Page 117 of Vardaesia
And then Lena was right in front of him, raising a hand to trail a finger down the undamaged side of his face. “You’re nice to look at, I’ll give you that,” she told him, leaning in to whisper into his ear—something Alex was able to hear only because of her Meyarin hearing. “But I like my men older. By thousands of years, preferably. Androyal.”
Alex couldn’t keep the repulsed expression off her face as Lena pulled back and sauntered past Calista and Gerald, hipsswaying seductively, before leaving the room entirely. Gerald was barking with laughter at her rejection, but Calista was still staring blankly under the command gripping her mind.
More and more, Alex was becoming able to tell the difference between who was content under Aven’s thumb, Claimed or not, and who was fighting it. Because while Lena and Gerald both seemed to relish in their sadism, Calista’s eyes were like D.C.’s—vacant and glassy, the two of them gazing inward as they battled for control of their own minds.
Edgy and impatient for her parents’ arrival so they could hurry up and get the hell out of there, Alex was just about to start miming to Hunter again when the door to the library opened and Marcus strode in. She felt the air rush out of her and she nearly whimpered with relief when her mother and father walked in behind him, both thinner than she’d last seen them, but otherwise they showed no signs of the torture she’d feared they’d endured in their fortnight of captivity. She drank in the sight of them, willing them to hold on just a little longer— willing the same for everyone she cared for in the room.
Spearing hateful eyes towards Marcus, Alex alone noticed his steps stutter upon seeing Jordan’s unconscious, bleeding form; a hesitation too small for anyone who wasn’t watching to see, but she did, and it was enough to make her frown. But then her gaze moved back to her parents when he ordered them to stand up against the bookshelf beside Kaiden, who they were looking at with unveiled alarm—him being the only Medoran other than Darrius who Alex had ever introduced them to. They knew who he was—just as they knew who he was toher.
Marcus drew her parents’ attention again when he ordered them to stay put, his words firm enough to keep them in place without the use of physical bindings. Despite loathing the man to eternity and beyond for everything he had done in their short acquaintance, Alex was grateful for the small mercy that he’dunknowingly afforded them, their escape now just that much easier.
Knowing that the time to act had come, Alex gave Hunter a quick nod, receiving his in return as he drew weapons into both hands. They didn’t have a plan for this part, but Alex trusted her teacher’s skills enough to know he could help create enough confusion to rescue everyone and hurry out of there. But just as Alex prepared to summon theValispath, Aven beat her to it, soaring back into the room alongside Skraegon… and with at least a dozen moreZeltorastreaming in behind them.
With Hunter clutching Alex’s arm in warning, she watched powerlessly as Aven eyed the people she loved most in all the worlds lined up beside each other, his expression one of wicked delight.
“Kaiden James,” he said, his tone causing Alex’s heart to convulse. “I heard you had arrived. I presume this means Alexandra is close by.” He cocked his head. “I must say, I’m curious how you slipped into my city without detection. I’m even more curious why you then allowed yourself to be caught.”
Alex’s surprised eyes shot to Hunter, but then understanding pooled like a horrible weight inside her as she thought about that single moment he’d shared with Lena before the woman had sashayed from the room.
“I’m looking forward to breaking into that fortified mind of yours and learning what secrets you hold,” Aven said, retrieving the Myrox dagger from D.C.’s limp grip before moving threateningly closer to Kaiden. “I do believe I’m going to enjoy this.”
Just as swiftly as he’d done with D.C., Aven sliced the blade along his own palm before pressing his wound to Kaiden’s bleeding face.
Hunter’s fingers around Alex’s arm turned bruising, as if he feared she wouldn’t be able to keep from running to Kaiden’srescue. But his grip was unnecessary since she was paralysed, incapable of doing anything other than watch numbly and wait to see what would happen next.
The look of triumph in Aven’s golden eyes was almost too much for Alex to bear, but it was the look of triumph onKaiden’sface that kept her from collapsing into a heap where she stood.
“Too late, Aven,” Kaiden said, a taunting grin stretching across his lips even as Aven visibly increased the pressure of his hand, their silver and red blood dripping onto the marbled floor.
The Rebel Prince’s face was hard with concentration as he sought to create the blood bond between them, but his expression morphed into something Alex would never forget when understanding finally dawned, when he realised the truth.
He couldn’t Claim Kaiden.
Because she already had.
‘There’s something I need you to do.’
Alex heard an echo of the words Kaiden had uttered on her Vardaesian balcony—words that had preceded his quiet but firm request for her to Claim him.
‘You know it makes sense,’ he’d told her. ‘Youknow,Alex.’
And shehadknown, having realised that if Aven learned who Kaiden was to her, he would stop at nothing to Claim him. Then he’d have access to Kaiden’s gift—and therefore,anygift, without even needing to consume another’s heart. It was a risk neither of them could take. So, against her better judgement, she’d done as requested, her only stipulations being that he would accept her Release as soon as it was safe, and that they would keep their mental communication to a minimum, since the last thing she needed was for him to accidentally pick up on any of her errant thoughts—especiallyones that involved him.
‘That stunt you pulled with him last night? Ballsy, Aeylia. I don’t know whether to rail at you both or offer a standing ovation.’
Niyx’s words from within the Gate of Lost Souls came back to Alex, words that she had inwardly agreed with at the time. But as she watched the fury play out across Aven’s face, she was knee-weakeningly grateful that Kaiden—and Xira—had convinced her to Claim him, keeping the Rebel Prince from being able to do so himself.
“It seems I underestimated Alexandra, yet again,” Aven hissed through his teeth.
“She certainly is full of surprises,” Kaiden returned, pride clear in his voice as his taunting smile remained in place.
“She’s not the only one,” Aven said, and a moment later, Kaiden was screaming.
Writhing against the hand at his cheek, Kaiden’s agony tore through Alex, shredding her heart, ripping through her soul. She couldn’t see what was being done to him—Aven hadn’t pulled a weapon, he hadn’t evenmoved. The only point of contact he had was where his hand still rested against the deep nail scratches Niida had given Alex—scratches Kaiden shared because of their connection, just as he had shared her earlier injury at the academy.
“I see your bond with her doesn’t extend to the protection Alexandra has from physical gifts,” Aven said conversationally as Kaiden thrashed against him, books falling from the shelves with his violent movements. “You can thank your friend Blink for this one. He might have had an absurd name, but I do believe this is my new favourite ability. It’ll be a shame when it wears off.”
Ice flooded Alex’s veins as she realised that Aven had stolen Blink’s blood-boiling gift. That he’d—That he’d—
