Page 71 of Wrath of the Fae

‘Answer me, or I swear I will never speak to you again. Not a single word, Cyrus. For the rest of time.’

‘No,’ he whispers finally. The truth sends a shiver up my spine, and my surprise has him looking so hurt. ‘How could you think that? After everything he and Ivan did to you, how could you ever think we would?’

‘Everything you’ve done. The raids on the villages. The deaths. Imprisonments. You’ve stood by his side. Followed the orders. Why?’

Cyrus turns to the tunnel entrance.

‘I can feel their magic. They’re halfway through the Desert Demons and coming this way.’ He faces me again. ‘Tell me to come with you, and I will. Say the word. I beg you.’

‘What will happen to my sister if I do?’

His eyes close as he slumps into my palm.

‘That’s why I need you to order me to go with you. Because I can’t abandon them to this fate without you hating me.’

‘Cyrus. You’re the king’s prisoners. His weapons. Aren’t you?’

He takes my face in both hands and rests his forehead on mine. ‘Fuck…’ he whispers longingly. ‘All I want is you, Raven. You’re all I crave. I have no idea how one person can own me so completely, but you do. Every inch of me. Every atom. From my black heart to my poisoned soul. It’s all yours…’

‘Rhea will die if you don’t return, won’t she?’

‘Death would be a gift for her if I don’t return.’ With tenderness, he plants a kiss on my lips. ‘You have to go. Tell no one you saw me. Not a soul. They will use Rhea to draw you out if they know you're alive. Stay dead.’ He looks down at me. ‘You have to stay dead if we’re to stand a chance. Portal away. Now.’

‘She can’t portal!’ Tessa replies, a gentle tremor in her words as this truth sinks in. That they may not be the enemies we believed.

‘Why can’t you portal?’ Cyrus asks me.

‘I think Ivan took it,’ I reply. ‘And when I use a shield, Ivan locks onto me somehow, and I get pulled back into his machine. I almost faded a few days ago, but Reid got me back.’

His grip on me hardens, and his eyes widen.

‘You faded? No. Not again. How… I mean, how did Reid help you? When did you see him? What happened?’

‘He was fighting Lucca. I had to separate them before they killed each other. I used my power, and he had to… We think…’ I catch myself. My lips still parted as I fall silent.

‘What?’ he urges. ‘Tell me.’

If I tell him that remaking The Bond is my best shot at stabilising my power, he’ll want to remake it. He’ll choose my life over my sister's. Over anyones. I need him to return to keep her safe, and if he returns with our Mate markings, they’ll know I’m alive. And Rhea will be turned into bait to lure me out.

He looks again to the entrance as one of the Desert Demons releases a roar. He guides my face back to his, our time slipping away.

‘Raven. Are you safe with Lucca?’ He searches my eyes and feels my skin to check for my truth.

‘Yes,’ I reply.

‘Then stay safe. We will find our way back to you. I swear it.’ He stands and pulls me up with him. ‘You need to go. Leave before the soldiers see you.’

‘We have to get you all out!’ I argue. ‘We’ve retaken Midnight’s End. If you can get away, come to us. Promise me.’

His lips crash onto mine with such force I stagger back. My back hits the wall, and he claims me as he always has. A desperate kiss. Demanding and determined. His front presses into mine, and his fingers knot in my hair. Our breath mingles, and everything inside me explodes to life. Hope. Desire. Joy and relief. It all returns and drowns out the hate, anger, despair and wrath that has consumed me since returning.

When he pulls away, I feel empty again. Lost.

‘Don’t come for us, Raven. No good will come from your capture. Stay with Lucca. Fight. Just as you have always done through your brutal life. You fight, my beautiful girl. My heart and soul.’ A soft kiss on my lips and a final whisper. ‘I love you. And I can’t wait to see the look on your sister’s face when I tell her you’re alive. I owe her one hell of an apology.’

Truth.

He’s smoke in an instant.

---