Page 61 of Urban Gladiator

“Yes, I did. How long will it take your spell to reinforce the barrier?”

“Not long. It’s a complicated spell, but I’ve got it.” She shrugged as if it were no big deal.

When I thought about the magnitude of the spell she’d be casting, it left me awed at the power she had inside her small body. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“I’m glad you think so,” she replied, but then blushed almost as red as her hair. She was so lovely, she made me ache.

On the table was a wine bucket with an open bottle of wine. And there was a note on it. It was from my father. I would know his handwriting anywhere.

Enjoy your night.

I grimaced, hating that we were celebrating one of our last nights with something he gave me. But I wanted tonight to be special for Ember.

“Wine?” I asked, picking up the chilled bottle.

She held her wineglass up. “Yes, please. I’ve been waiting for you to return to drink it.”

I poured each of us a glass. Lifted mine up in a toast. “By tomorrow, my father will resign, and I will take over as king. And from this day on, no more witches will be sacrificed because of one man’s vendetta.”

Our glasses clinked together, and we each took a sip.

“Mmm. This is good.” Ember had another long drink. And she wasn’t wrong; it had a remarkable flavor. I took another few drinks myself, letting the flavor roll over my tongue. But something was off. There was a taste I couldn’t pinpoint that was wrong.

“Rowan, I don’t feel good,” Ember murmured, her voice slow. She looked at me then, her eyes full of betrayal. “How could you?”

And then she slumped in her seat. The world swam before my eyes. And it finally smacked me upside the head. I knew what that taste was in the wine. Poison. My father had poisoned us. I should have seen this coming.

And then it was lights out.

26

Rowan

I came to in a cell with my head muddled and aching. My father had put me in the fucking dungeon. Shifting, I threw my body at the bars. I had to get out of here. I needed to find Ember. She’d looked so betrayed. I couldn’t let her believe I’d hurt her this way. Not when I fucking loved her more than I’d ever loved anyone.

“Enough, son.” My father appeared on the other side of the reinforced bars.

“What have you done?” I snarled, gripping the bars. My father was a hateful, vengeful man. I would end his reign of terror the moment I escaped. And so help me, I would kill him for harming my mate.

“Ensured the barrier between our world and the human world doesn’t fall. The witch will die in the bloodletting ceremony today.” He sounded thoroughly pleased with himself.

“I will end you for harming her,” I seethed.

“That witch has you spelled. She’s tricked you.”

My wolf bled through as I growled. “Ember’s my fucking mate. If she dies, know there’s no place in Avalon or on this planet you can hide where I won’t hunt you down and end you.”

“That’s preposterous. She’s a witch.” The way he said witch made it sound like she was filth scraped off a shoe.

“No, it’s not. Even Simon heard my wolf issue the mating howl. And I don’t fucking care whether you believe me. The moment I’m released, you’re a dead man.”

His eyes widened for a moment, but then he shook it off as if what I said was of no consequence. “It’s too late. The ceremony is already underway.”

“And you just signed your death warrant. Better run now, get yourself a head start. Because the moment I’m free—and make no mistake, I will escape the dungeon—I will come for you.”

“You’re a damn disappointment. I should have drowned you at birth.” He sneered with such malice I wonder how I didn’t see the hatred inside him years ago.

“Yes, you should have. Because now I will be your judge, jury, and executioner.”

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