Page 35 of Thorn & Ash

But footsteps echoed somewhere within the palace, and Cyrus knew their precious moments of solitude were coming to an end. Prue slid off him and adjusted her dress, which was moist in certain places, eliciting a smirk from Cyrus. She only sent him a coy smile in response.

“If he takes over again,” Cyrus said, sobering at the thought of parting from her, “you know how to bring me back.”

“Yes, I do,” she said, her eyes burning with a heat that made his stomach clench. “All I need to do is make you beg.”

TRACKING

EVANDER

Before Mona’s Resurrection

Evander could only stare in stunned silence at Mona, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on her face instead of wandering along her naked body. Shame and mortification filled her features, her cheeks flushed and her hair a tangled mess.

Gods, she was utterly beautiful. He had never seen the particular shade of her eyes because of her transparent spirit form.

They were pale emerald. So breathtaking.

But Evander couldn’t even appreciate it. His chest burned, his stomach knotting. He could hardly breathe, the regret and embarrassment were so stark inside him. What had he done to her?

“Mona, I—we—did we—” He gestured between the two of them, his face on fire.

Mona dropped her gaze and bit her lip. “We—we almost did. But we never actually… finished.” A blush formed across her cheeks.

“Did I… did he hurt you?” Evander asked in a low voice.

“No, no, I’m fine.” Mona’s brow furrowed. “He who? It was you, Evander.”

Evander shook his head, a growl of frustration escaping his throat. There was so much she didn’t know. So much he now had to tell her because he couldn’t leash this damn beast growing inside him. “Mona—”

When he turned to her, her form flickered, becoming transparent once more. Evander stiffened. “Shit,” he hissed, just before Mona disappeared entirely.

His hand flew up instinctively, as if he could stop her from vanishing. But he knew it was fruitless.

Whatever unusual magic had granted her access to her body had now left her.

But where did that leave her spirit?

Urgency flooded Evander’s chest. He had to find her. After what had transpired between them, her emotions, her entire soul, would be in a fragile state.

What if something happened to her? All because of Evander’s damn curse…

Within seconds, Evander had thrown on his trousers and tore through the forest, tracing the path back to the river. He thought—hoped—Mona’s spirit would have returned to the same spot hovering above the waters, but she wasn’t there.

“Mona?” Evander called, knowing it was useless. If she were here, he’d be able to see her. Sense her.

He hurried downstream, his steps quick and lithe as he scanned the river’s depths, wondering if her soul had finally transitioned.

The thought left him feeling desperately empty inside. He wasn’t ready to lose her. Not yet.

He told himself it was only because he wanted to explain things to her, to thoroughly apologize for what happened. But, in truth, it went deeper than that. He cared for her. Probably more than he should.

“Mona!” His voice rang in the forest, louder than he’d ever shouted in his life.

When the forest thinned and he found himself approaching the caves of Styx, he faltered. Would her soul have ended up in a different domain? Was she trapped somewhere else now? Tartarus, even?

Fresh panic bloomed inside him. No, it couldn’t be. She was bound to his river. To him.

He turned and raced back up the riverbank, retracing his steps. He would scour his entire river if he had to. She had to be here somewhere.

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