Page 6 of The Curse of a Kingdom
“You are thinking of sauntering to the Dark Ones' kingdom, and what? Politely ask them to return their prisoner back to you? You’re naïve, and it will get you killed.” He shook his head and added, “Not that I care if you do.”
The Crow said it was the Dark Ones’ kingdom. That information alone had her mind reeling. She’d always assumed it was just a village inside a kingdom, a continent, but if Devon’s words were correct, elves ruled that land. Did they share it with humans?
The Iron Kingdom didn’t welcome fae species openly. The name alone was a deterrent to most, if not all, as fae were allergic to iron.
“I will not ask them to return him to me. I will just—free him.” Once she was in the same area as him, she’d have more time to come up with a better plan.
He scoffed. “Are you going there alone? Or have you somehow convinced that crew of greys who hung around you two last year?”
The greys Devon referred to, Gavin and Violet, weren't here. She wished they were the ones she had to rely on. This would be a lot easier with her friends around. Clearing her throat and taking a step closer, she realized that even in his cell, Devon stood with an air of grandness Nava almost admired. Further scrutiny showed he had ropes around his wrists that were tight enough to leave bruises on his skin.
She clutched the metal bars. Her energy dwindled immediately. They had spelled it to cancel magic, something she assumed would prevent a prisoner from escaping. She dropped her hand as if it had burned her. “You were so close, like brothers. Don’t you care even a little?”
“It was always going to happen.” His sharp jaw clenched as he avoided her gaze.
“It bothers you.”
He bristled. “He locked me in this cell.”
Nava ignored his words. “You probably were with him when he was doing his research on his past—before he found them. You know how to get to the Copper Kingdom and where he’s being held.”
Devon’s inky gaze cut to her. “What if I was there? It’s not like I can help you, even if I wanted to . . . And let’s make something clear,I don’t.”
“I can let you out if you help me,” she whispered. The bees lifted from her body all at once, circling around her with an intense buzz.
Devon’s back straightened. He took in the surrounding spectacle, his gaze tinting with a bit of panic. He remembered the bees that had almost killed him a year ago. “You would release me?” He took a step back, his long legs almost bringing him to the edge of his bed.
“I would, but only to go to the Copper Kingdom and save Arkimedes.”
A bitter laugh escaped his lips. “Even if you could, why would you be so naïve as to think I would help you and not kill you myself as soon as I’m free?”
“You won’t.” Her voice came out strong, and she lifted her chin in the air.
His lips pulled back, revealing straight white teeth. “Please release me. I would love to prove you different.”
“He saved your life, didn’t he? He didn’t do it for his own gain. He did it because he didn’t want you to suffer.” Devon’s eyes came to meet her and his lips tightened as she continued. “You owe him a life debt.”
His pale complexion turned green. “No.”
“Yes, and I’m calling on it.”
“You can’t call upon this. You aren’t him.”
“But I’m his soulmate.” Nava had been piecing this together, but as her confidence grew within, she knew this was the right path to follow. “Which makes him and me one soul. If I don’t get to him soon, he will die, and you will fail to repay the debt I'm here to collect.”
Devon shook his head. His skin glowed yellow, matching the color of her aura. The binding of the life debt settled between them like a strong rope tying them together in an unbreakable spell. “You conniving bitch.” His wide ebony eyes looked at his glowing skin. Magic lit the cell. “How are you doing magic inside this building?”
He would never know that the tree was allowing her to do so. “It doesn’t matter how. What matters is to get you out of there so we can—”
“Die in that kingdom,” he interrupted her, dropping his arms to his sides. “You seem like a fit mate for him, stubborn like no one else.”
That, she couldn’t refute.
CHAPTERTHREE
NAVA
Her brain always worked in funny ways when put between a rock and a hard place. Nava was always good at making up plans to survive.
