Page 204 of Owned

“Welcome to your new life, Avril.” His tone was full of tenderness that felt like mockery, and I forced myself to remember that he had groomed me for this moment—that he had watched my progression through Messana Academy. That he was the one who had chosen me—that he had selected me for this. That he had manipulated my mother and then murdered her when she no longer served his purposes… only so he could possess me.

And now he had done it.

His hand enfolded mine as the echo of applause filled my ears.

I was a prisoner in my own body—helpless to fight the darkness that threatened to swallow me whole.

“Come! My friends! Let us celebrate this joyous union!” Lucian cried.

The entity’s presence was grim and silent as it wrapped around me.

Shielding me from everything.

The noise faded away, but I wanted to see— I wanted to know what was happening.

“No— No, I need to see— You can’t!”

“Hush, child. Perhaps you do not wish to see. You will thank me later.”

I struggled again and felt the flare of my magic as I pushed against the entity’s control. But it wasn’t enough.

“Hush,” the voice soothed. “Soon. You’ll see.”

The tears came again, angry, impotent tears, and the entity wrapped me in darkness as it laid my hand on Lucian’s arm and took control.

The night airwas thick with the scent of incense and something acrid. I spat on the grass to get the taste out of my mouth.

“Can you believe she put a fucking binding spell on us?” Bastian snarled. “This goddamn blood bond keeps us from betraying her, but doesn’t mean she can’t betray us. Can youfuckingbelieve it?!”

Laughter rang out, hollow and shimmering, but it felt far away, muffled by the dense embrace of the garden.

We’d waited too long—

How had we been so blind?

“Thisis what she told us to trust her for?” Bastian cried. He gestured wildly at the wedding festivities just beyond the edge of the shadows.

When we’d been able to break free of our stupor and made our way to the ballroom, I’d half-expected Lucian to strike at us the moment we stepped into the room. But he’d surprised me with his indifference.

Maybe that was the point.

The insult of his dismissal.

How had she been able to bind us so completely?

I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

I stole a glance at Valen—he was quiet. He hadn’t said a single thing since the laughter of Lucian’s sycophants had forced us out of the ballroom.

Those rats wouldn’t live long enough to enjoy their victory. I had no doubt of that.

Bastian swore and then fell silent.

I could sense Valen’s anger, too. But it was different than before. Not the angry outbursts I was used to—or even the long silences that usually followed.

This was something else.

“Fuck,” Bastian exclaimed. He dragged a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I still feel like shit— Like I’m underwater.” He paused for a moment and then glared at the light and movement of the wedding reception just beyond the shadows. “I need a drink. Or ten.”

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