Page 156 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

“Of course not,” Silas says, making me jump in my skin. “As I said earlier, this is all part of the plan.”

I scowl at my fellow prisoner. “Am I right to assume you won’t tell me what, exactly, that plan is?”

“Correct, darling.” He brings a knee up and rests an arm on it, looking like a lord holding court and not a captive. “But don’t worry. It’ll happen soon.”

“I—”

My response is cut off by the sound of the door opening once more.

Juniper’s hand slides down to grip my arm. I hold my breath, fearing Fief has come to reopen my wounds.

Lev steps into view.

For a split second, relief flows through me. But that emotion swiftly shrivels up and dies when I remember what he’s done.

“What do you want, boy?” Juniper spits at Lev.

My former lover’s jaw clenches, the only sign he’s bothered by her vitriol.

Oh, how far we’ve come from the man who was hurt by my adoptive mother’s dismissive attitude outside the temple.

“We have more questions for you.”

My stomach plummets to the floor, but the unease lessens as his attention shifts to Silas, who stares at Lev with an empty expression.

Emotion clogs my throat.

“Lev…” I choke out. “Don’t do this.”

He doesn’t look at me. He strides across the cell, kneels down, and unlocks the shackles on Silas’s ankles.

Silas slumps as he’s pulled to his feet.

“Come on,” Lev growls and swings one of Silas’s arms over his shoulder. “Let’s get this over with.”

Silas’s feet drag every other step.

“This isn’t you, Lev!” I say, my voice shrill, my body shaking. “Why are you going along with…with this?”

Finally, his brown eyes meet mine. They’re hard, but I swear there’s a flicker of the caring boy I once knew.

But just as soon as I notice the hint of humanity in his gaze, it sputters out like a flame.

“Cooperate, Elara. Otherwise, we might just have to bring Ferria in for interrogation.”

Juniper curses.

Blood drains from my face. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would.”

“Fuck you, Lev.” An ache much different from the others in my body pierces my chest.

I look at Silas, desperate for a way to help him.

The Fae catches my eye, and with a quick smirk and wink, he manages to alleviate the worst of my fears about what’s going to happen to him.

Silas is Fae. He has shadow magic. He will be all right.