Page 116 of Wings of Lies
But I didn’t care or take the time to think about the waver in his voice as it got lost in the resonating crash of ice filling my ears.
Swim faster,he said, voice even weaker than before.
I did, but not because he said to. The flashing continued behind me, picking up speed. Aspen melted the ice faster than the male in my head froze it. With only meters away, he gained a lot of ground in my silent argument with the intruder king. I pumped my arms faster.
“Lucille! Please. Please stop,” Aspen begged. It was almost like he was scared.
He is. Keep moving,the king said, no longer using his claws or insults to get under my skin.
Does he know about the river?
Yes.
Then why’d he jump in after me?He coulddie.
I have a suspicion he may be a part of the one percent.
I stilled, staring over my shoulder at the blue-hued prince struggling against the ice. A red light glowed within the blue flames. Did he risk his life for me or for his queen?
Why would a scar pulse with a red light?I asked.
Did you say red?His slow rage attempted to steal the warmth of my Infernus.
Yes.
It’s a Hell Rune.
What does it do?
Precisely what you’ve guessed, it controls the wearer in any way the carver decides. The rune is rare. Not only does it take immense power to carve with it, but unlike angelic runes that can only be carved from Archangel feathers, a Hell Rune can only be carved with one specific feather.
Whose? Who did that to him?
They’re not one and the same.
Explain,I demanded, looking at Aspen pounding his glowing fists into the thickening ice, trying his damnedest to rescue me.
Or to claim me.
Drop the tone and swim out. Then I’ll give you answers.
And my mom?
Silence.
You don’t know where she is yet.
Stubborn, treading water as I stared at Aspen, my heart pounded with a crackling anger.I hadn’t reached the right memory of my mom to find her. But I knew Magda had what I needed. The king may have helped me escape, but I came here for one thing, and if he couldn’t give me those answers, give me my mom, then this may be the end of the road for us.
Don’t you dare. I have what you want without risking your life for that witch’s words. But only if you swim to that bank, Lucille.
I despised how he thought he could control me with his threats almost as much as I despised my warring feelings holding me in place as I watched Aspen.
Do you genuinely care so little about yourself that you’d risk your life for his?
No.But it was a lie, especially when his blue flames flickered, and the swing of his arms slowed.
I said leave him!
