Page 50 of A Reign of Malice
Her laugh is soft, a melodic hum that shouldn’t be terrifying but is. “Ah, you know not what you speak of, but I’m glad to see you still have a spine, even after all theseyears.” She takes a slow step forward, each movement effortless, as if she glides instead of walks. “I see now why the others risked calling me on Sloane’s behalf.”
At the mention of my mate, my hands curl into fists at my sides. My wolf snarls within me, not yet whole, but stronger than before. “This is on me,” I growl. “Not Sloane. She should be left?—”
“Careful, little wolf.” Aurora lifts a single finger, her expression cooling. “Before you say something I can’t ignore, know this. Your mate is safe. For now.”
My jaw clenches. “For now?”
She comes closer, her feet never quite touching the stone, her radiance bending the air around her like a living thing. “Your mate is clever, but she’s reckless.” Her gaze glides over the chains around my wrists, the spell-crafted metal glowing faintly beneath her scrutiny. “Though, she did ask for my help. I can’t fault her for that when we all know it comes at a price.”
The words hang between us dangerously.
I exhale slowly, carefully. “What do you want?”
Her smile tightens, the barest curl of her mouth, enough to feel like a dagger at my throat. “That’s for me to know and you to find out, but only when I’m ready.”
My stomach churns, but I don’t back down. Aeson took everything from me once. I won’t trade one prison for another. “You can’t expect me to agree to a debt without knowing its cost.”
Her eyes darken, the violet edges pulsing faintly. “Oh, but I can.” The goddess’s power hums through the cave, the very walls shuddering in response. “But that’s not the point, prince. This deal isn’t for you. Sloane called for me. She’ll be the one to make the deal. I only came to decide if you’re worth it.”
I hate that my hands vibrate at my sides. Hate that I know the truth of this moment.
I don’t get a choice here.
“And if you think you can talk her out of this, just know she won’t be visiting today. She’s busy preparing for her bonding ceremony to your brother.” As my chest rumbles, she adds, “One that takes place tomorrow.”
The world around me slams to a halt.
At first, I can’t breathe. My lungs constrict as if someone’s reached inside me and squeezed. The air feels too thin, too sharp. My wolf howls in agony deep within my mind, a sound that tears through my bones and leaves behind only rage and disbelief.
Sloane. My mate. Being bound to Aesontomorrow?
I taste blood—real or imagined, I can’t tell—as my jaw locks, grinding with such force I nearly shatter teeth. I thought I had more time.
My hands curl into fists, nails biting into skin, trying to keep myself present, to stop myself from shifting right here and now. The image of her in a gown, standing besidehim, promising herself to that monster, burns into my skull. And the worst part is the fear. The sickening realization that I might be too late.
Though, Aurora is right about one thing. This isn’t about me. It’s about my mate.
If I don’t convince this goddess I’m worthy, if I hesitate in accepting her help, I could lose everything.
My mate. My kingdom. My vengeance.
“What do I need to do to prove my worth?” I finally say, voice raw, low, and deadly calm because beneath the chaos brewing inside me, I know one truth:
I willnotlet her belong to him. Not now. Not ever.
Aurora watches me with patient, knowing eyes as shestays perched at the edge of the water. “You already did. By surviving this hell that was meant to kill you long ago. You’ll fit right in with Asher and Theo, but not yet. I have a few more things to do before I free you.”
“What?” My snarl echoes around us. “You can get me out of here now, but you’re refusing?”
“Patience, wolf.” She flicks her long hair over her shoulder. “Be a good boy, and I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Don’t do this, Aurora.”
But she’s already gone, vanishing in a burst of golden light, leaving only the scent of rain and scorched earth in her wake.
The silence that follows feels heavier than the chains on my wrists.
My chest heaves, rage boiling under my skin until it’s all I can feel. My roar shatters the stillness, a sound so raw my throat burns with it, but I’m not alone.
