Chapter 39
The journey back to the palace is silent.
Too much has happened over the last twenty-four hours, and though we all fought side by side, I don’t know if things will ever be the same again.
I try not to focus on the fact that Karius chose to ride back with Ivana and Kaia or that his relief at finding me safe quickly morphed into anger.
I clutch onto Willow as she sleeps soundly at my side. She looks exhausted, and as much as I wanted to ask her a million questions as soon as we found her, I knew that she needed the rest. I gently wake her as the carriage comes to a stop outside the palace.
“We’re here,” I whisper.
She stirs before stretching her arms out and sitting up. Dark patches color the skin beneath her eyes, and her gaze carries a sadness that I’m too afraid to ask about.
I try to ignore the icy wind that sweeps over me as I help Willow out of the carriage.
Thin fingers wrap around mine, and I plaster a fake smile on my face to hide the worried expression from her.
She looks like she’s been starved, while I’ve been indulging in all the luxuries the palace has to offer.
I feel sick. Anger surges through me, and I search for Athriel’s presence, but once again, he’s quiet.
My attention is taken by the sight of Karius standing cross-armed outside of our carriage, his face emotionless as he watches me.
Ivana stands beside him, her predatory gaze lingering on us both as two guards stand statuesque behind them.
I stop for a moment, a funny feeling sending goosebumps skittering up my arms. Something feels off.
“Now,” Karius says flatly.
In a flash, Ivana moves toward us, grabbing Willow in her grasp.
Before I can react, she throws open a portal and drags her through it.
I move so fast that the world around me disappears, but I’m too slow, finding myself falling through the air as the black mass evaporates into nothing.
I steady myself and whip my attention in Karius’s direction, but his back is already to me as he moves up the entrance stairs.
“Where did she take her?” I grit out, but he ignores me.
I storm toward him, anger heating my veins like fire.
“Answer me, you bastard!” I scream before slamming my fists against his back.
He’s wholly unaffected by my attack, and it only stands to piss me off more.
The guard trailing us lunges into my path, grabbing my wrists and shoving me back.
Before I can react, Karius’s hand clamps around his throat, lifting him into the air, his feet dangling high above the ground.
The vampire’s eyes widen in horror as he tries desperately to peel away his grip, but Karius’s pupils are a dark storm as he shoots daggers at the guard.
“You ever lay so much as a finger on her again, and I will kill you,” Karius says, his tone threatening.
The guard gasps for air. “But…she tried…to…attack…you…”
“I don’t care if you have to stand by and watch as she plunges a dagger through my still-beating heart, don’t fucking touch her. She’s mine,” he growls.
Confusion twists the guard’s features, but he nods in understanding. A moment of silence passes between them before Karius drops him to the ground, leaving him gasping for air. He continues in the direction of the palace, and I remain hot on his trail.
“Where did she take her?” I spit. When he doesn’t answer, I use the vampire speed coursing through me until I’m standing right in front of him, blocking his path.
His eyes pin me with a warning glare. If he thinks that’s going to deter me, then he doesn’t know me at all.
“I sai—”
“Not here,” he says sternly. He’s speaking to me like I’m one of his guards, and I almost lose it until I hear the irritating drawl of Celeste’s voice from behind me.
“You’re back,” she says, stating the fucking obvious. “The others are wondering when the meeting will commence?”
My back stiffens at the casual way she addresses him.
I haven’t seen her since the night she announced their betrothal, and just the sound of her voice makes me want to rip her heart out.
Gods, why does she make me so mad? I turn slowly to face her, and I don’t miss the way her eyes narrow when she takes me in. The feeling’s mutual.
“Tell them I’ll be down in an hour,” he tells her before he walks past both of us without saying another word. I follow behind, but I shoot her a look that reminds her what I’m capable of. Angry as she is, there’s a hesitation to her that was not there before our incident in Karius’s room.
I want to scream at him as we move through the silent hallways, but he’s right; having a conversation about what just happened openly in a castle full of vampires would be foolish. So, I wait until we are finally inside his study.
“Where’s Willow?” I demand, as soon as the door closes.
He ambles across the room to a tray holding a set of crystal glasses.
