Page 35 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

“It wasn’tasinine,” Samara muttered while rubbing a spot on her head.

“Draven said you could summon Vail,” I said quickly. “We have a way out, but only if we get you both out of these cells.”

“Quick would be good,” Taivan added. “The prince said the guards are only stationed at the entrance, but I’m assuming they make regular rounds?”

“Yes,” Samara answered, a crease forming between her brows as she concentrated. “Next one shouldn’t be for almost an hour.” She placed a hand over her chest, right over her heart. “I’ve never actually done this before, so I’m not sure if it will work.”

I had no idea whatthiswas, but I kept my mouth shut while Samara attempted to contact Vail. What had happened between them? I wasn’t friends with Vail by any means, but I’d always respected him. His relationship with Samara was complicated, but recently, it’d seemed like it’d been getting better. Then she and Draven had been imprisoned—and he hadn’t.

That reeked of betrayal, and yet Draven and Samara both seemed willing to call on him to help break them out of here. Clearly, we had a lot of catching up to do once we were somewhere safe.

Samara let out a sharp exhale.

“What?” I crowded closer to the bars. “Are you okay?”

“Pretty sure that asshole just gave me the middle finger through our connection.” She frowned. “I wonder if there’s a way I can slap him.”

“Babe,” Roth drawled. “Did you hit your head?”

Samara rolled her eyes. “Long story. Short version is that I have some type of empathic connection to Vail—and Draven. We can’t hear each other’s thoughts or anything, but we’re . . . aware of the other.”

I looked away from Samara and tried to ignore the spike of jealousy that hit. She’d been mine first. Why didn’twehave a connection like that?

Warm fingers closed around mine where they were wrapped around the bars, and I raised my gaze to find Samara staring at me like I was the only person who existed.

“I hate that you’re here, putting yourself in danger,” she said softly. “But I’m so fucking happy to see you, Kier.”

“Missed you, Sam.” I rubbed my thumb across her fingers. “Sorry we didn’t get here sooner.”

“I never had any doubt that you’d come.” Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. “I was hoping to get myself out of here sooner. Kind of embarrassing that I needed to be rescued, honestly.”

“It really is.” I nodded, giving her a serious look.

Her pout turned into a wicked grin that had my heart skipping a beat. She opened her mouth to respond when we heard footsteps somewhere above us in the winding stairwell. There was nowhere for us to hide, so everyone except me moved to stand against the wall where the door was. I remained next to Samara so I could draw the attention of whoever entered, and Taivan nodded at me from where he stood closest to the door, his sword ready to skewer anyone who wasn’t Vail.

A second later, the door swung open, but the Marshal of House Harker wisely did not charge blindly into the room. Instead, he waited in the hallway with a dagger in each hand. He didn’t relax when he saw me; if anything, he looked more pissed off.

“You idiots chose the worst time to attempt a rescue.” His silver gaze slid to the right as if he could see through the wall. “Lower your fucking sword, Taivan, or I’ll shove it up your ass.”

The Devereux Heir snorted but lowered his sword, although he didn’t sheath it. “Well, he’s as cheerful as ever.”

Vail stormed into the room then. “Carmilla recalled all the Sovereign House rangers, and most arrived this morning. There are five hundred rangers in the keep right now, and Lucian knows you’re up to something.”

Chapter Ten

Samara

“And how doeshe know that exactly?” I narrowed my eyes at Vail.

“I didn’t tell him,” he growled as he stalked his way to my cell, not even acknowledging all the Devereux warriors eying him warily. Taivan and Desmond wore matching wolfish smiles that practically screamed trouble. One look from Roth, though, had those smiles dimming slightly, and they gave their younger sibling a chagrined look.

I had a lot to tell everyone once we were out of here, but I was dying to know what the deal was with Roth and their family and how exactly they had convinced not only their brothers but their freaking parents to come here.

But that would have to wait. We had more immediate problems, like the asshole slashing open the back of his hand and smearing the blood over his fingers.

“Then why does he suspect something?” I crossed my arms while Vail slammed his bloody fingers onto the center bar. Glyphs glowed red across a dozen of the bars before they vanished.

“You fucking yanked on our bond, and I damn near collapsed.” Vail didn’t step back from the cell, which meant hewas still blocking my exit as light silver bled through his dark grey eyes. “I was mid-sentence when it happened, and Lucian—obviously—thought it was strange. I might have cursed your name out loud. He put two and two together. I punched him in the face. Happy?”

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