Page 29 of A Reign of Malice
She smirks, plucking at her loose blouse. The bloodied shirt peeks out from behind the fabric. “Safe and sound.”
We move quickly, steps silent against the polished stone. I scan the hallways for Dasha. I haven’t seen her since that night, but her absence only makes me more suspicious. She’s watching and waiting, I’m sure of that.
But I don’t care.
When we reach the southern wing’s lowest level, the air thickens. The silence is absolute. Clara and I exchange a glance but say nothing as we approach the painting. The heavy frame looks undisturbed from the last time we were there, its centuries-old landscape depicting a Venaris long forgotten.
We work together to get the frame down, and as soon as the runes are exposed, they glow. My heart races, and I lift my fingers to touch them, but Clara smacks my wrist. “We need to use the shirt first.”
Right. That’s why we’re here.
She unbuttons her blouse and slips the ruined pajama shirt free before covering herself again. I take the bloodied cotton and step forward. I hold my breath, my entire body tense as I raise a hand and press the heaviest spot of blood to the stone.
With bated breath, I stare, unblinking. There’s a roaring in my ears as I wait for the drawing on the wall to become an actual door, but it seems sheer will isn’t enough. Nor is Aeson’s blood.
I glance at Clara, keeping the shirt in place. “Does it need to be fresh?”
There’s a deep crease between her eyes. “It shouldn’t matter—blood is blood—but maybe.”
My stomach sinks. “Or maybe it’s not Aeson.”
Just a week ago, I told myself not to twist things into something they weren’t, yet since finding the runes outside, I’ve continued to think the worst. Have I been painting the king as the villain without just cause? Sure, he’s a misogynist, but he’s also done a lot for my people. Does that give him an excuse to use his kindness against me? No, but that doesn’t mean he’s responsible for trapping a man beneath this castle either—even one who looks just like him.
A rumble builds in my chest. Gods, why is this so confusing?
“Sloane?” The concern in Clara’s voice hits me just as my knees start to weaken and my vision falters. I’m thrust back into the darkness, but this time I know what’s happening and there’s no pain as I’m once again transported inside the cave.
My astral form stays standing, and I waste no time walking toward the water where he’s trapped. His bright blue eyes are on mine as if he’s been expecting me and his chest heaves as he struggles against the chains that bind him.
Water moves around his waist even once he stops moving. “You came back.”
I cross my arms as if that will calm my pounding heart. “Did you think I wouldn’t just because you told me not to?”
He smiles, and my chest tightens. The pulsing of our shared bond wraps around my heart, demanding I touch him, but I remain where I’m at, near the water.
“I’m glad you didn’t because I was wrong.” He stands taller, pulling against his shackles. “I’m getting out of here, and when I do, my brother’s going to pay for what he’s done and then I’m going to show you I’m not the monster he’ll try to convince you I am.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE FATED MATE
She’s back.
My pulse quickens, the dull ache of hopelessness retreating for the first time in what feels like centuries. The cave’s shadows recoil from the light of her spirit form, as if even this cursed place recognizes her strength.
My mate.
Her scent lingers, faint but undeniable—a mix of pine and something sweet, like spring’s first bloom. It stirs my wolf, weak but not yet gone. He growls low, more plea than warning.
Hold on, I tell him.We fight for her now.
Her gaze sharpens as she steps closer, the hem of her emerald dress brushing the damp stone. There’s fire in her icy eyes, not the confusion I’d seen before. She’s here with purpose.
Good. She’ll need that intensity to survive what’s coming.
“Who are you, and how did you get here?” she demands, coming as close to me as she can without touching the water that helps keep me trapped here.
“I’m Julian,” I reply, but don’t continue when she takes a small step back.
