Page 156 of Owned

If they hadn’t—how were they planning to breach the wards and enter the estate?

Had I been their plan from the beginning?

It seemed—

Pointless.

Their plan.

Nothing made sense.

Valen was the only one who had known.

Had he— he couldn’t have.

“Betrayer. Bastard betrayer,”the grimoire hissed.

“Stop it,” I muttered.

The grimoire’s presence writhed in my mind, but it stayed silent.

The driver maneuvered the SUV through the tall gates, gravel skittering, and slammed the brakes in front of the main entrance.

The sharp halt threw me against the seat, and I couldn’t suppress a yelp of pain as I clutched my tender ribs.

I didn’t wait for the driver to come around. I shoved the door open with a grunt and staggered to the ground.

The guard that had accompanied us was on me before I could run.

Not that I had the energy—or the will—to fight them.

But I was tired of being manhandled.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” I snarled as I wrenched my arm out of their grip.

But his hand was like an iron cuff on my arms as he half-dragged me across the courtyard, up the stone steps, and through the massive front doors of the manor.

The cold emptiness of the entryway greeted me, and for a moment, I was suspended in time.

The faces of the Necromi flashed in my mind.

Clara’s sister—her dead pale eyes looked into my soul. Her mother’s scream of rage and pain…

I shook my head, but none of it went away.

The fear in the eyes of Lucian’s victims, the desperation in their voices—the finality of Lucian’s violent harvest.

My gut twisted, and I stumbled as bile rose in my throat.

“Where are you taking me?” I choked out.

“Master Lucian’s orders,” the guard growled.

My legs gave out, and I fell forward, but the guard jerked me back to my feet and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying out. I wanted to curse at him.

I wanted to lash out with my magic and blast him into a wall.

I wanted to be anywhere but here.

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