He pours himself a drink and lifts it to his lips before sinking into the large leather chair behind his desk.
He leans back, his eyes firmly on me as he finally answers my question.
“She’s safe. She’s in one of the cells in the dungeon.”
My chest tightens at his words. Safe? I want to kill him. I want to plunge my dagger right through his heart, just as he suggested moments ago.
“You locked my sister up in a fucking cell?” I hiss.
“I did.”
I laugh incredulously. “Is that all you have to say?”
He lifts his eyes to meet mine, his stare suddenly cold.
“Were you expecting something else?”
I grit my teeth. “Give your guards the order to release her.”
“No.”
He rests the glass on the desk between us, his expression unreadable. I storm across the room, stopping just in front of him.
“What do you want from me? An apology for sneaking out of the palace? Fine. I’m sorry.
Sorry for leaving without telling you. Sorry for putting your friends' lives at risk. I’m fucking sorry, but I don’t regret it.
We saved Willow. I got her back, and I will not apologize for that, but you’re not going to punish her for my mistakes. ”
His expression turns stony. “You truly think so little of me that you believe I would do all this just to punish you?”
“Yes!”
“I thought you were dead!” he shouts as he stands abruptly, and it’s as if time stops. “There was a moment when I felt nothing. The bond went cold. I couldn’t sense you. I couldn’t feel you. So yes, I’m mad, Adina. I’m fucking furious, but I would never do anything to hurt you.”
We stare at one another for a long while, and I hate that I know that he’s telling the truth. I hate that I can see the honesty swimming in his eyes. But none of that matters, because he still locked Willow up like a monster.
“And yet you did hurt me,” I say.
“No, I protected you because you’ve made it abundantly clear that you won’t do that yourself.”
“I can take care of myself.”
His eyes darken. “No, you can’t, not when it comes to the people you care about. You make reckless and foolish decisions that put your life at risk.”
I laugh. “You mean, your life. That’s what it all comes down to, right? The bond?”
An emotion flashes across his face.
“I know you, Adina, and no matter how angry you may be, you’re not stupid.
You felt the same dread that I felt when Julian died, that same feeling that this isn’t over.
And you know that keeping Willow locked up is the right thing to do to keep her and everyone else safe until we know what we’re dealing with.
So how about we stop this game because we both know that this is not what you’re truly mad about, is it? ”
His words take me by surprise.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You haven't said a word to me since the day that you found out about the betrothal.”
A laugh escapes me. “You think I’m angry because of you and Celeste? She can have you. In fact, I don’t care who the hell you screw. The only thing between us is this gods-forsaken bond,” I say, but the words taste bitter in my mouth.
My heart pounds inside my chest as he moves around the desk, coming to a stop in front of me. He stands so close that his breath fans my lips, and I fight the urge to lean into him.
“So, it doesn’t bother you that I will marry somebody else?”
My chest tightens at his words, but I push the feeling away. “No,” I spit.
“Or that she will share my bed?”
Scorching hot rage fills me. “I don’t care.”
“Liar,” he taunts.
“I’m not lying.”
“I can feel it, Adina. I can feel your intentions, and fuck if they don’t drive me crazy every gods-damned time we’re in the same room.”
“You don’t know a damn thing.”
“I know that marrying Celeste is the right thing to do for my court, but if you asked me not to, I would cancel the entire thing in a heartbeat.” I gulp.
“I also know that the thought of having any other woman in my bed besides you makes me feel physically sick. And I know that the only thing I’ve thought about for weeks is spreading you across that desk and making you scream my name until every vampire in this realm knows exactly who you belong to. ”
His words send fire straight to my core, and my breath hitches as he takes a step closer.
“Why are you fighting it?” his voice is low, desperate as his eyes search mine.
“I’m not fighting anything.” But the whispered words taste like lies on my tongue. His hand lifts to my face as it traces the outline of my jaw before falling to my collar. His touch sends bolts of lightning straight through me, and my thoughts become a puddle of nothing.
“I know that you feel something.”
I shake my head, unable to speak, with the feel of his fingers against my skin.
“No?” he asks, lifting his brow.
“N—”