Page 28 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

A tear streaks down my face and splatters on the page. I choke back more tears and try to breathe, but it's no use. Between my fingers, I ignite the paper and watch as it turns to ash. The note is gone now, along with all its secrets. I can't allow anything or anyone to take my throne, nor my mate. No distractions.

When a knock sounds at my door, I wipe my eyes and pull on my robe.

"Yes?" I say, my voice ragged as I pull it open. It sounds like a blade made from sandpaper, rough and gravelly. Irid stands there, her cheeks red and wet with tears, but she's alone. "Where is she?"

"My lord." She bows. Her eyes flicker up to meet mine for a moment before she bows her head again. "Morte is in one of the wooden cottages at the edge of the forest."

I blink. "You do know I asked you to bring her to me hours ago, right?" Am I remembering it correctly?

"That's the thing, my lord. She's chained herself to the bed and refuses to unlock it."

Rage becomes a choking ball of fire, burning through me as I slam the door. I can barely contain my anger long enough to get dressed, hopping about in an attempt to pull on my leather cord tunic and pants, working my feet into my boots. Feeling at my throat for my necklaces, I leave my quarters and head out into the night.

The trees loom around me, darkness hiding the forest floor. A thousand eyes watch me as I storm to Morte's cottage. My heart makes a racket in my chest and my palms sweat as I prepare myself for what lies ahead.

I stalk towards the little hut and throw the door open, taking with me the fury of a thousand fires. Morte stands before me, her face pale, but determined. She looks so brave, so beautiful in her defiance, and my heart cracks. Her crimson tresses, like fire, spill down her back, her eyes smoldering with a strength and fight rarely seen here.

"Why did you defy me?"

"I didn't feel like dying today."

I hear the fear underlining her brave words, but her gaze never wavers from mine.

"You don't have the luxury of picking your fate, Morte." My words are harsh, even to my own ears.

She's the one who will take everything from me. Caius. My throne. The entire realm.

I can't let that happen.

* * *

Morte

The airaround me thickens like tar as I stand in the presence of the devil. Every fiber of my being screams at me to turn and run, but I know that if I do, there's no chance of saving Wilder.

Aggonid’s intensity draws me in, and I can feel it swimming around inside me like a vengeful spirit. His power enters my veins like venom, a phantom hand gripping my bones until they crumble to dust. I may be in the devil's domain, but no matter how hard he tries, he can’t take away my will to survive.

A molten rage boils in his eyes, and I feel my heart shatter at the sight. Is he angry because Caius wants to fuck me?

His silver hair is tightly woven to his scalp on one side, revealing a pointed ear that mirrors my own. His burnished pewter skin shimmers in the flickering torchlight, and for a minute, I'm mesmerized by his beauty. But in that same moment, I feel the force of his hatred and my knees buckle beneath me.

"Send me back, and I swear you'll never have to deal with me again." I keep my voice level, betraying none of my inner tumult.

"I can't. The only other place one goes from here is nowhere. This is the last stop before oblivion." He takes slow, calculated steps towards me, more predator than male.

My heart rate skyrockets, a frantic beat hammering against my ribcage. Agony flashes across his features as he strikes, his fingernails turning to razor-sharp claws. In a sudden rage-fueled burst, he grabs me by the throat and slams me hard against the wall. His lips part as his breath, like fire on my skin, reaches my cheeks. His grip is vice-like iron, the crushing force draining me of everything I have.

My mouth gapes open, but no words come out. My heart thrashes in my chest, and I can't break free from his grasp. His rage is tangible, and his possessiveness is suffocating, but within his eyes there's something more—a torment so deep and widespread that it pierces me like an arrow. An unbearable despair envelopes me, making it almost impossible to breathe. My fingers dig into his wrist, shredding his bracers as I desperately cling onto him.

I bare my teeth in a snarl as I unleash a storm of fury from deep within me. My hand whips out, connecting with the cold metal of my manacle. Seizing the opportunity, I wrap it around his wrist, chaining us together. He staggers back as my foot slams into his gut, pushing him away from me and giving me the opportunity to claw air into my lungs.

I dive for my bed, ripping into the mattress like a caged animal, desperate to find my salvation. I snatch the necklace from its hiding spot, securing its safekeeping around my bruised neck. An immense power radiates through me as I feel the dark magic it holds bound to my soul. The metal links dig into my skin, but with each breath I take, I sense my strength continuing to grow.

I'm dragged backward by my ankle. I'm dangled upside down for a moment before Aggonid releases me, dropping me to the ground. Under the bed, I spy a glint of light and I surge for it, slapping my palm on top of it.

Without thinking, I open my mouth and shove it down my throat, swallowing as I scramble onto my backside.

Flames lick the walls, and the devil snarls, taking a step back, his expression bewildered. He holds his hand, an oily substance dripping from between his fingers.

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