Page 117 of Phoenix Falling
“I assume that means I’m free to collect my own promised prize.”
The commander must have given him an affirmative answer, because Jacob hurried away. I hated that I wished he was still here. Anything familiar would ease this moment.
“Demetri?”
Helios grabbed my chin and forced it upward. “Who were you calling for?”
Being new to telepathy, I was probably spilling my messages all over the place. But I didn’t know how else to reach for my mate.
That hand tightened on my arm with bruising force. “Tell me who you were calling for.”
“My mate.”
Red light flashed from his eyes: anger. Why would this male be angry that I had a mate?
“You have no mate but me.”
Horror filled me. “The hell I don’t.”
The minute the words were out, I regretted them. The commander’s fist came up, and without warning he punched me in the face. I reeled backward, held up only by the grip on my arm. The room faded in and out, but I managed to hear Helios’s words.
“Let’s get this clear. You are mine; no one else’s. I’d better never hear the word ‘mate’ pass your lips again.”
Even without the punch, I would have been confused, but with it I could barely stand. I didn’t respond.
He shook me. “Do you understand?”
If he shook me again, I would throw up. “I understand.”
“Good.” Gathering me against his body, he put an arm around my waist and began the walk toward the garden exit. “Xer, take care of things here.”
I had no idea who Xer was. I had no idea where we were going. I only knew, if I left this place, I would never see Demetri again. I let myself go limp, praying my deadweight would slow Helios down.
The male grunted, not at my weight but at his own annoyance, it seemed. Continuing to hold me tight, almost a lover’s embrace, he dragged me toward the door, my useless feet dragging behind us. Just as we passed out of the throne room, I swore I heard Demetri screaming my name.
* * *
DEMETRI
“Imogen!” I glanced frantically around the throne room. Where was she? “Imogen!”
There! Passing into the hallway that led to the King’s Garden, I saw a massive shifter. Helios. On his other side, clasped tight against him, I caught a glimpse of Imogen’s back, her ceremony dress trailing behind her. “Imogen!”
“Dragon!”
Lyris’s frantic cry echoed in my head. I whipped my head around to look behind me.“Lyris?”
“It’s Jacob!”
In an instant my head filled with Lyris’s sight. She was glancing over her shoulder, watching Jacob run in her direction. When she turned her head around, she was at the dorms, the last of the women passing through the door. “Get inside!” she shouted. When the last female had passed through, she punched a code into the wall pad and drew her sword as she watched the door close. Then she turned to face our traitor.
Shit. I needed to get to my mate. And I needed to help my twin. She was facing danger alone.
Clearing my mind of Lyris’s vision, I glanced once more around the room. There was fighting in clusters as my warriors took on the Anigma. Most of the enemy had moved into the hall, headed for our people, but a few remained. No sign of Imogen or Helios. I ran toward the exit to the garden.
“You’re not going anywhere, Lyris.”
Jacob’s voice filled my head, but it wasn’t coming from him; it was coming from my twin. My heart twisted as if a fist had wrapped around it.“Lyris.”
