Page 244 of The Call of Crimson
“I—” Ayden gasps, clawing for breath. “The border, with Rimor.”
A delicate hand wraps around my bicep, and the queen speaks, “You will release the prince’s throat. Now.”
In my heightened state, her Anima Gift slips through my mental defenses. My grip eases slightly, and Ayden greedily sucks in air. “What is this about?”
I growl, realizing the queen has coerced my actions, and shake off her hold.
She isn’t shaken in the least, though. “Release my son before I have you executed for treason,” she says calmly, power lacing every word.
Reluctantly, I drop my hand from Ayden’s throat, but I don’t retreat.
“Breyla… she’s been hurt,” I stammer.
His brow narrows in confusion. “How do you know that?”
I rake a hand through my disheveled hair, pacing back and forth as I try to make sense of what I felt earlier.
“I heard her scream,” I pant. “I heard her scream, and I think she’s injured.”
“Breyla is miles away,” the queen scoffs.
I narrow my eyes at her, not sure why she’s still part of this conversation.
“I don’t know how, but I know she’s in danger,” I insist, my hands tugging at the strands of my hair.
“Breyla’s with Darian, Zion, and Ryder. I’m certain she’s fine,” Ayden says.
“She’s not fucking fine!” I roar. My hand clenches tightly at my side as my Hemonia Gift fights to lash out.
Guards begin to flood the room, looking between the prince, queen, and me to ascertain where the threat is coming from. Their response time is disturbingly lacking.
“Guards, restrain Lord Aurelius,” the queen commands.
They close in, moving slowly as if I’m an animal that might spook and lash out.
“Guards, halt,” Ayden commands, contradicting his mother’s order.
They don’t listen. Because, despite Ayden running this kingdom, his mother still outranks him.
One places their hand on my bicep, and I see red. My barely there restraint snaps, my Gift lashing out and seizing control of every guard’s body in the room.
Everybody moves back at once, save for me and Ayden. Their limbs are frozen in place, bodies levitating an inch off the floor.
“Where. The. Fuck. Is. She.” I growl, low and lethal.
“Let me check on them.” Ayden finally seems to grasp how serious I am, nodding his head. “I’ll speak with the lord in charge of that stronghold.”
He goes quiet, projecting an illusion to wherever he’s sent Breyla. After a few minutes, he shakes his head, letting out a string of curses.
“Lord Renfer says they arrived at Inasvine, successfully escorted refugees to the stronghold, but then the attack suddenly stopped.”
“And…”
Ayden sighs, his shoulders sagging. “They found Ryder and Zion dead in the street, but there’s been no sign of Breyla or Darian.”
My heart stutters, breath catching in my throat. “She’s gone.”
“We don’t know that.”
