Page 81 of Maleen

“Oh! Is it time?”

I hold my hand up and turn to Talyn. “How do you want to handle this? She may have made my life horrible at Phixmery, but she abused you. You can take the lead on this, if that is what you want.”

As much as I want to seek my revenge for my mate and for myself, this is something he needs to choose. Not Jesper, not me, not anyone but himself.

The shadows along his hardened face flicker in the sconce lighting. He moves toward me slowly, letting the back of his two fingers slowly caress my cheek. “The only way I’m walking into that room with that vile being is with you at my side,” he whispers, his gaze conveying his need to do this but not alone.

I grab his hand and rest it against my cheek as I peer up at him. “Then by your side I will be.”

He nods, kissing my forehead before turning to Aemon—who just materialized after securing our prisoner—and having a silent conversation with them.

Aemon nods and turns to Killian. “Ready the first batch of troops you think are prepared for the dragons, and have a group of Skuggi fae go with them. The strongest shadow wielders we have—that way they don’t need more rests between blinks. We shouldn’t delay our partnership with them. I’m going to update my parents.”

Killian’s hand brushes mine as he walks past and my stomach flutters with just his simple touch—something I probably shouldn’t feel before going to torture someone, but the heart wants what the heart wants, and that’s my mates by my side.

Jesper comes up behind me and gently swipes the hair away from my neck before kissing the tender flesh there. “Are you ready, Little Beastie?” he mutters.

I steel myself and turn toward him. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s see what she knows and be done with her.”

Nero will be annoyed he’s missing this, but I’ll make sure he gets his souvenirs.

With a deep breath, I spin on my heels and head down into the dungeon with Talyn and Jesper at my side. The temperature cools the lower we go, and the scent of wet earth grows stronger with our descent. It reminds me of the tunnels beneath Phixmery, although these are much more well maintained. The sconces are already lit, the flames flickering with life, casting our shadows along the white stone walls.

I only ever came down here once as a fledgling. Jesper was with me, of course. We were always told that the dungeons were off limits to us, but it never stopped us. Although that time was the first and last after my fathers found us, talking with a prisoner. I’ve never seen my parents so angry before. As an adult, I can understand why now. The fae my parents imprisoned down here were far from good samaritans.

We stop in front of a cell and slumped on the floor, wrapped in iron, is Evera. Her blood-red eyes nearly glow as they peer up at me with such malice, and her usual pin-straight black hair is in disarray, no longer styled to cover the cut tips of her ears. I’m not going to lie, it brings me a bit of joy seeing her in this less than perfectly manicured state.

“Well, well, well,” she sneers. “I thought you would have left me down here to rot longer, but it’s clear my Talyn would never let me stay down here. I’ve missed you, my love.” She bats her eyes at him and I hold back the urge to projectile vomit.

Talyn’s disgust shoots down the bond. He grabs my hand and pulls me in for a bone melting kiss. When he pulls back he rubs my cheek softly with his thumb, a small reminder that he is mine and vice versa. To not let her words rile me up.

He faces her now, his grip tightening to the point it borders on being painful, but I don’t mind—if he needs me to steady him through this, then he can squeeze my hand as hard as he has to. “I’m going to say this one time. I do not love you. I have never loved you, and I never planned on following my father’s orders to marry you. We are not mates. You’re a vile female.” He takes a step closer to the bars and hisses. “You deserve far worse than what you did to me, and I can’t wait to see my fated love, my one true mate, punish you in whatever manner she sees fit.”

Jesper pretends to sob. “That was beautiful, Talyn. I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Evera stands and rushing the bars, snarling. “You fucking bitch! He’s mine! You messed with his mind, didn’t you! What lies is she feeding you Talyn? We are perfect together!” Her screeching reaches a new decibel, causing my eye to twitch.

“I think the only one messing with minds is Lord Craven, but you already know that, don’t you?” Talyn states, ignoring her hysterics.

It’s probably wise he questions her. After all, if she’s going to talk to anyone it would be Tal. That fact makes my skin crawl with annoyance and anger. I can see why Nero wants to take everyone’s eyeballs, because at this point, if she looks at him like a sweet damsel in distress one more time, I’m not going to wait to carve them out of her head.

“Oh my Fates, I sound just like you. You would be proud,” I send down the bond to my raven. I haven’t been without his presence for this long before; it’s beginning to make me anxious. I know he’s in safe hands with Ember, but I miss the weight of him on my shoulder.

“Awe, I’m missing it?” His pout seeps through in his tone and I can’t help but smile. Before I can respond his excitement grows. “Oh! Your shadow daddy of a mate just appeared! Looks like I’ll be home shortly! Don’t finish without me!”

I grin, which probably looks a bit feral right now considering the position I’m in, but I couldn’t care less. Aemon must have sensed my anxiousness and gone to fetch Nero.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Evera mutters coyly.

I roll my eyes.

Talyn’s bond brushes mine. “Would it be okay to play along? I think if she thinks there’s a chance,” he gags. “Then I may be able to get answers from her.”

My heart stops for a second before I remind myself that he is mine. “No touching her. And the moment I need you to stop, you stop.”

“Of course, Princess,” he murmurs softly.

He lets go of my hand but his bond continues to brush mine, making me feel more comforted.