Page 88 of Zayrik

It was a pause.

A sacrifice to keep him alive.

To give him time to figure out how to take down Vask.

Metal cuffs clicked around my wrists.

Cold. Final.

But not as cold as Vask’s smile when he stepped through the door.

“I’ve missed our little talks,” he said, reaching for my face.

Zayrik’s fury exploded, protective and deadly.

I felt him move before I saw him.

“Don’t touch her.”

The words carried death.

Carried promise.

Carried everything I was trying to prevent.

Vask’s men raised their weapons, but Vask just smiled.

That same smile that had haunted my nightmares.

“Protective, isn’t he?” His eyes flicked to Zayrik’s colorful mating marks. “Interesting.”

“Leave him out of this.” My voice was steady despite the fear crackling through our connection. Fear not for myself, but for what Zayrik might do.

Vask’s hand closed around my arm.

Through our bond, I felt Zayrik’s control snap.

Felt him gather himself to launch forward.

To tear them apart.

To die trying to save me.

“No!” I shouted, pushing everything I had through our connection. All my fear, my desperation, my need for him to live.

He staggered.

Just for a moment.

But long enough.

“Take her,” Vask said, his voice the strike after the snake’s hiss.

They dragged me toward the door.

Away from him. And from everything we’d built.

Everything we could have been.

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