Page 103 of Dragon Unleashed

“You are a fool, Lorelei. I think I could still subdue you in a fight. But it’s much easier when you walk into a cage yourself.”

No. This can’t be happening.

“You’ll leave here to go to trial, or in a casket. But that’s it. You are done with Fates.”

I slam my hands into his chest. He grips my wrists with a steely strength, shoving me back against the wall.

“You can’t do this!”

“As your guardian, I can.” His tone is gentle, entirely at odds with the bruising pressure on my wrists. “I’m afraid the strain has gotten too much for you, you see. You had a breakdown. I’m sure the dean will agree it’s best if you simply wait until the trial somewhere safe, familiar. So you don’t disrupt the other students with your distress. Poor little Lorelei, having a mental health crisis. Isn’t the Virrey kind to look after her?”

His gaze lingers a moment too long on my cleavage before he shoves himself off me. The cell door clangs shut behind him.

I launch myself at the bars, shaking them with all my strength. My hands burn and I let go with a scream. Smoke drifts gently off the bars into the air. Spelled. They’re spelled. The Virrey snickers and saunters off down the corridor without another word.

One glance around the cell and its obvious there’s nothing here to get me out of this mess. A dirty blanket, a bucket, and me. Great.

What was I thinking? Following him down here like a placid little lamb.

A year ago, my only goal in life was to ascend, to get the hell out of Venez. Now where am I? Behind bars, waiting for a court case that will likely leave me behind more bars for the rest of my natural life. I’ve stuck my nose where it doesn’t belong, upset the wrong people, and screwed myself over. I should know better. Worse, I was doing this for other people. For Chano’s mom, for people like her.

What’s wrong with me? Look after number one. It’s an unwritten rule in Venez. I sink to the floor, my back to the cold wall, and bury my head in my hands.

For a long time, I don’t move. But something sits uncomfortably in my chest. I can’t just give up. Hellfire, I’m not the same girl that walked out of the slums into Fates.

I have them now, my allegiance.

Reaching deep inside myself, I tug hard on the little strands of allegiance bond I find there. I wait. No response. The minutes tick by and nothing. Not a damn thing.

Chapter Forty-seven: Chano

I circle theputain front of me, dodging and weaving. The iron scent of the blood running from his nose makes my demon wild. I duck again, slamming a punishing jab into his chest. He ricochets off the wall, staggering back toward me.

“You have to accept it, Lorelei is family now,” Raff says thickly through a mouthful of blood.

I roar and charge him, fists flying left and right. He slips as he backs away and nearly falls. I step back, bouncing on my toes, waiting for him to recover.

He spits his mouth guard out. “Family is everything.”

“She screwed up,” I snarl. I don’t care that our Aeternum mark is healing by the day. I won’t have a royal mate. I won’t betray my heritage. My father.

“It wasn’t a big mistake, boss.” He raises his hands again, stepping forward, defying me. “She can’t help who her ancestors were, not any more than you can help the band round your finger.”

The last of my control snaps, my horns burst from the top of my head, and I land a sucker punch between Raff’s eyes. He blinks once, then crumples to the floor.

I breathe in through clenched teeth. Hell, now I owe him an apology.

A door bangs and very uncoordinated feet rush toward the gym. Naeve barrels into the room, her face blotchy and hands flapping.

“Chano! Where’s Lorelei? I can’t find Lorelei.”

Stepping over Raff’s body, partly hiding him, I shrug. “Why come to me? Try the rest of the allegiance. Or Val? Hewie?”

Naeve stamps her foot. What is she, three?

“You were last on my list, Chano. I tried the rest.”

A sharp stab to my chest. Uncalled for. “She’s probably with the damn fae.”

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