Page 17 of Fated In Ruin
“Are you alright?” Blake gripped the phone as I leaned closer. “Unhurt? Has that fucking bastard touched you?”
“No, he’s too intent on talking me to death.” Her voice turned muffled, like she put her hand over the phone, and then, “What? You haven’t shut up for a solid hour. Now go away.” There was some indistinct mumbling in the background as Blake and I glared down at the screen.
“There. He’s finally gone. Anyway, there’s some things you need to know. Firstly…is Riordan there with you?”
“I’m right the fuck here and if that fucker so much as…”
“Again, half a battery, then I’m out. Ravok has probably turned my father and uncles into thralls. Aria, too. But that’s not the worst. Ravok can see the future, according to Malachi, and when he can’t find the bastard who stuffed him in a metal box, his next logical step will be Crimson House. You need to prepare. Evacuate everyone you can.”
“We’ll…uh…wait for you two outside and coordinate the attack from there.” Nash herded a rapt Zachary toward the door, and the second it closed, my friend exploded.
“Bull fucking shit.” Blake squeezed the phone until the protective screen splintered. “We need to get you the fuck out of there.Now, Evangeline.”
“No, you need to let me do my thing,” she said calmly. “I’ve trained my entire life for this. Malachi is a goldmine and I can gather more information here than I ever could locked up in Crimson House. I’ll feed you as much intel as I can, which you’ll use to keep everyone safe, including my sister.”
“No,” Blake retorted, his temper fraying. “That’s not an option, Evangeline.”
“Actually, that’s a good strategy.” I gripped Blake’s shoulder, tension telegraphing up my arm like a jolt of electricity as I leaned closer. “Are you safe?”
“Safe enough, I’m…”
“What the fuck are you even saying?” Blake punched my shoulder, hard enough to leave a bruise. Definitely harder than a loyal subject should ever hit his king. “We’re not leaving her at Malachi’s mercy.”
“I’m hardly at his mercy, Blake, I nearly killed the bastard last night,” Evie grumbled. “I want another shot.”
“There.” I straightened, rubbing my bruised pec. “She wants another shot.”
Blake glared at me, my heart slamming to a stop at the absolute hatred burning in his gaze. “I am not leaving my mate in danger because she wantsrevenge. The risk is too great.” There was an edge of primal menace to his voice, one he’d seldom—if ever—used with me.
Evie dropped her voice. “Blake, this goes beyond revenge. If we wait, Ravok will be too strong for any of us to kill. There’s so much more you should know, but…he has to die soon, or everything we’re fighting for is at risk. I can do this.”
Those last words—barely a whisper—gave Blake pause and we traded a look.
The truth, or more of Malachi’s lies?
Could be either, but if you think for one second I’m leaving my mate with him for another fucking second, you can lock me in a fucking iron cage and throw away the key.
I held my hands up in defeat.Fine, but I hope you’re ready for the fight of your life.
“Let me guess. With your magic?” Blake hissed, sounding like his throat was lined with broken glass. “Yes, we know. Fiona filled us in on the witch and the unbinding ritual.”
“Yes, my magic, which,” she dropped her voice, and I could almost imagine her heading somewhere more secluded, “is staying locked away until I learn better control. You seriously don’t want me at Crimson House. I almost reduced this place to rubble.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass about your magic, or Ravok. Where the fuck are you?Tell me,” Blake snarled, clearly finished with polite conversation.
“I don’t know.” The quiet, vulnerable admission made her sound so young, my heart clenched. “Everything outside the windows is dark, I can’t see anything except a lot of pine trees. I think I smell the ocean, and I’m in a big, fancy castle, which totally tracks for an asshole with delusions of grandeur.”
“I’m coming to get you, Evie.”
“And I’m staying, Blake.”
“You arenot fucking staying.”
“I am. Ihaveto. I…we can’t risk drawing Ravok to Crimson House. Angel’s there, she’s pregnant, and I’m keeping this bullshit war between Malachi and Ravok, right where it should be. I’m not dragging innocents into this.Not again.”
“That is not an option.” Blake stalked away, every furious step as sharp as a gunshot as I followed, ears straining.
My jaw clenched, right along with my stomach at the idea of her there, but I stayed quiet. I had to trust her. We both did. Forcing Evangeline into a box never worked. I’d tried that approach and it had backfired spectacularly.
