Page 110 of Death Bringer

She was shivering. She turned her face into the comfort of Vadim’s shoulder.

“You don’t need to exhaust yourself. He is already doomed for his treasonable thoughts.” He stroked her hair. “My parents are arguing again. My mother believes my father should be executed alongside Adam.”

“No!” She gripped his arm. “That’s—” She turned back to Adam, who was now smiling at her. “That’s what he wants!”

“Why?” She addressed Adam directly. “Why do you want the king in particular to die?”

Beside her, Vadim had gone still. “What is it, Ella?”

She reached through the net again and sought Adam’s skin. Something wasn’t right. He was puzzling her, his walls ever shifting, his true personality hidden behind…

She opened her eyes.

“Who is he, Morosov?”

The row behind them was growing louder as the Fae took sides.

“What do you mean?”

“Think.”She felt him open his mind to hers while she kept the link to Adam wide. “Adam’s not his real name, is it?”

* * *

An abyss yawnedat Vadim’s feet, and he pulled Ella roughly away from Adam.

“Tell me something before you die.”

A superior smile lightened his opponent’s all-too-familiar features. “Why would I tell you anything? Can’t you use your human pet to force the information out of me?”

“I could.” His hands clenched into fists. “But this is between us. It always has been. Why is that?”

Adam shrugged. “You’re supposed to be the most powerful being in Otherworld. You work it out.”

“You always hated that, didn’t you? That I had all the power, that I was the chosen one. Is that why you took over the sect?”

“The sect welcomed me. They appreciated my powers.”

“I’m sure they did. If you die, will my mate get her face back?”

“How would I know? I’ve been alive for almost as long as you have. I’m supposed to be immortal. Why would I bother to find out about the effect my death has on others?”

“Then free her from the spell.”

He fake-sighed. “I can’t do that when I’m trapped. My powers aren’t working.”

Ella touched his arm. “I don’t care about my face, Morosov. Don’t let him go free.”

“How noble,” Adam sneered. “But it isn’t really about you either, is it, Soul Sucker?”

Her fingers sank into Vadim’s flesh. “He wants you, right?”

He nodded, his gaze not leaving the other male’s as he sorted through a myriad of memories and impressions and tried to blend them with Adam’s pilfered thoughts.

Behind him, he was aware of his father moving toward him. He intentionally raised his voice.

“You wear my brother Ciaran’s face.”

“So?”

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