Page 157 of This Vicious Dream

And run.

“What are you doing!” Eamonn slams a wing into my face and I duck, still too furious to speak to him.

Calpharos hasn’t yet made it through my flames, but he will. My breaths are sharp sobs, the world spinning around me.

But I make it to Fox, yanking his lead rope free.

Shockingly, the stallion allows me to pull him away from the temple.

“Don’t do this, Madinia.” Desperation coats Eamonn’s voice, and I have no doubt that if he could shift into a larger animal, he would be attempting to prevent my escape.

“Calpharos,” a feminine voice calls, and I go still.

That voice.

“Get down,” Eamonn hisses, and I drop to the ground, Fox carelessly munching on the grass next to me.

Several soldiers march from behind the temple. One of them carries Vicana’s flag.

My mouth goes dry. We’re sheltered behind a few trees, but it wouldn’t take much for someone to see us.

The soldiers part, and I catch sight of the witch first. Despite her rounded shoulders and stooped posture, Bridin walks with a spring in her step.

Behind her, the queen glides toward the temple. She’s wearing a long, crimson gown, a ruby-studded crown encircling her head.

My body turns hot and then ice cold.

I know that face.

“Eamonn.” My voice trembles as my mind attempts to understand what I’m seeing. He lands on my shoulder. “Why didn’t you tell me Vicana was the goddess who killed me?” I stare at Anarthys, bile burning up my throat.

Eamonn’s voice is a shocked whisper. “I didn’t know. I’ve never seen her face before. This should be impossible.”

It makes sense now. Calpharos’s sister is still working with Anarthys. She attempted to slow him down, buying time for the goddess to reach this temple.

I’m not sure how Anarthys ended up in this world, but I’m not surprised that she made herself a queen. She always loved being worshiped.

Something dark and possessive spills through me at the thought of the bitch-goddess touching Calysian. I can’t forget her black poison from the bolt at the lake, or the way a mere graze with that poisoned bolt sent Calysian into unconsciousness.

But he’s not Calysian now.

He’s Calpharos.

It takes everything in me to watch as Vicana and the witch step into the temple. But I do it.

And then I swing myself into the saddle, nudging Fox into motion.

“What are you doing? You’re truly leaving him?” Panic coats Eamonn’s voice, but I block him out. I half expect the demon horse to throw me from his back. Instead, he breaks into a trot.

“Madinia.” Eamonn flaps his wings, creating a tiny breeze around my head. “Talk to me.”

I can’t even speak. All I can do is hold on to Fox as he moves into a smooth gallop and I attempt to block out the sight of Vicana and Bridin walking into that temple.

I trapped Calpharos with my flames. I practically handed him to them.

The city gates loom in the distance, and relief shudders through my body. It’s enough to help me talk around the lump in my throat.

“Last night, you told me I could take the link to the third grimoire. You didn’t have a plan to get to the second grimoire, because you wanted your brother to take it. And this morning…you could have woken me when Calysian left. But you needed to ensure he had enough of a head start to take the second grimoire. And yet you also needed me to make it here in time to steal his link to the last grimoire.” My voice cracks. “That’s some impressive timing.”

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