Page 14 of The Crowned Queen

Araya squeezed her eyes closed. Counting each breath.

One. Two. Three⁠—

The first stroke of the needle was a line of fire across her skin, the scent of scorched ink and burned flesh filling her nose. White-hot pain kindled in her veins, spreading through her body like wildfire. She missed a breath, teeth sinking into leather as she bit back the low, strangled moan that threatened to escape.

She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. They didn’t get to make her scream⁠—

Jaxon’s hands settled on her bare shoulders, his thumbs digging into the back of her neck. “Don’t stop.”

One. Two⁠—

“That’s it for that one,” Kai said. Metal clinked softly. “The next one goes over her heart. This is where we need your blood.”

Don’t give up.

Tears poured from her squeezed-shut eyes, running into her hair. Behind her, Jaxon shifted, the iron tang of blood mixing with sweet vanilla. Hot drops landed on her skin, sliding over her chest. But she couldn’t struggle. Couldn’t even flinch with the leather straps biting cruelly into her flesh. They held her fast, helpless to resist as Kai set the point of his iron needle between her breasts.

One—

The iron-tipped needle broke skin. Her back arched, her limbs straining against the straps, but they held fast. She couldn’t breathe. The world around her was gone. All that existed now was the pain, every heaving breath sending a fresh pulse of agony through her tortured body.

“It’s alright, Starling.” Jaxon’s lips grazed the jagged edge of her ear, his breath warm on her skin. “I know it hurts. You can let go now. I have you.”

Araya clamped her teeth down on the leather strap. He didn’t have her. She wasn’t his—not anymore. And she wouldn’t break for him. She clung to that thought, desperate to hold on.

But the next stroke of the needle scraped bone, shattering the pressure building in her chest.

Araya screamed.

Chapter

Four

Loren slept fitfully, tossing on the narrow cot. Sleep never came easily anymore. He couldn’t help but hope every time he closed his eyes that this would be the time he found her waiting for him in his dreams. That she’d be able to tell him where she was. Reassure him that she wasn’t hurt. That she was waiting for him.

But it never happened. Their bond remained a pale echo of what it should have been, his sense of her so smothered and distant he might as well have been on the other side of the world, not in the same city.

But now⁠—

White-hot pain ripped through his dream, her terror flaying him to the bone. Loren staggered to his feet, one hand pressed hard against his chest. Someone shouted, but Loren couldn’t hear what they said. Not with the shadows surging around him. A thousand voices screamed her name. Whoever had hurt his mate would pay for the offense in blood⁠—

His knees struck stone. He didn’t feel it. Couldn’t—not with her agony digging sharp claws into his heart. His mate was terrified. Pinned down. Helpless. At the mercy of the same monsters who had spent twenty-five years carving into him with iron knives.

He couldn’t leave her there.

Loren reached for her, following the path her pain had carved through the bond, bringing them back together despite everything the Arcanum had done to smother their connection. I’m here. He begged her to hear him. Open your eyes. Show me where you are⁠—

She opened her eyes. A stone ceiling. Jaxon’s blurred face. His mouth moved, but Loren couldn’t hear anything over the shrill ringing in his ears—no, those were screams.

She was screaming.

A shadow fell across him. Across her. Kai’s face swam into focus. His bronze skin had a sickly pallor, but his hand was steady. He pressed the iron needle against her soft skin⁠—

“Loren!” Hands grabbed him, the shout muffled by the roaring in his head. He fought them, clawing for the bond, for her. He needed to stay. For her.

Stay with me, ael’sura. Please⁠—

The fragile thread between them snapped, sending Loren careening back into the cold darkness. Alone.