Page 169 of Wrath of the Fae

The pain and fear my two Mates endure share a direct line with me, and I know whatever is happening to me is also returned to them.

I hear the odd sentence through the fog as I drift in and out.

Cut deeper. Hold her down! More iron.

The sound of metal scraping my bone vibrates through me. Right in my fucking eye socket, scratching and gouging. I can’t even scream anymore. My voice has been lost. As my blood burns in my body, all I can do is shake and whimper. They force something into my mouth. A liquid that tastes like putrid blood.

I choke as they seal my mouth closed, forcing me to swallow it.

You’re okay, Pup. Please stop fighting us. Swallow.

What have you done to them?! What are you doing to me?!

I swallow whatever is in my mouth and fall limp. Lucca removes his hand. His fingers stroke my cheek.

You’re all getting what you deserve, Pup. And I’m sorry. But the next bit is really going to hurt.

He takes my hand.

‘She’s ready,’ he says.

It all falls silent for a moment.

And then I burn with the fire of hell coursing through my veins.

When a creaking floorboard reaches my ears, I know I’m waking up. And I know I’m not alone. I sit so fast, I go dizzy. But my hands find their mark and secure around a neck. I squeeze so hard, bones creak.

‘Good to see you haven’t lost your reflexes,’ Tessa groans beneath my grasp. ‘Or your strength. But also… ow. Do you mind?’

I let her go.

‘Where are they? What have you done to them? If they’ve been hurt-’

‘Raven!’ My sister’s voice carries clear across the room as she cries my name. ‘You’re awake!’ Her feet hit the floor as she runs towards me.

I reach out for her. She body slams me into the mattress, hugging and kissing me as she cries tears of joy, sobbing my name over and over.

‘I thought,’Kiss. ‘I was never,’Kiss.‘Going to see you again!’ She keeps kissing my cheek over and over, holding me close to her body as she clambers further on the bed.

I can’t help but laugh at her joy and hug her back so damned tightly, I worry her delicate little frame will snap under my strength.

‘Rhea…’ I breathe. ‘Are you okay?’

She continues to sob, still kissing any part of my face or head she can get hold of. ‘I was so scared. You were so broken! There was so much blood and so much screaming!’

I manage to prise her away long enough to hold her tear streaked face in my hands. So many questions race through my mind. A million things I want to ask.

The tear in the sky. The battle for the Kingdom. Whatever the fuck they were doing to me and the guys.

But all I can manage is revelling in the fact that she is here with me. Finally.

‘You’re okay,’ I repeat, reminding myself she is here. ‘You’re really okay?’ I feel her smile as I run my hands over her face.

She smoothes down my hair. ‘My Goddess, you have had me out of my mind with worry. Are you in pain?’

‘The guys? Where are they? I felt them. They were in so much pain. I was in so much… what have you done to them? To me?’

‘Areyouin pain?’ she asks.

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