Page 181 of Crown of Briars
Sybelle.
She consumed my mind. Her eyes, her smile, her laugh. Her scent, her taste, her moans… All of her surrounded me in echoes, taunting me.
My roar was halfhearted as a newfound lust took over.
I needed her.Now.
I bolted, my legs pushing furiously, giving me a burst of speed. I was unsure of where I was going, only that I needed to move quickly. The shapes before me became a blur, and I only paused once I was away from the crowd of enemies, lest their blood tempt and distract me from my mission.
I lifted my nose in the air, inhaling deeply.
There.I caught a whiff of her earthy scent and clung to it, my sharpened senses picking up on her trail. I sniffed the ground, following it, then broke into a run once more.
Sybelle, I am coming.
My paws pounded into the earth. Saliva dripped from my fangs, mingling with the blood still lingering there. I was so close now.So close.
I rounded the corner and froze. Shouts and grunts sounded nearby. Ahead of me, two creatures grappled with one another. One had wings and dark hair like me. The other had paler skin and…
My hackles rose. He smelled like her. He smelled like Sybelle.
Snarls ripped from my throat as I prowled toward the figure. I didn’t care who he was. The scent of my wife was on him, and for that, he would die.
The male swiped his sword, drawing blood from the winged female. She fell backward, her face already covered in blood from a gash that oozed black droplets. One of her wings was torn, and her eyes were hooded.
The male advanced, his sword slick with her blood. He cradled his left arm as if it were broken, and fresh blood ran down his chin. He raised his sword, and I pounced, landing directly in his path.
He froze, eyes wide, his arm poised midair as he gaped at me.
“What—What is this?” he bellowed.
“This… is the king whose life you seek,” the female said as she staggered to her feet.
I cocked my head toward her, recognition flashing in my mind. She nodded encouragingly.
“You know me, Varius.”
I squinted, my vision coming in and out of focus. One moment, I knew who she was. And the next, I didn’t.
I shook my head roughly, frustrated by the lack of clarity. With a low grumble, I slowly prowled toward the other figure—the one who smelled like Sybelle.
He lifted both hands, as if that might stop me from advancing.
“You can’t do this,” he said, his voice tinged with panic. “You can’t kill me.”
“Do it, Varius,” said the female. “He’s the one who brought the army. He’s the one who’s murdering your people.”
The male’s face twisted with rage, and he jabbed a finger at her. “She’sthe traitor, too! She never told you about the witches. She never told you aboutme.”
I stilled at that, tilting my head with interest. Slowly, my gaze shifted from the male to the female.
Their scents had mingled. And, if I focused intently, I could smell Sybelle on the female, too.
She had touched my wife. What if she had hurt her? Kidnapped her?
Where was Sybelle?
Fangs bared, I shifted toward the female instead, creeping closer to her. Her eyes flared wide in alarm.
