Page 79 of Villains and Vengeance
‘Tamadrielle. She said it over and over and she was scared. Mean anything to you?’
I shake my head. ‘Never heard it before.’ I settle closer to Jules. ‘But it won’t matter if we can’t get her out of here. We need to figure out how we’re going to make Maddox listen. He needs to be on our side before Daemon and Iron come back.’
CHAPTER17
OK I NEED TO UNPICK IN WORDS.
When I wake up, I feel worse than I did before. I snuggle into warmth and smell Jayce next to me.
‘Here,’ he murmurs, helping me sit up and putting a cup to my lips. I drink thirstily, gulping the water until there’s none left.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘I’m great,’ I rasp. ‘I feel like I got run over by a truck.’
‘I’m sorry,’ he says and I wince at the remorse that washes over me.
‘Don’t steal my lines,’ I mutter. ‘What areyousorry for?’
He snorts. ‘Take your pick. That you got caught by my clan, that Daemon hurt you, that Iron tortured you, that you’re a demon clan’s mate, that you’re trapped in a prison … that Iron made you think he was me so you’d tell him where the portal is and when it opens.’
My eyes snap open. ‘What?’
‘Aye, I thought you might have forgotten that. You were pretty out of your head.’
‘But …’
‘It’s all right. Axel and I have spoken to Maddox after we tried to … while you were ... We made him listen to us. He’s not going to give you to Dante. You’re coming with us, all right?’
I sit up and the room spins a little. ‘Where is everyone?’
‘They’re all in the other room.’
‘What happens now?’
‘You need to get up and come with me to speak your piece to Maddox. He wants to talk to you.’
I nod and he helps me to stand. It takes a minute before I can get my balance. Jayce offers his arm, but I refuse. You don’t go parleying with a demon if you can’t stand on your own two feet. That’s just asking for trouble.
I try to gather my strength around me. I need a clear head.
I walk into the other room, hoping I look confident and not what I’m actually feeling which is very much like I need to throw up.
I sit at the table with the demons and look at Maddox expectantly. ‘I held up my side of the deal,’ I say.
‘Because we made you,’ Iron mutters.
I frown. ‘Not at all. If you’d had a little patience, we’d still be in the exact same position we are at the moment minus some of the morenegativethings that happened, what, yesterday now? But anyway that’s all done. I’m fine to let bygones be bygones if you are. I told you what you needed to know to leave the Mountain. Axel and Jayce are safe. All that’s left is for us all to leave.’
‘Not quite,’ Maddox says with a small laugh.
He stands up and walks slowly around the table towards me. Alarm bells go off in my head, but I don’t move.
I mean, there’s nowhere to go.
‘Did you know that arania venom is highly prized?’ he asks casually.
I shake my head and frown. ‘Siggy’s okay, right?’
