Page 11 of Centaur Bolt

“Marcus’s destination gate has been terminated,” she confirmed. “We cannot find any path to the place he went.” She rubbed a hand over her face. “We will go to the Richin market and try from there. Perhaps Emmanuel has information that can help. Although, I have little hope any path we find will lead us to Isobel. She is too clever—and too powerful.”

Horror permeated me. The Sorceress had Marcus.

And there was nothing any of us could do about it.

6

Havoc

I was fucking ravenous.

The Bellatis charged with feeding me had zero clue about my true needs. After the Deranger rode me, I needed sex—and wagonloads of food.

Blood, sex, food. In that order.

The damned coven had drained away what I gathered from the first. I wasn’t even sure I could transform to Dragon at the moment. At the very least, I needed food if I was going to replenish my physical reserves. And crystal dust. I’d had not enough of the one, and nothing of the other.

Deliberate? Maybe. If I was at full strength, there were few restraints that could hold me.

The chains gave me just enough room to reach the bucket along one wall. They’d thrown straw into the center, and the cell was plenty big to house most Dragons in beast form.

But not me.

I spent most of my time sitting on the straw in the exact center. It gave me the most potential to strike if I needed to.

I’d been a slave all my life. But the only one who’d ever put me in chains, before now, was Xumi. After Ace, I’d sworn I would never let anyone do this to me again.

But I hadn’t reckoned on them using Fang. Damnedcleverbitch, Isobel.

A shuffling sound in the hall—I cast outward and sensed a familiar energy hurrying along. Rafael. And he had Fang with him.

There was an urgency to what I sensed. And in that, might be opportunity. Rafael had a power I didn’t entirely understand, but his energy was conflicted.

I might be able to use that. Somehow.

I had to restrain myself from rising before he got to my cell. Needed to play it cool, to wait for my chance. He paused outside to talk with the Bellatis guarding me. They remained in the outer hall while he opened the inner door.

He froze there, with a glowing crystal resting between the fingers of one hand. I eyed it warily—he used those damned things to boost his power.

For a moment, we just stared at each other. From my depths, my monster cracked open an eye.

I finally rumbled, “Did you bring any fucking food?”

He pushed the door closed and advanced on me so fast that I lunged to my feet, my lips peeled back in a snarl. His energy ebbed and surged, but running beneath it was a rage that resonated right through me.

Rafael didn’t speak, but his fist closed around his crystal. Blue-green light danced over his hand.

The Deranger was suddenly fully awake and coiled. Rafael sensed it. “Wait,” he said. “I have Fang.”

I froze as he raised a hand to his neck—and the Webspinner stepped out onto it.

“Take her,” he said, extending her to me.

That he would offer her so freely confused me, but I didn’t hesitate. I scooped her up. My collar was right where Fang’s scale pocket sat, so it took me a moment to create one just below it. The Webspinner vibrated happily as she turned in circles, building her new nest.

Meanwhile, I glowered down at Rafael. What was going on?

He raised the crystal in his hand, and I tensed. But to my surprise, he said, “I am going to remove the chains. I cannot do the collar, or I would.”

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