Page 42 of Bound in Blood

I swallow and wipe my sweaty palms again.

Hold out your hand,Anikêtos orders.

I have no idea why he asks that of me, but I trust him, so I do it without question, noting my trembling fingers. For the first nineteen years of my life, I never felt even a lick of fear, yet now, when I could seriously do without it, it has me almost paralyzed.

There are very few who are powerful enough to wield Dragonfyre, Ophelia.He blows out a small stream of fire, but not like the fire at Giorgios’s fortress. Instead of burning with a red and orange flame, it glows yellow with a green hue. It engulfs my hand, and I let out a startled cry of surprise, but I don’t feel any pain, only a gentle warmth. My skin does not blister or burn.It is a gift I do not bestow lightly. Do not let it touch Alexandros’s skin, for it will burn him. And should it engulf him entirely, he will die, for it is lethal to both vampires and demons.

I hold up my hand, marveling at the flickering golden-green flame and how it simply sits there like it’s a part of me.It’s incredible. Thank you.

You can snuff it out with a flick of your wrist, Anikêtos explains.But it will always remain a part of you now. You can summon it as you would any other fire.

Thank you so much, Ani. For everything.I rock forward on my toes, desperate to throw my arms around a part of him and give him a hug, but I’m not sure there’s a part of him I can get my arms around. Maybe a talon?

Go, Ophelia. Find him so Elpis can leave with the boys.

Of course, the boys! I make my way toward the entrance of the cave and reach out for Axl, Xavier, and Malachi as I dodge rocks and thick, prickly bushes. All three of them respond immediately.

I’m sorry I didn’t check in.

It’s okay, sweet girl. We felt you sleeping.

Can’t believe I fell asleep on the back of a dragon.I shake my head.But I’m here, and I’m on my way into the mountain to find him.

Their pleas to be careful and safe fill my head.

I know. I will, I promise. Anikêtos gave me some Dragonfyre. It’s lethal to vampires, so if Lucian is in there… or anyone else who shouldn’t be. Anyway, how are things there?

Giorgios veers between raging and pleading with us, Axl says.It’s kind of fun to watch.

I reach the mouth of the cave, which leads into the heart of the mountain, and my heart starts to hammer so loud in my ears that I can barely hear my own thoughts now.

Focus on your light, Cupcake. You got this, Xavier says, soothing me. He really would make a great teacher. If we ever get back to Montridge and have any kind of chance at a normal life, that is.

To do that, I have to go into this cave and find Alexandros. And I must hope I am enough to save him.

Chapter

Eighteen

OPHELIA

Imake my way through the cave, my free hand feeling along the rock face. The Dragonfyre has the added bonus of lighting my way, but the space I’m currently in is narrow, and there’s little room for the light to shine.

As I edge deeper into the mountain, the air becomes easier to breathe and the space opens out, the tunnel gradually growing wider and wider until I step into a vast open space, easily as big as the main student library building back at Montridge.

In the center of the space is a cage. Not big by any means. Maybe eight feet by eight feet. It’s made of thick, close-set metal bars, which I would bet are made of silver. Inside the cage is a sight that stops my heart.

“I knew you’d come for him.” The voice that echoes off the cavernous chamber walls sends a chill through my bones. Alien to me, yet familiar. It sounds different out here in the real world.

His shadow dancing from the light of the Dragonfyre, he approaches, and with each step he draws nearer, my breathing grows shallower and faster while my heart beats frantically in my ears. I know who this is. Instinctively, I feel his presence, our bloodlines irrevocably intertwined. He lowers the hood ofhis thick, dark cloak, and I see his face for the first time, at least for the first time through my own eyes rather than Alexandros’s memories.

“Lucian.” I’m impressed by the lack of tremor in my voice when I speak his name aloud.

His tongue darts out quickly, moistening his full bottom lip. He is so much like his father in appearance, I feel like I’m getting a glimpse into Alexandros’s past and seeing him as a younger man. Perhaps that is who this truly is. A past self of his, coming here to warn me. To help me. But he nods, confirming my original suspicion.

“Ophelia Hart,” Lucian replies, his tone gentler than I imagined it would be.

I glance around, so many questions about what he’s doing here—and what he intends to do now that I’m here—galloping around my head.

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