Page 120 of Pain

Anysa shook her head, her eyes wide. “I … I didn’t, Your Majesty. Honestly. Truly.”

I couldn’t delve into her mind to tell if she was lying or not since she would have shields up to block me, but I leaned into my other learned skills from my time in Hell. I focused on the tone and latency of her voice, the way her eyes moved, and any weird facial twitches. I couldn’t see any, and her pitch and latency remained even. She was confused, but she wasn’t lying.

“Howar Volmark, do you admit to conspiring with one Lerris Byrche to overthrow and murder Queen Omaera and usurp the throne and crown of the Realm for yourself?” Maxar asked.

I pushed my way into Howar’s mind, but he could tell I was there and did his best to try to push me out. I pushed back, and I was a lot more powerful than he was. “I know when someone is lying, Howar.”

The Vampire King sneered. “You’re not fit to rule this realm,” he finally said. “You’re not one of us. You’re mixed blood. You’re tainted. And your father was a weakling. A fool. While your mother was nothing more than his human whore.”

A small, sad smile curled my mouth. I wasn’t going to let his insults of my parents get to me. Or at the very least, let him see that they did.

“Do you admit to betraying Drak Ferrin and sending mercenaries to kill him, Zandren Thorne, the Shifter Prince; Omaera Playfair, Queen of the Realm; and Maxar Rane, badass fire-mage?” Maxar asked.

Howar’s gaze sharpened, and he fixed it only on me. “We wanted to keep you alive.”

“I know,” I said flatly. “Why?”

He shrugged, struggling against his restraints. “Call it morbid curiosity, but I wanted to meet you. To see the abomination Donovar created.”

“And now you seem resigned to your fate?” I asked.

“Not resigned to my fate. I just don’t think ahalf-demonmongrellike you possess the strength to kill a being as powerful as me. Your father certainly didn’t. He was pathetic. Chose kindness over power.” He sneered, then spat in the direction of my feet, missing my shoe by an inch. “He wasn’t fit to rule the Realm. To wear the crown. And neither are you.”

My brows rose. “I’m not? Oh shit. My bad.” I shrugged. “Do you, like, wantit instead?” I lifted Moloch’s Sacrifice into the air and channeled a mixture of green and black flames down the blade of it, delighting in the widening of Howar’s eyes and the true fear—finally—that shimmered in them. “My father is dead. My aunt is dead. And Lerris nearly killed my best friend. There is enough blood on both of your hands for me to put you both on trial for murder and treason right now.” I glanced at the flickering flames of the sword, mesmerized by the fire. Then I turned to Howar and shoved a hot poker into his frontal lobe, making him cry out. Then I dove into his mind to feel his fear, to bask in his pain, and to see what fresh horrors he had planned for us, but I didn’t have time.

Some things are too good to be true, and this was one of those times. Even though Groy and Leno were outside, they didn’t have time to warn us of the explosion that rocked the cave, knocking us all off our feet as stalactites fell from the ceiling.

I found myself thrown to the ground, an enormous, fury body hovering over me but not crushing me.

Ryden.

He shielded me from the debris falling all around us, but also from the chaos that unfolded. More explosions shook our fortress at the same time footsteps from outside echoed across the ground.

Maxar screamed, “Vampires!” at the same time, another big stalactite fell from the ceiling. Ryden let out a deafening roar, followed by a serious, terrifying whimper. He tried to move, but he couldn’t.

“Let me see,” I said, pushing up so my back hit his torso. But he either wouldn’t, or couldn’t move. I pressed my ear to his chest. His heart still beat and he was still breathing, but I couldn’t see anything besides fur and scrimmaging feet. I was on my belly, immobilized by my father-in-law, as he grunted and growled in pain. “Zandren!” I screamed. “Ryden’s hurt.”

“Dad!” Zandren said, out of breath, as he finally made his way to us. “Oh gods!”

“What?” I asked.

Ryden said something in bear speech, but the only word I could make outwas “leg.”

“Okay,” Zandren said. Then he was gone.

What the fuck?

“Ryden, you need to let me up. You need to let me fight. I’m the most powerful of everyone here. I can end this.” I rolled over onto my back and pushed my hands into his bulky, furry chest. It was like trying to move a concrete statue. Impossible.

“Help!” Anysa screamed. I glanced through the fur of Ryden’s arm and body to see the Mage Queen struggling against her restraints. Her other mages were in the same predicament.

“Ryden, I need to go free Anysa. If she’s not with Howar, she can help us. Please. You need to let me up.”

The old bear growled deep in his chest, which sounded more like an entire motorcycle club of Harleys come to life. But after a moment, he lifted his body enough that I could crawl out from beneath him.

It was a massacre before me, with more bodies littered across the floor. I reached Anysa and her mages, all of them screaming for help.

“Help me and I’ll help you,” Anysa pleaded.

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