Page 253 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
Kat’s eyes were wide. “What is wrong with you?” she asked incredulously.
“You haven’t seen his cave, kitten.”
“Yeah, he’s right,” Tessa said, eyeing the doors with new interest. “Luka has random trinkets and things everywhere, and he gets really annoyed when people touch his things.”
“That’s an understatement,” Axel scoffed.
“Can we please focus?” Cade interrupted.
“Right. We just need to incapacitate her,” Axel said. “Then we can Travel her to the Pantheon.” He turned to the only two people with power. “Ready?”
Kat and Tessa both nodded. Flames flickered in Kat’s eyes while the bands of light around Tessa’s wrists sparked and crackled with energy.
“We won’t be able to simply walk in,” Cade was saying. “She has the doors warded.”
“That won’t be an issue,” Tessa said, placing her palm on the door. Her magic seeped from beneath her palm, racing along the doors. Then she reached back and grabbed his hand. “Make sure we’re all touching.”
Pulling open the heavy door, she stepped in. Axel felt the wards ripple, but nothing else happened.
“Do you even feel them?” he whispered to Tessa as they took tentative steps farther into the room.
She shook her head, gaze darting around the room. He did the same, watching for any movement among the stacks of things. Nothing had changed. Weapons of all kinds were along the walls, and chests full of coin, gold, silver, and all manner of jewels and jewelry were stacked on the floor.
“Are you sure she’s here?” he whispered after several tense minutes ticked by.
“She’s here,” Cade muttered. “She’s already seen us.”
“Then why are we hiding?” Tessa asked.
That…was a good question.
But before they could contemplate anything further, Bree appeared, stepping out from behind a pillar. “You brought them just as I asked,” Bree said with a cunning smile. “Thank you.”
Axel whirled on Cade and Rayell. “You tricked us?”
“No,” Cade barked. “This is all part of her games.”
“She’s lying. You know she’s lying, Axel,” Rayell said, for once appearing alarmed at what was happening. “If we were betraying you, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to grab Maddox and disappear.”
Axel bared his fangs at the mere mention of that, but Tessa was asking, “This is Bree?”
“Tessalyn Ausra,” Bree purred, sauntering closer. Her black hair was straight and swayed with every step. In her signature red dress, her honey eyes were fixed on Tessa. She held that stunning sword in her hand. The gold and ruby hilt. The deep crimson blade. “I’ve been waiting quite some time to meet you.”
Tessa turned to Axel. “This is her?”
“Yeah,” he answered, trying to watch Bree but perplexed by Tessa at the same time.
“Tristyn was right,” she said with a frown, more to herself than anyone else. “She even survives the destruction of the realm.”
“Have you met her?” Axel muttered.
“No, but I’ve seen her.”
“Are you going to properly introduce us, Axel?” Bree asked, stopping several feet from them. “It’s the least you could do after all I’ve done for you.”
“All you’ve done for me?” Axel repeated. “Am I supposed to thank you for nearly killing my wife, forcing her into labor, and then trying to abduct my son?”
Bree tsked in disappointment. “I’m hurt, darling. Did you not find your beloved because of me? Learn what she was to you? If I hadn’t set you free, would you even have known she carriedyour child? If I hadn’t saved you to begin with, would you even be standing here? Or would you be so lost to your bloodlust, you wouldn’t even be able to make sense of love and hate?”
