktor kissed the top of my head, then rapid-fired questions as if they were bullets from a gun.

“Will you wed me? Will you move to my world and into my palace? Will you spend forever at my side and never leave me?”

“Go ahead and say yes,” Deco taunted. “Actually, I think the line is yes, yes, a thousand times yes. It’ll make your death so much sweeter.”

My gaze strayed to Valkara, who observed us with a smug smile. Her plan was bearing fruit right before her eyes, the players she’d set up acting exactly as she’d hoped. Then I glanced at Juniper, who watched me with wide eyes. The tingles and warmth in my hands increased by leaps and bounds.

My tears spilled over. With every fiber of my being, I longed to say yes. To marry Viktor, build a life and a family with him. Wait… did he say palace? I’d only ever seen tents and a stick shack in the forest.

Rather than answer his newest litany of queries, however, I returned my attention to him and gently told him, “First, you need to hear the rest.” I didn’t give him a chance to respond. “If I die, you’ll transform into your primordial form. You won’t be able to stop it. Valkara plansto add you to her collection, completing her own personal army. Deco intends to kill her and rule the menagerie.”

Viktor shook his head violently before I finished my speech. “I told you. I won’t kill you, not even to save the worlds,” he reiterated. “And I will not apologize for that.”

“If you don’t do it willingly,” I croaked, “Valkara will mess with your head.”

“Excuse me for breaking up such an adorable reunion, but what are we going to dobesidesnot kill the firebrand?” Bodi asked. “We need a plan of our own.”

“My patience is gone,” Valkara bellowed. “I’d hate for your last moments alive to be filled with Juniper’s screams rather than tender words of love, but that is what’s about to happen. You have two minutes.”

Chapter

Twenty

When Three is a Crowd: Downsizing Without Bloodshed

–HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BERSERKER

By Elizabeth “Elle” Darcy-Bruce

Bile burned my throat. If I despised Deco, I positively detested the dreamseer who called herself my mother. But. Valkara had given me a clue about her downfall, at least.

I shifted my gaze to Juniper.Come on, come on. Look at me, sis.

A second passed–and she did. Triumph bloomed, and so did a new flare of heat in my hands. I noted the fear glazing her eyes and did my best to project a message:I know you’re scared, but try to keep Deco and Valkara occupied. Okay?

Maybe it was the twin thing, but I was almost certain she’d understood. She gave a slight nod before erupting, struggling against her bonds. The gag fell out of her mouth just enough to allow her to shout, “You will pay for this!”

Deco sighed and stood to reset her gag. “Must youalwaysinterrupt important business?”

Juniper gave him an exaggerated pout. “I’m thirsty. Give me a drink, and I’ll kiss you as you’ve so desperately wanted.”

Valkara pinched the bridge of her nose. “Deco, don’t you dare give her–”

“Water,” the shifter king called, snapping his fingers in the air.

While soldiers rushed to obey, everyone distracted, I took my shot. “Lure Deco to the cells,” I told my guys softly. “Viktor, you’re going to pretend to kill me. When someone enters to check, we strike.”

Viktor scowled at Bodi. “There would be no need for such theatrics if I had my key. It allowed for the primordials escape from any lock.”

The prince winced. “About that.” Radiating all kinds of guilt, the prince turned his back on our spectators and slashed a claw tip through his wrist. Crimson welled and flowed, dripping to the floor.

“What are you doing?” I gagged as he dug inside the wound.

---