Page 103 of Crown of Darkness
A wolf’s eyes.
“I can smell her,” Lysander whispers, his gaze raking the shadows for me. “Are you here to torment me again, you bitch?”
“That’s enough,” Baylor growls. “She is your queen and you will offer her your respect.”
A hard knot forms in my stomach.
“You don’t have to do this,” Thiago murmurs, at my side.
I have to try. For Baylor’s sake. For Lysander’s sake.
And for Thiago’s sake.
Taking a deep breath, I push the hood of my cloak back and step into the light. “Hello, Lysander.”
He bares his teeth at me, his nails elongating into claws. “I won’t betray my prince.” He shoots us all a glare. “You’re a lie. You’re all a lie.”
“Use your fucking nose,” Baylor growls. “If you’d bothered to take a wash, you’d be able to smell the truth.”
Lysander snaps his teeth at him.
“Vi,” Thiago murmurs. “Make it quick.”
I close my eyes and try to reach for the link I share with the land. The scent of flowers fill the air. Lilies. I can feel them spearing through cracks in the floor and trying to bloom.
“What is this?” Lysander growls. “What sorcery is this?”
“Vi is your bound queen,” Baylor says. “It’s no lie. She’s real. She’s here to help you.”
I reach out but there’s nothing to grasp. I can sense Baylor and Thiago’s presences, and if I wanted to, I could probably link with them.
But Lysander is a burning ball of rage that rejects my touch.
“You witch!” he hisses, throwing himself at the bars. “You won’t fool me again. I won’t—”
“Vi?” Thiago grabs my arm.
“He won’t let me in,” I cry. “There’s nothing to grab. No link between us.”
“I will kill you,” Lysander whispers, rattling the bars of the cell. His jaw starts to twist, his eyes burning hotly amber. “You murderous bitch. You traitorous bitch. This is all a lie. Your lie.”
Baylor steps between us, anguish on his face. “Go,” he says to me.
“I’m sorry.”
There’s no emotion on his face. And maybe that’s harder to take. “This isn’t your fault. This was never your fault,” he says.
A howl tears through the room.
Something slams against the bars.
“Come on,” Thiago says, hauling me up the stairs and out of the cells.
I can still hear Lysander raging after the door is shut. Leaning my back against the wall, I unleash a harsh breath, every inch of me quivering.
Thiago drags me into his arms, kissing my forehead. “You tried, Vi. You tried.”
“When you go up against my mother and her little games you have to do more than try,” I gasp, clinging to his wrists. “She’s won this battle. What are we going to do?”
