Page 70 of Savage Claim

“How many runaways did you transform into your special soldiers to search for the amulet?” I asked, my fingers coiling around the bars. “How many died for you?”

“You know the risks when you become a raven.” The captain lifted her head, the dim lights shining on her slicked-back blonde ponytail. “Don’t act as if you were thrown to the wolves.”

A dry laugh slipped out, shooting pains through my esophagus. “Just the demons in Vlehull.” I rested my forehead against the cold iron bars and pinned the captain with an unrelenting stare. “You knew how dangerous searching for the Infernal Sol was, so why would you always send newly initiated ravens? Why not send seasoned veterans?”

She shrugged. “I chose candidates I thought were the best for the job.”

“You chose young ravens who wouldn’t question your motives.” I tried to blink the bleariness from my eyes as the Malefic ash soaked into my system. I’d love to pass out instead of wasting time arguing with this lying, self-righteous bitch. “You manipulated us, made us idolize you, so we didn’t see the truth. We were fucking cannon fodder.”

“Is all of this true, Aunt Anna?” The heartbreak in Hawk’s voice tore at my chest and made me want to reach for him despite his betrayal.

She jerked her chin toward the doorway. “Leave, Hawk. We’ll talk about this later.”

He crossed his arms, and his combat boot remained firmly planted on the ground. “I’m not going anywhere until you give me some answers.”

“Now, Hawk!” she snapped, finally turning her attention to him. “This is not up for discussion. After all the trouble you’ve caused lately, I think you’d want to redeem yourself by following orders. If you can’t, I’ll be forced to demote you or remove The Calling spell.”

The blood drained from Hawk’s cheeks, and his mouth parted, stunned speechless by her threat. His gaze flicked to mine, regret flashing in them before he stormed from the room.

“You’re a piece of work.” I shook my head and moved away from the bars, leaning on the cold brick wall. “He’s your nephew. Instead of threatening him, you should help him before he gets hurt.”

Coltrane snatched the radio off her belt. “Garrison, escort my nephew to his room and assign a guard at his door to ensure he stays put tonight.” She returned the radio to its spot against her hip. “Happy now?”

“Not in the least.”

“How did you come to possess the Infernal Sol?” she asked, ignoring my scathing tone. “How did it bond with you?” Even as she stood like the perfect commander—her hands clasped behind her behind her back, chin lifted, and face blank—she couldn’t hide the eagerness throbbing around her.

I smelled it in the air.

“Go to hell, Captain.”

She took a deep breath, biting back the anger. “If you don’t tell me, I will remove The Calling spell from Hawk.”

Fury had me pushing off the wall even though the Malefic ash weakened my legs. “If you do that, you’ll get him killed. He won’t stop going after nightworlders.”

Her shoulders lifted in a casual shrug. “That’ll be on you then.”

How could she be so callous and harsh to her own nephew? And she would do it. She’d strap Hawk down and have a witch remove the spell that gave him super abilities to fight nightworlders.

Hatred for her oozed through my bloodstream, tainting my vision with a crimson haze. I despised her, maybe even more than Venna.

I had to get out of here.

“Fane! Are you there?” I tried to focus on the demon shifter, but the Malefic ash made it hard to concentrate. Could he detect that something was wrong, or was he still drowning in guilt and self-loathing after nearly choking me to death? “I could really use your assistance right now.”

I wouldn’t be able to leave my body until the effects of the mystical ash wore off. Even my connection to the amulet was dulled and fuzzy, or I’d crack Coltrane’s mind open and feast on her fears.

Unfortunately, I was stuck with this psycho bitch for the time being. “I don’t know how it happened,” I gritted out. “I was dying, and the stone simply vanished inside of me.”

She scoffed. “You had to have done something.”

“This thing has a mind of its own. I didn’t do anything.”

Coltrane approached the bars but remained out of my reach. “Tell me everything that happened from the moment you had possession of the amulet all the way to when it bonded with you.”

I sighed and delved into the memories never far from my mind. That night in Vlehull had irrevocably altered the course of my life. The Infernal Sol wasn’t the only thing that had changed me. Fane’s bite had linked us together forever.

As I shared the events of that night, Coltrane hung on my every word. Excitement brightened her dark eyes like a kid on Christmas morning, and she could barely contain her smile.

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