Page 112 of The Bound Mage
“You’re three-quarters fae,” Garrick said idly. “It might take longer—pity for you—but it will happen. And you might be surprised at what you’re willing to do when all of your choices are laid out for you. I intend to have royal power in my bloodline, but I’m not picky about how it gets there.”
He took another step closer to the bed, his gaze dragging slowly over her body.
“And if you won’t cooperate with Jaxon,” he murmured, finally meeting her eyes. “Well, I suppose I’ll just have to see what all the fuss is about. I always did want to fuck the queen.”
Epilogue
Serafina fumbled with her key,her fingers stiff and clumsy from nerve damage that hadn’t healed right. The inquisitors hadn’t bothered to get her a Healer when they broke her hands over and over again. Her Arcanum-assigned guard said nothing as she struggled, finally getting her key to turn in the lock. He never did anything but stand there with his arms folded, his sharp eyes watching everything. Watchingher.
Serafina closed the door in his face just as the first drops of rain pattered against the windowpane.
She stood in the entryway for a moment, leaning against the door. She hoped he got soaked out there. It had to be some sort of punishment—following her from her house to the clinic and back again in hopes that Araya would show up with some harebrained rescue plan so they could snatch her back up and return her to the Shaws.
But Araya was gone, far beyond their reach on the other side of the Shadowed Veil. Loren would keep her safe, even if she never forgave him for it.
Serafina dropped her satchel on the floor and shrugged off her cloak, leaving it in a heap. She didn’t even know why she still bothered going to the clinic. No one came anymore—not unlessthey were desperate enough to be stupid. She should have stayed home today—her hip was always worse with the rain. She’d taken to chewing willow bark for it, but the walk back from the clinic had burned through whatever small mercy it offered. What she really needed now was a hot compress with nettle.
Serafina pushed off the wall, gritting her teeth as she limped toward the kitchen. But she hadn’t even reached the doorway when the kettle started to whistle.
She wasn’t alone. Serafina fumbled for the fire poker beside the hearth, leaning on it like a cane as she lurched toward the kitchen. It wasn’t much of a weapon, but she’d be damned if they took her again without a fight?—
“And what exactly are you planning to do with that?” Finn Greenvale asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Finn—” the poker fell from her numb fingers, clattering to the floor. Serafina took a lurching step forward, barely catching herself on the edge of the table. “You can’t be here. They’re watching the house?—”
“I know.” He stared at her, his brow furrowing as she swayed. “Goddess, Sera. What did they do to you?” His arm wrapped around her waist before she could protest, helping her into a chair.
“No Healer for traitors.” Serafina hissed, grimacing as she slowly straightened her leg. “You know how it goes, Finn. That’s why you aren’t supposed to be here.”
“We were careful,” Finn growled. His eyes swept over her, cataloging every scar and poorly healed injury. “No one saw us, Sera.”
“Us?” Serafina stiffened, staring past Finn as two more figures she somehow hadn’t seen emerged the shadows.
“You remember Thorne,” Finn said, nodding at a vaguely familiar amber-eyed half-fae male. “And of course you know?—”
“No,” Serafina whispered. “No?—”
She blinked hard, but the long-lost crown prince of the fae didn’t vanish from her kitchen. His hair was shorter than the last time she’d seen him, and he’d filled out somewhat, the terrible scars at his wrists and throat finally faded. And he had magic—she could taste it in the air, the shadows he’d stepped from curling around his legs.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” she said. “You escaped. You and Araya both escaped. You’re both safe?—”
“Jaxon Shaw took her back,” Loren said quietly.
“No—” Serafina clutched the edge of the table, her heart dropping into her stomach. “No. That wasn’t supposed to happen. I let them torture meto keep that from happening.”
Gods, what were they doing to her right now? The things she’d suffered in the Arcanum’s custody…Serafina knew they would pale against what Jaxon would do to Araya.
“That’s why we’re here, Serafina,” Thorne said gently. “We need your help.”
“My help?” Serafina stared at them helplessly. “What do you think I’m going to do? The Arcanum watches my every move. If they have Araya…” She trailed off, her voice cracking. “You don’t understand what it’s like now. The whole city has changed. Everyone is scared. Jaxon and Hale pull fae off the street at random toquestion?—”
Her voice caught in her throat, tears filling her eyes.
“I can’t help you,” she whispered, squeezing her eyes closed. “I’m watched constantly. My magic barely works. I can’t even get nettle for my hip without someone making a note of it. I’ll never be able to help get her out. Not like I did before. The Arcanum doesn’t trustanyonewho isn’t in their inner circle right now.”
“Then it’s a good thing we have an inside asset,” Finn said.
Serafina’s head snapped up. “Who?”
As if on cue, the back door creaked open. A dark figure slipped inside, little more than a shadow against the rain-soakednight. He shook off his hood, thrusting it back as he stepped into the light.
“Nice night,” he said, nodding to Serafina. “Did you know you have two Arcanum guards out front but none in the back?” He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Sloppy work with Hale gone.”
“This is your inside asset?” Serafina turned to Finn, waiting for him to laugh and say it was all a joke. But he just stared at her, his face drawn and serious. “Finn, this isKai Sterling. He’s Jaxon’s best friend. His father is a magister?—”
“Which is what makes me aninsideasset.” Kai raised his eyebrows, glancing around at them all. “So, fill me in. What’s the plan to get her back?”
