Page 59 of A Reign of Malice
Even still, he squeezes my hand, almost as if he’s reassuring me when it should be me doing that for him after all he’s been through.
Aurora’s smile is wicked enough to cut as she steps back from our small group, her presence looming, even when she’s no longer in the center of the room. “Why don’t I give the six of you some time to talk things over? While one or two of you are objecting, not all of you are as obstinate as some.”
She casts a glance at a glowering Isla, then saunters toward the back half of her house but pauses, turning to point at Julian.
“You, the lost prince,” she says, her eyes sliding to him with a dark glint of amusement, “have the most to lose. Iwould do your best to convince your friends here. Or you might never know what your fate always should have been.”
Julian’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t speak. Not yet. I feel the ripple of frustration through our bond, the truth of her words settling over him like a curse.
The goddess doesn’t wait for a response. She takes a few more steps away from us, her gown of liquid gold flowing behind her as she vanishes into thin air, leaving us alone in the vast, colorless room.
For a few long moments, no one speaks. The silence is heavy, thick with unspoken fears and conflicting thoughts.
It’s Isla who breaks first, pacing a jagged line across the floor, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. “I’m not doing it. I don’t care if she saved each of us or that she’s an all-powerful bitch—she’s dangerous, and I don’t trust her for a second.”
I step forward, swallowing the knot of fear lodged in my throat. “Isla, none of us trust her. But what other choice do we have at this point? She’s not asking us to fight her war. All she wants is a bite and some blood. We’ve done worse for our enemies. This isn’t some massive sacrifice?—”
“It’s our mates and our bonds, Sloane!” Isla snaps, spinning to face me, her rose-gold hair practically sparking with her agitation. “An alpha’s bite is powerful alone, but to combine that with our blood? Do you have any idea what she can do with that? We’re talking ancient magic, combined with divine energy, and none of us have any clue what that even means!”
I hold her gaze, my fingers curling into fists to keep my hands from shaking. “I know exactly what it means.” My voice softens, but I don’t back down. “It means we get to go home, that we don’t fall victim to another god who could be much worse than Aurora. It also means we don’t spend therest of our lives looking over our shoulders, wondering when she’s going to yank us back here because we refused to pay our debt.”
Estee crosses her arms, her gaze shifting between us. “I hate to say it, but Sloane’s right.”
Isla’s head whips toward her sister. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t say I liked it,” Estee clarifies, her tone calm but firm. “But look around us, Isla. Do you see any other way out of here? We’re floating on a damned cloud in the middle of the gods’ playground. We owe her. That’s the deal.”
Isla’s nostrils flare, her wolf just under the surface. “There has to be another way.”
“Isla,” Estee’s voice softens, but the firmness remains beneath it, “sometimes there isn’t.”
The men have stayed mostly silent, but finally, Isla spins toward Asher, her hands gripping his arms. “Tell them. Tell them we can’t trust her.”
Asher exhales slowly, brushing a thumb across her jawline before speaking. “Isla, love of my life, queen of my heart…” His voice is tender, but there’s a finality in it that makes her still. “I know this is killing you. I know you’d love nothing more than to pluck that goddess’s eyes out, but I don’t think we have a choice here either.”
She shakes her head, her lips parting to argue, but Asher doesn’t let her.
“My purpose in life is to protect you,” he continues, his forehead pressing briefly to hers. “And I would be failing at my job if I allowed you to refuse. We know she’ll do exactly as she’s threatened, and like Sloane pointed out, we’re not fighting her war. Just helping to enhance the gods on her side. Let’s just do this and go home.”
Isla’s shoulders slump, her fight slipping away, leaving only exhaustion behind. “I hate this.”
“So do we,” Theo says quietly, placing a hand on her back. “But we need to get back to our people. They’re waiting for us.”
The group falls into reluctant agreement. The air’s still thick with unease, but I’m quietly grateful. This was never about making a choice. It’s survival.
Aurora reappears the instant the decision settles, her smile bright and victorious. “Excellent.” Her eyes shimmer with something almost feral. “Come along, my little wolves. It’s time to meet the others.”
Julian keeps me close, his hand a steady warmth amongst the chaos we’ve been thrown into. I notice Asher and Theo do the same with their mates, their fingers curling possessively around Isla’s and Estee’s waists. Normally, the sight of such instinctive protectiveness would clash with the independent streak I’ve carried my whole life—a refusal to be seen as anything but strong, capable, untouchable.
But not now.
Now, I lean into Julian’s warmth, the solid weight of his arm a comfort rather than a cage. I let myself press closer, taking in his scent, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the way his fingers spread wide against my lower back as though reassuring himself I’m still here too. Because for the first time in my long, complicated life I understand something I never truly let myself believe: being strong doesn’t have to mean being alone.
This man, this broken prince forged in darkness and chains, is my mate. My equal. My balance. He isn’t here to tame me or silence my voice, he’s here to amplify all parts of me. To fight beside me, to lift me up when I stumble, and to hold me together when I fracture under the pressure of everything I carry.
Mates were always something I admired from a distance.I understood their importance, envied the connection I saw in others, but I never let myself want it. Not really. Not when wanting meant admitting how much I longed for someone to truly see me.
But standing here, with Julian’s touch anchoring me and his gaze sweeping over me like I’m the only thing keeping him breathing, I finally understand the gravity of what it means to be bound to someone by more than choice or circumstance.
