Page 61 of Merciless Is My Crown

“And what do we get in return if we shed our blood for your cause?” Vireena leaned back, darkness wrapping around her like a cloak. You come here and ask us to die for you after you challenged my rule?”

“I did not…” Anaria swallowed. “I am not challenging you. I do not want your throne or your power, only your help.”

Vireena nodded to Anaria’s arm, to the unwanted brand hidden beneath her clothing. “And yet you carry the scion mark into my lands,” she hissed. “Into my stronghold. Why else would you come but to take my kingdom for yourself?”

Anaria’s wide eyes flickered up to mine. “I’ve spoken true. I have no wish to fight anyone. I do not wish to rule here or anywhere else. Take the mark away; I don’t want it. I never wanted it.”

“Shut up,” Adele hissed, her voice a carbon copy of the High Priestess’s. “Stop talking before you ruin everything.”

“You sound weak,” Vireena mused. “Saying you want nothing at all.”

Vireena settled back into her seat, her eyes skimming over us coldly before landing once more on Anaria. “Strange because I heard what you did in Caladrius. You’re powerful, I’ll give you that, but you aren’t a High Barrens witch. This is the first time you’ve ever set foot on our soil. You haven’t gone through our training or been tested by our trials.”

“My daughter will pass any test you give her to prove she’s worthy.”

Tavion’s voice was death as he growled, “I’ll cut your tongue out, Adele, if you speak another word.”

“You do not command me, wolf. Here or anywhere else.” Adele’s mouth twisted as she stepped away from us and lifted her hand, pointing straight at Tavion’s heart. “Here is the male who killed Alaric and Zephora. Cut their heads off in front of their own home.”

All around us, the air shifted into something dark and dangerous.

We had to get out of here. I tightened my grip on Anaria, searching for a way out of this room, back to the open air where I could shift and carry her to safety.

“Not only that, he is a wolf. A white wolf, sisters. He possesses a rare magic.” The murmuring turned crueler, the circle closing in around us, witches drawing those deadly, curved knives, sharp enough to filet flesh from bone with the flick of a slender wrist.

“But more than that…” Adele’s gaze landed on me, and I lost my breath. “I bring you an even greater gift, my sisters. A golden wyvern. The last of his kind. A mighty offering for a mighty priestess.”

Fucking hell, Adele was staging a fucking coup and we were the asking price.

Anaria stepped in front of us both, spreading her arms. “No. Don’t touch a hair on their heads. They are not part of this.” Her magic thrummed in the air, but she didn’t cast, keeping her power locked down.

I moved closer to Anaria, drawing my knife as every single witch turned to Tavion, pale eyes narrowing on the shifter. Gods, I hoped he shifted and disappeared into the snow. He’d be impossible to spot, to track.

Shift, you stupid oaf, and run. Do it now.

Tavion bared his teeth at the witches, but they were already moving and a second later laid ice-cold steel blades across our throats. Anaria was still trying to loosen her bands when we were separated. Two witches dragged her away, pinning her arms behind her back, and I went feral.

My pathetic knives and my magic left one witch bleeding out on the flagstones, another with a smoking hole in her chest. As for the brawny male with the torn-out throat—Tavion, it seemed, didn’t need to transform to use his fangs.

By the time the skirmish was over, Tavion and I were both crushed on our bellies to the floor, sword points piercing the base of our necks, an inch from slicing through and rendering us worthless.

Because if we were dead, that left no one to protect Anaria.

Adele jerked her head toward Dane, as if he was an afterthought. “This one is a black wolf, admittedly not as rare, but I expect you’ll find him useful.”

Vireena focused on Dane, eyes glittering like polished diamonds.

“Montogomery has a longstanding pact with this coven, and we rely on his skills as a tracker and for information from the Fae realms. He is not to be touched.” She lifted her index finger. “But the others…lock them in the aerie and post guards. After tomorrow’s contest is over, we shall decide how best to carve them up.”

“Get your fucking hands off them.” The scream exploded out of Anaria before she was slammed into a wall by a witch twice her size, hard enough I heard her head crack against the stone.

The air exploded out of my lungs when they planted their boots in my back, efficiently stripping away every piece of armor until Tavion and I were in our shirtsleeves. Dane’s gaze landed on the guards now yanking Tavion to his feet, one hand hovering over the hilt of his knife.

I shook my head.

Until Raziel and Zorander arrived, he was the only thing standing between Anaria and these creatures, and I had to believe they’d get here soon.

If not tonight, then tomorrow.

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