Page 35 of The Crowned Queen

It blazed to life in her chest like a small sun, warmth flooding her. Araya’s breath tore from her lungs in a sharp, broken gasp, relief hitting her so hard her knees buckled.

Loren was alive. He wasn’t buried under tons of rubble, his life draining away bit by bit in the dark. He was alive and he was right there. Araya stretched out her mind, reaching along the thread between them. She needed to be closer, to saturate herself in him⁠—

Araya? She felt Loren’s head jerk up. Felt his shock. Ael’sura. His mind wrapped around hers, weaving them together. His fear mingled with elation, bleeding into hers. Tell me where you are⁠—

“That’s enough,” Jaxon said.

The command jerked her back like a fish on a hook. Araya recoiled, thrashing against her own magic as it dug needle-sharp claws into her soul. But she couldn’t fight it. The bond slipped from her grasp, her back bowing as she slammed back into her own mind with a broken cry.

“Well—” the High Inquisitor clapped a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder. “That’s the first bit of good news all night. Shadowbane is alive. Now make her tell us what she saw.”

No—Araya pulled back instinctively, everything in her rebelling against the idea. This wasn’t theirs. They didn’t get to tear through her bond and pick out the parts of it they wanted to use.

“Araya,” Jaxon said, his voice laden with power. “Tell him what you know.”

Araya gasped, her own magic turning to liquid fire in her veins. Her knees hit the floor hard, but she clenched her teeth, determined to bite back the words that wanted to crawl up her throat.

“Easy—” Jaxon crouched in front of her, his palms warm against her cheeks as he cupped her face. “Easy, Starling. You’ll hurt yourself⁠—”

Araya jerked away from his touch.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” she hissed. “I hate you. I never want you to touch me again.”

Jaxon’s hands fell away. For a heartbeat, he just stared at her—his expression almost…wounded. Like he couldn’t believe she would reject him.

Then Pryce laughed.

“That’s much more in line with what I’ve come to expect from them,” he said, still chuckling.

A muscle jumped in Jaxon’s jaw, any hint of hurt or softness snuffed out like a candle flame.

“Tell us everything you saw,” he said coldly. “Now.”

Her magic twisted in her chest. Fresh tears streaked Araya’s cheeks, the weight of Jaxon’s fury a stone on her lungs. The words were right there, caught in her throat. All she had to do to make it stop was tell them what she’d seen. But if she did that, they’d want more. They’d use her against him⁠—

She bit down.

White hot pain burst across her tongue, blood flooding her mouth. So much of it that she gagged, choking on the thick, coppery liquid as the compulsion ripped through the last of her defenses. Her mouth fell open, but the only sound that escaped was a pained moan.

Jaxon’s hand caught her chin, wrenching her face up. “What did you⁠—”

Araya spat.

Blood spattered his face, his mouth falling open in one glorious second of total shock. Araya grinned, baring her teeth at him.

“She bit her tongue off.” Jaxon grabbed her by the shoulders, his eyes wild. “She bit her fucking tongue off! Is this enough for you to call in the healer, you bloodthirsty bastard? Or do you expect her to bleed out on the floor first?”

Shouts rose, the voices echoing and blurring together. Blood poured down her chin, soaking the front of the woolen shift. A hand grabbed her arm, jerking her to her feet. But Araya laughed. She laughed and laughed, until Jaxon ordered her to shut up and dragged her from the room.

Chapter

Twelve

Maerin’s safehouse was packed.

Her fighters had taken it in stride, abandoning their training drills in favor of distributing food and calming panicked refugees. They’d had to evacuate the tunnels entirely, bringing everyone back to the same slums they’d been so desperate to escape. Except now they had no home, no legitimacy. They couldn’t claim rations without being arrested. Finn hadn’t been able to get them out before. What chance did he have now, with Nyra gone?

His fault. Loren closed his eyes, listening to the hissing voices of the shadows. All of it was his fault. If he had just listened, they wouldn’t be here right now. They wouldn’t all be in danger.