Page 24 of His to Break
“But how?” she asks again, doubt creeping back into her expression.
I step back slightly and look deep into her eyes; the shadows dance between us as if reflecting the tumult within our souls. “You’ve seen what I can do,” I remind her, recalling the thrill of power coursing through me when that dark elf jumped from the wall. “Imagine if we had more people—more strength.”
Joy’s gaze darts around the corridor again before settling back on me. “What if they catch us? What if…”
“Stop.” My voice cuts through her fears like a blade. “No more what-ifs.” The resolve hardens in me as I continue, “This isn’t just about escaping anymore—it’s about fighting back.”
I let go of Joy’s arm and take a step back to survey her face—the weariness mingling with an awakening curiosity and excitement begins to grow.
“What do you mean?” Joy asks cautiously.
“Listen carefully,” I say as I lean closer again, lowering my voice further so only she can hear me. “We gather those who are willing—the ones who still have fight left in them—and we create an army.”
Her brow furrows in thought as she processes my words; they weigh heavy with possibility and danger all at once.
“What if they find out?” Joy asks finally, biting her lip as anxiety creeps back into her tone.
“They will,” I reply firmly but confidently. “But by then it will be too late for them.” A wicked smile spreads across my face as images flash through my mind—dark elves cowering before us instead of lording over our lives.
20
AZRAEL
Ilie on the bed, fingers digging into the coarse fabric as I stare at the ceiling, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. Thoughts of Kara swirl in my mind like a tempest. Her power grows by the day, and with it, her recklessness. I can feel it—she’s teetering on the edge of something dangerous. If she pushes too far, she could attract attention we can’t afford.
The door bursts open, slamming against the wall with a deafening crash. Before I can react, dark figures storm into my chamber, their hands gripping my arms and dragging me to my feet. I don’t resist; I know better than to provoke them. Not now—not when I need to find out what’s happening.
They haul me through dimly lit corridors, each step echoing like a funeral march in my ears. Shadows flicker against stone walls as we pass under the faint glow of magical sconces. The oppressive silence stretches between us like a taut wire ready to snap.
I scan my surroundings, adrenaline coursing through me as we approach the great hall where dark elves gather to plot and scheme. My gut twists; something isn’t right.
They shove me through the door, and I stumble forward, catching myself just in time to avoid crashing into the floor. My gaze locks onto Kara, who kneels before a group of dark elves with another human by her side—a female, thin and nervous-looking.
What is this? My heart drops as realization strikes me like a thunderbolt: they’re betraying us.
I push myself to my feet, fists clenched as I take in the scene before me. Kara kneels with her head bowed, a mask of submission painted on her face, but I see through it. The human beside her speaks rapidly, her words spilling out like a broken dam.
“she said we can’t keep living like this! She wants us to come together, to fight back!”
Every word she utters cuts through me like a blade. My heart races, rage bubbling beneath my skin. How could she betray us like this? How could Kara—my ally, my… desire—put herself in such danger?
I step forward, breaking through the ranks of dark elves that surround me. “Stop!” I roar, voice shaking the walls. But they don’t listen; their attention is locked on the human.
“She’s been telling us about plans to escape,” the dark elf leader sneers, eyes narrowing with malicious interest. “Plans for rebellion against our rule.”
The room pulses with tension as whispers ripple through the gathered elves. My breath hitches in my throat. This is not how it was supposed to go. Not when we’ve only just begun to harness her power.
My blood runs cold at the prospect of them acting without understanding their true power—or lack thereof. These humans are pawns in a game far larger than they realize.
“Foolish girl,” I hiss under my breath as anger wells within me, turning into something darker—something primal.
They lean closer to Kara, scrutinizing her with sharpened gazes that seem to strip away every ounce of pretense she had clung to moments ago.
“Is this true?” one asks sharply, venom dripping from his words as he stares down at her kneeling form.
Kara shifts uncomfortably under their gaze, and that flicker of defiance dims into uncertainty. My heart sinks; this could end poorly for all of us if we don’t act fast.
“Are you so foolish?” I growl as I take a step closer, fighting against the urge to lash out at the dark elves surrounding me. “What do you think you’re doing?”
