Page 73 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals
My jaw clenches, fists at my side.
Wanting her is one thing, but the need inside my heart is another. I want to posses her, hear those moans, feel her bites as she flays me, defies me. I want to hear her laugh, from my words, see her guarded smile that could break apart dark clouds overheard with its brightness.
Holy Bel, I wanther.
Rubbing my eyes, I curse my stupidity.
Since when do I wantanyone?
But her, I do. And it’s not a simple want, but a soul crushing need to have her near me, to breathe the same air as her. Seeing her walk up the mountain, away from me, turns my insides until I’m jogging to catch up with them.
This doesn’t bode well for the plan. A plan, I know, must be enacted if I’m to do what’s needed back home.
She’s the perfect weapon for my father. She’s the means to an end for me.
And the idea that I’ll have to trick her, after she told me of her fears, of her time in the Coven, feels like a knife to my heart.
I’m cruel, but not heartless.Fee was right.
We stop at the widest part of the summit, a sharp ledge to the side. The climb stops only a few paces higher with a narrow path continuing skyward. There are no sides to brace against wind, no place to hide.
The perfect place for a Fury to attack.
“I’ll take the blood summoner with me,” I say glancing to the sky, brow damp with sweat.
The group stares at me.
Gesturing to the cliff, I explain, “I’m the fastest of us. It’s your plan, blood summoner, so it’ll be your show. And we need the Witchalive, in case one of us falls to our deaths.” I look to the edge and shake my head. “You better be good at healing,Witch.”
Taylay, stands taller, glaring at me.The hostility goes both ways, I see.“We’ll see how charitable I’m feeling. Especially if she doesn’t come back down unharmed.”
Smirking, I gesture to the cliff. “By all means, Witch, feel free to go with the woman to the summit. Let me know how brave you feel when the sharp talons of a Fury are cutting into your midsection and you can’t defend her.”
He scoffs. “But you think you can?”
“IknowI can.”
“That’s enough,” Max interrupts, glaring at me, hands up. “I’ll go. And for the record, I can defend myself.”
She shoves me back a step and I wink at the Witch, teasing him further as my jealousy seethes. I’m the prince to the Shadowlands—fighting is in my blood. To insinuate he’s a better warrior—who has left the woman he claims to protect, alone, made her feellessthan— burn my guts. He’s lucky I don’t rip his head from his neck.
“Are you sure about this?” Fee asks, handing me a waterskin as I attach it to my belt. “If you fall from this cliff, at this height, it’ll take more than magic to heal you.Muchmore.”
“I know, Fee.”
“We don’t even need the water,” she whispers. “Let the raid fall. We can just take her?—”
“Enough,” I cut off. “We have to do this.”
If I want to earn her trust, then going into a Fury’s nest is the way to do it.
“But if you’re injured?—”
“I know.” And I do.
All Dark Fae can heal exceptionally fast. But because of my curse, when I’m severely injured, it takes too much energy to heal and control my beast at the same time. It has been known to try to escape when my defenses are lowered.
When he does, he goes ravenous, destroying anything and everyone around him.
