Page 173 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Falling somewhere between the realm of consciousness and unconsciousness, Alastor’s deep voice echoed in my ears. “Elena, I think it’s about time we summon your Lord of Shadows, don’t you?”
Chapter 72
Declan
Pain radiated through my body as I struggled to come to. The back of my head throbbed, my eyesight cloudy and blurred. Blood seeped from my wounds and fell to the rock floor beneath me. I attempted to move, but a piercing pain shot through both of my arms and chest.
My fingertips traced the point of a thorn as my eyes adjusted to my surroundings. Thick black roots completely encased my body in thorns. A frustrated growl launched from my chest as I kicked and thrashed against the vines, fighting with all I had to break free.
Elena.
The last time I’d seen her, she was snuggled up against me in our bed.Damn!Could she be here—wherever the Hells here was? As I thrashed against my thorny cage, I reached out to her through our bond.
“Lena?”
Silence.
“Love?”
My heartbeat pounded against my ears as I hoped desperately for her response.
“Lena, my love, talk to me!”
That familiar area in my chest started to throb, and instantly I recognized it as our bond. It felt like it was pulling me in the direction of my mate. She had to be close.
“Elena!” I yelled through gritted teeth. My words rattled against the hollow cavern walls before silence fell around me.
“Fuck!” Every effort I made to break free was met by the vines that wrapped around me. They tightened impossibly around my body, slicing deep gashes into my skin. I pulled for my dynamis, but I felt nothing but emptiness. It was almost though my dynamis no longer existed.
“Son, there’s no use in resisting. The vines will just continue tightening until they break through the other side.”
The air from my lungs vanished. The familiar voice I’d known all my life didn’t come from above me—instead the sound rang from right beside me in the cavern.
“Trust me, I know from experience,” my father’s voice rasped as the crackle of vines filled the air. A grunt, then a stream of curse words flew from his mouth.
“Where. Are. We?” The disdain in my growl was evident as I tried not to make any more movements that could lead the vines to tighten more.
I heard the sharp intake of my father’s breath, followed by the crack of bones. The sound of bones breaking was something that I knew far too well.
Screams of agony overloaded my senses. It wasn’t just my father I was hearing; a female scream rang through the air as well. A scream I’d heard before.Elena.
Rage ignited inside of me. Whoever dared to lay a hand on the love of my life better be prepared to face the judgment of the gods, because they would be meeting their end very soon.
A grunt forced my attention back to the man next to me.
“As far as I’m concerned, you deserve every fucking bit of suffering you’re enduring. For once, maybe you might feel asmidgen of what you have been doing to the people of your kingdom,” I snarled. “Start. Talking.”
Blood boiled within me, my jaw tightening with each moment I waited for my father to open his damn mouth. I needed answers,anythingthat might be able to help me get out of here so that I could save Lena.
“You’ve been out for days. We’re in Alastor’s lair.” His words were hissed through clenched teeth. There was a time in my life when I might have felt remorse or sympathy for the man next to me. Unfortunately for him, that ship had sailed.
There was only one person I’d burn this entire world for. The one who had wrapped herself tightly around my soul, my guiding torch in the night, my one and only love. Elena.
Another of her screams rattled against the cavern. Once more, I began thrashing against the chain of thorns. The pressure closing in around my chest was so intense, I couldn’t tell if it was a result of my overwhelming panic or the vines sinking deeper into me. All I knew was I needed to get to her,now.
“Stop!” my father boomed beside me.
“NO!” The vines broke skin around my ankles and arms. “Oh, fuck.” A gasp slipped out as the thorns shredded through my open wounds.
