Itis necessary.
As I pass out from the pain, I repeat it.
It is necessary.
Chapter 7
Millicent
I CANNOT BEGIN TO FATHOM who stands before me or why Nora would even align with a kingdom harboring the one responsible for killing half of our coven.
He is no longer the boy I remember. The power he once wielded was but a drop in the ocean compared to the force he is now. He has grown into something formidable. He’s handsomely broad-shouldered and muscular. His leather vest is laced tightly against his frame.
The silver eyes that haunt my dreams are sharper in reality. They penetrate me like daggers, framed by dark lashes. Black marks coil up his arms, extending over his chest and neck.
A clear display of his power. I have never seen such dark, plentiful marks.
A raw, untamed anger ignites in the pit of my stomach. I could end him now. Ishould. My gaze flicks to the guards positioned behind him, then to those stationed at the rise upon the entrance to the grounds. If I fed while fighting, I could take them all out. I would only need to be fast. And lethal.
Then I hear Nora’s voice in my mind.
What family I have left expects more of me. There is no room for sentimentality. I was trained for control, conditioned to suppress emotion. Even as I sobbed over my mother’s death, Nora forbade anyone from comforting me. Arcadia had to sneak into my room just to hold me as I grieved. It was Ollie, of course, who carried me through it.
Isolation. Detachment. These were drilled into me until they became second nature. Yet now, standing before my mother’s killer, detachment is slipping from my grasp. I try focusing on the space just past him to cool my emotions. My magic stirs and picks up in a flurry of explosive tingles along my skin.
“Le Strange,”his voice rings out, firm and commanding. He crosses his arms. The movement makes his biceps and chest flex beneath his vest. “Living here will be simple if you make it simple. You are not to harm anyone within these walls or in the surrounding areas unless instructed. You will train under my supervision for proper handling. Today, you will meet with your king and be shown your living quarters. You are not permitted off grounds without an escort.”
His face remains unreadable, giving nothing away.Does he recognize me?Surely, he knows the coven’s name. But we were children then, and nearly two centuries have passed.
My eyes narrow slightly. Who does he think he is, commanding me?
Nora told me to behave, so I will, not because of this mage or his king. He is certainly notmyking. Witches have no place formen in our world. The very idea of any man assuming authority over me makes my hands itch to claw out his eyes.
“Lovely,” I say, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Shall we get this show on the road?”
Cage turns without a word, motioning for me to follow. As we ascend the steps, guards fall into step around me, six behind, six ahead, and a mage at my side. The sheer number is almost laughable.
Are they truly this afraid of me?
Their unease rolls off them in waves, seeping into my awareness. I revel in it. A sick thrill runs through me at the thought of how much effort they’re putting into keeping their precious castle safe—from me.
As expected, the halls are teeming with vermin, their movements like those of ants skittering about. Yet something unexpected catches my eye. They’re bowing to the mage.
Interesting. Someoneis of high rank.
So he’s more than a glorified guard.
I almost want to provoke him, just to see what power keeps these people in line. To know what, exactly, I will face at the end of all this.
But I am not here for them.
I’m here for the North.
I’m no stranger to crowds—the coven life is also full of movement and energy—but the sheer luxury of this place is unfamiliar. The castle halls gleam with wealth, their walls lined with intricate carvings and polished stone. Above us, massive golden chandeliers hang like suspended suns that cast a warm glow across the corridor.
Unlike the chandeliers, the rest of the décor is more restrained, giving my eyes a break from the overwhelming shine of gold.
That reprieve ends the moment we reach what I can only assume is the throne room.
