Chapter 2
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule two: Loopholes make the best holes.
“You’re deranged,” I deadpan.
I’m well aware that antagonizing Leon is very bad for all aspects of my well-being.
A smart person would be meek and compliant.
Because I know he could change his mind about not touching me at any moment.
And yet, no matter how hard I’m mentally kicking myself, the meek, conflict-averse person I’ve tried to emulate for so long won’t come forward.
Maybe she died in the Shadow Realm.
I can’t find it in me to mourn her.
Leon’s gaze hardens, and his grip starts digging the offending ring into my skin.
I hold his stare with steely confidence, refusing to show any reaction to the pain he’s inflicting. This has nothing on the pain the bond put me through.
My tone is firm as I try to talk some sense into him. “This has gone on far too long already. I have Cassandra’s memories back. I know everything, and I will never love you. You need to let me go–”
“YOU KNOW NOTHING!” Leon roars, releasing my hands only to grip my throat.
My airway closes. I beg my body to scream, kick, claw him off, but the leash forces me to stand still. Still, I don’t give up. Memories of self-defense lessons with Damien flash through my mind.
Just because I can’t fight back doesn’t mean I can’t escape.
Figuring it’s worth a shot, I go limp, letting my body become dead weight. Unfortunately, Leon doesn’t release me. I guess this strategy doesn’t apply to large, abusive men.
Sad.
When Leon still shows no signs of releasing me, I move on to plan C.
I focus on his embroidered royal blue tunic.
It stretches around him like it’s too tight, and his sapphire buttons take bedazzling to a new level.
I start to count them, trying to keep my attention anywhere but him.
Because that’s what narcissists crave, isn’t it? Attention?
Leon’s fury only grows more palpable as he realizes I’m zoning him out.
Suddenly, I remember an important lesson about why it’s a bad idea to ignore Leon.
On cue with that thought, he tilts my face, forcing me to stare at him. His twisted rage has fallen away, only to be replaced by cruel calculation. Loosening his grip around my neck, his soft, smooth thumb caresses my throat.
Red flag number four hundred and seventy-six that I really shouldn’t have ignored: Leon has baby-smooth hands. Gross.
“Stupid, selfish, shortsighted girl,” Leon spits.
“You aren’t intelligent enough to see what position you’re in.
The Council has legions of soldiers, already primed and ready to invade the Mortal and Shadow Realms. But now that you’ve been returned unharmed, the Council is willing to make peace with Morgana.
So, unless you want to be responsible for thousands of deaths, you need to accept your rightful place by my side. ”
With each of his words, the panic-fueled noose around my neck tightens. Because he knows I’ll always try to avoid war. My happiness isn’t worth the lives of thousands. He knows my weakness.
“This is your future now,” he stresses. “And it will be much more pleasant for all involved if you can accept that.”
Despite the added weight of his threats, my mind revolts, refusing to accept this fate. Every problem has a solution. There has to be a way out of this, a way I can escape Leon without starting a war. Yet no matter how fast my mind races, I come up empty.
He stares at me, and I realize he’s waiting for my agreement.
Backed into a corner and out of any other immediate options, I nod, even as I do nothing to mask my loathing. “Fine.”
This doesn’t mean I’m giving up. It just means I haven’t found a solution yet.
Delusional as always, Leon ignores my glare and offers me his most charming smile.
“Excellent, then let’s get on with our first order of business as betrothed.
” He pulls me to the door on our right, but rather than opening it, he pauses to give me a stern look.
“While I have been exceedingly patient with your emotional outbursts, we must maintain appearances. Whenever we are outside of this room, you will do as I say. You will not speak unless you have my permission to do so. If you act out, I’ll be forced to punish you to ensure you learn your lesson. Understood?”
As usual, his condescending tone makes my blood boil. Still, I nod, more than okay with the idea of never speaking to Leon, ever again.
He grins like he’s just taught his little pet a new trick and releases me before opening the door and striding into the corridor. Less than a heartbeat passes until I’m compelled to follow, thanks to the magical leash.
Much like the last time we were here, Leon forges forward, his long legs faster than my own. He makes no effort to wait for me. I imagine he must like me following behind him. It really adds to his whole ‘my ex-girlfriend is subservient’ routine.
The castle’s lavish interior is nothing but a faded backdrop as I hustle to keep up. I’m no longer impressed with the grandeur of my new prison.
The further we get from my room, the more crowded the corridors grow. People give us worried looks as we pass them, but seeing them reduces my anxiety. Leon won’t do anything to sully our ‘perfect couple’ image.
As soon as the overwhelming sense of panic dissipates, my mind immediately drifts back to Sin. It sends a pang of longing ripping through me that’s so strong, it almost makes my knees buckle.
