Page 4 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood
Steady footsteps reached my ears. I tensed, and my wolf growled. The burning from the rope intensified as another prisoner’s scream pierced the air. Then the cell door scraped open with a loud, grating whine.
The soft swish of heavy fabric and a light metallic clicking sound merged with the footsteps, growing steadily closer to my left. The scents of rotted greens, pepper, and steel struck my nostrils.
My heart raced faster, and the ropes burned even more.
A shadow moved at my right. I kept my gaze to the left, though, because with the fae magic here, I trusted my ears more than my sight.
A tall man in a dark gray robe leaned into my narrow range of vision. He frowned as if disappointed I hadn't been fooled. I straightened my back, my heart lurching.
Never had I seen a more off-putting fae. He was thin and angular, with dull green eyes, and his sharp features tightened with a cruel smile as he looked me up and down and circled me, hands steepled. His fingers were sheathed in silver claw rings, delicately filigreed at the base like jewelry, but tapering into long, razor-sharp points that gleamed in the torchlight like polished blades. Each one curved just slightly inward, and they clicked softly as he moved and tapped them against one another.
I glared, trying not to imagine how easily he could cut me with those.
His sleek silver hair was bound with a single band, and the ponytail slid over his shoulder, moving as if it were solid. He gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger, his pointed nails almost cutting into my skin. “So this is the king’s assassin. Such a delightfully wretched creature. Your visit here will lastonly as long as it takes you to answer our questions. Answer honestly, and you’ll be out of here with minimal difficulty. Fail to do so, and your stay will stretch across days. Maybe weeks. Maybe more, depending on how long your body and mind hold out.”
My tongue grew thick in my mouth, and my throat tightened. Blood still trickled from my lips, but I straightened my shoulders and stared at him, unblinking.
He flashed me an unnerving grin, revealing far-too-perfect teeth. “Let’s start with something simple. Why did you kill the king?”
I narrowed my eyes at him and lifted my chin. “I didn’t kill the king.”
His grin broadened. His perfectly manicured brows lifted, and he clicked his tongue. “Oh…” He chuckled darkly. “Wrong answer, my dear.” He wrenched my head back at an awkward angle, then lifted his left hand and pointed a claw directly at one of my eyes. A cruel smile twisted his thin lips, and he traced a line in the air and then flicked the tip of the claw at the edge of my bloodied lip. "But I'm not worried. Everyone here eventually tells the truth precisely as they should. You won't be any different. It's just a matter of time.
“Now...let’s try that again. Why did you kill the king? Or shall I hurt you further?"
Chapter Two
Vad
My magic exploded inside me, ready to burn down the entire realm. Anyone who wanted to keep Briar from me would die a gruesome and painful death by my hand.
The two Shadow guards dragging Briar away through my mother’s garden would be the first targets, and their deaths would be more gruesome, thanks to the way they were ignoring the demands of their reigning prince and future king.
The way they were manhandling her as if she were a criminal ensured that no compassion would be given to them as I took their lives.
I clenched my hands and stumbled forward, my stomach twisting in a way I’d never experienced before. The world spun, and my limbs grew heavy. My body burned, and I tried to make my legs rush toward her. I took in her long purple and ivory skirt, wet with blood and leaving a long dark streak behind her that seemed to reflect the golden branches woven into the gown's design. One entire side was drenched in crimson,suggesting she’d been lying near my father as he died. I could only imagine what horrors she’d witnessed. Tears poured from her gorgeous jade-green eyes as she stared at me, begging for my help.
Yet, I couldn’t get to her. My legs weakened further, and the ground became unsteady. This sudden sickness must be due to my father not transferring his power to me. But I had to fecking save her! The way they were treating her—their futurequeen—was abominable.
Two council members stepped in front of me, blocking my path. The man whose lighter gray robe signified he was Aureline fae gripped my shoulder.
My blood warmed, and the cold of the magic intensified, trying to take control of my body once more. But there was no quenching this rage, and I tugged harder at my shadow magic. “I order you to get out of my way!” I snarled.
“Your Highness.” The dark-gray-cloaked Shadow fae council member lifted both hands. “I understand your anger, but the woman committed this crime while participating as a contestant to become the Shadow Queen. This matter falls under Fate’s purview and thus is a matter for the Aureline to handle. Not us. The Shadow Kingdom will have justice for your father’s death in time.”
The garden closed in on me, and a shudder shot through my spine.
Father.
My gaze darted to where his corpse lay beside the marble fountain in the silvery moonlight, just beyond the moon lilies my mother had once planted. My hands balled into fists. This should not have happened. Where were his guards? And even without guards, the enchantments in the garden should have protected him. My mind fought to understand it all.
A horrible, sickly-sweet odor masked the lilies and merged with the scents of blood and death.
He was dead.
And they were trying to take Briar from me.
I couldn’t lose them both.