Don’t think about him.
My friends, my realms, my home. I repeat the familiar mantra and bite the inside of my cheek every time I feel myself starting to fall apart.
Too much has happened in too short a time, and I haven’t had a second to think or process.
The weight of everything is threatening to crush me, but I’ll be damned if I let myself look fragile in front of Leon.
So instead of letting myself think of him, I focus on my immediate problem – the leash. Only this time, I compartmentalize my fear of the heinous tool, the same way I do when freeing trapped spirits.
Repress, repress, repress.
The leash is a problem, and I like solving problems. Leon said it’s tied to his will, but thus far, he’s only used verbal commands to control me. I wonder if that gives me any kind of wiggle-room. Desperate for a loophole, I think back to some of the commands he’s just given me.
Right, insane ex-boyfriend’s current rules: I must obey, and I can’t speak without his permission.
Technically, a lot of things might not be considered speaking. Curious, I try to whisper, but the sound gets stuck in my throat.
Strike one for loopholes.
Shame.
Undeterred, I try softly humming instead. The tune of Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks comes without resistance, and I grin. I love a good loophole.
I hum a bit louder, testing how much slack I can get on the leash. At the sound, Leon pauses and turns to look at me, his brow lowered.
Not bothering to acknowledge his existence, I keep humming the melody even as I stop six feet behind him. My hands are folded in front of me, while I wait for him to start walking again.
Humming homicidal music soothes me.
So demure, so mindful.
Leon makes a grand gesture of rolling his eyes, but says nothing as he turns and continues to wherever he’s decided we need to be. A few moments later, we reach the grand entryway. I recognize it, since it’s where I saw all the new creatures from different realms, the first time Leon and I visited.
Once again, there’s a crowd gathered here, but rather than mostly ignoring us, they go deathly silent upon our arrival.
Our steps echo along the polished marble floors, and some distant part of my mind realizes we’re heading to the front doors.
But the thought barely registers as I take in the expressions of the crowd.
They’re openly gawking, even as they shift to make a path.
A few are staring at Leon with open hostility, evidently still pissed off about his whole fall-from-grace thing.
I make sure to give them my most terrified ‘I’m being held here against my will, so please go to war with Morgana and save me’ look.
They give me pitying expressions, but otherwise, do nothing.
Well shit. It was worth a shot.
Most of the crowd doesn’t spare Leon a glance. Instead, they’re unnervingly fixated on me. A woman steps out of the crowd, blocking my path, and her birdlike eyes are wide and unblinking as her feathered hand grazes a piece of my hair.
“A blessing,” she whispers in awe.
I frown at her, a bit dumbfounded, but before I can figure out what she means, others start to press in.
Dozens of strangers try to touch me, as if I’m some kind of holy relic.
Fingers snag in my hair and brush my arms. My chest tightens, claustrophobia starting to kick in, but they don’t stop.
The crowd surges closer, threatening to swallow me whole, and I scramble between bodies, desperate to escape before my limbs lock up.
Leon never slows his stride. He doesn’t even bother to look behind him to ensure I’m still following as he slams open the front doors and pushes forth into the night.
Finally stumbling out behind him, I try to catch my breath as I take in the darkened skies. Only it isn’t pitch-black like I previously thought. At the edges of the Council’s estate, repeated bursts of light shoot into the sky, feeding into a giant dome surrounding the castle grounds.
As I take in the darkened sphere, familiar electricity hums through me, warming my body. But before I can grasp why the mate bond is acting up, Leon grabs my wrist and yanks me to his side.
I give him my best ‘go jump off a cliff and impale yourself on sharp rocks’ frown. I really hope my face has conveyed the message.
Unfortunately, Leon ignores my contempt – likely because it’s too dark for him to see my expression.
Sad.
“Remember,” he warns, and his grip is so tight that I’m concerned my wrist is about to break, “not a word without my permission.”
Rather than flinching, I use my free hand to give him the finger. Simultaneously, a burst of red energy explodes through the darkness above us. Another boom of thunder follows it, sending a shudder through the ground. The light from the blast is bright enough that Leon can see my open hostility.
He yanks me even closer. “Do not test me,” he hisses, before he starts walking again, dragging me behind him.
The closer we get to the border of the dome, the easier it is to make out the sounds of yelling and panic. More white light is fired into the sphere.
What the hell is happening?
Finally, we reach the edge. The black void before us is completely opaque, blotting out any signs of the villages below. Leon stops, but his hold on me is still punishingly tight.
“Here is your confirmation of life!” He yells, hostility radiating from him.
At his words, a pocket of darkness in front of us dissipates, revealing two people on the other side of the dome.
My heart stops.
It’s Sin and Arianna, and they look ready to commit murder.