Page 69 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

A faint smile graces her lips at my words. As she heads to the door, I lightly place my hand on the small of her back. She doesn’t shrink from the touch, solidifying my hope that it’s possible we can mend what was once broken.

Continuing down the torch-lit corridor, the oppressive atmosphere of the dungeon is a familiar reminder of the time I spent down here, helpless to help her. I try not to remember her screams, the feeling of not being able to protect her, I clinch my fists at my side. The cell that once imprisoned Lyra now holds Citlali, who stands with an air of forced nonchalance.

As she catches sight of us, a facade of cheerfulness lights up her face, “Mother! What brings you to my humble abode?” Her tone drips with saccharine sweetness, masking the venom beneath.

Drew, not one to be swayed by Citlali’s charade, retorts sarcastically, “It’s nice to see that associating with a deranged man, obsessed with his own sister, has brought you to such great heights.” The biting edge in her voice is unmistakable, and I can’t help but stifle a chuckle at the sharpness of her words.

Citlali sneers, “You understand nothing, Mother.”

With a stern expression, Lyra steps uncomfortably close to the cell bars and demands, “Where is Samael’s body?” Citlali’s gaze flickers over me before settling on Colton, a mocking smile tugging at her lips.

“Ah, look who it is—his little bird. Found a new man to stand beside you, have you?” She sizes Colton up, her voice dripping with disdain. “What’s so special about her? Why do men like you keep gravitating to this bratty princess?” I resist the urge to enter her cell and extract the information from her by force. Instead, I lean casually against the wall, feigning indifference.

Suddenly, with a forceful push of her palm, Lyra sends Citlali crashing against the stone wall. The impact is so fierce it leaves a visible crack. “I’ll ask once more. Where is Samael’s body?” Lyra’s voice is steady, authoritative. Her mastery and control over her magic astonishes me; she’s clearly improved. Slowly, Citlali picks herself up, dusting her garments with a haughty air.

“And why,” she mutters with a sly grin, “should I reveal anything to you?”

“Your life,” I answer before anyone else can. “Keep playing games, and it might be the last thing you do.”

Citlali smirks, deliberately running her tongue over her sharp canines. “Thinking of joining me in here for a little fun?”

“You’re revolting,” I retort.

Drew takes a step forward, her posture radiating both authority and a mother’s concern. “Citlali, beneath all your anger and bitterness, you’re still my daughter. I hope that some vestige of decency remains within you. Assist us, and we might find a way to help you in return.”

A mocking laugh escapes Citlali. “And what do you propose, Mother?”

Drew squares her shoulders, determination evident in her eyes. “I’ll repeal your banishment. If you cooperate, once this is over, I’ll welcome you back to the Lamia realm.”

Citlali raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “How noble of you,” she replies, sarcasm evident in her voice. “But how can I trust you after all that’s transpired between us? Perhaps your promise is as fleeting as the love you once claimed to have for me.”

Drew’s expression tightens, the pain visible in her eyes. “I never wanted things to turn out this way. I always hoped for reconciliation, for a chance to mend what’s broken between us. I don’t like this path you’ve chosen to go down.”

Lyra steps closer, reinforcing Drew’s plea. “You know, Citlali, the choices you’ve made have led you here, to this cold cell. But this offer... It’s a chance to change, to be part of your family again.”

Citlali leans against the back wall of her cell, clearly pondering her options. Her eyes, filled with a mix of defiance and contemplation, flicker from Drew to Lyra, and then to me. “And what if I refuse?”

“Then I have no problem killing you,” I mutter.

Citlali casts a sly glance in my direction. “Being at your mercy, King Onyx, would be a blend of pleasure and pain, I imagine. A tantalizing proposition indeed.”

That makes my blood boil. If this were Nighthold, she’d already be dead, information be damned. No wonder she served Samael. They are both equally deranged.

Colton steps forward, his patience visibly waning. “Enough games. Either you share what you know, or we leave you here to rot.”

Her laughter, eerie and mirthless, reverberates through the stone walls. “Ah, the quiet one finds his voice,” she mocks.

Suddenly, the bars she clings to begin to glow a fierce red, emanating intense heat. She yelps in pain, dropping her grip and stumbling back. The unmistakable scent of singed flesh fills the air.

“My apologies,” Lyra says coolly, her eyes flashing with controlled rage. “I seem to have inherited the short temper of a bratty princess.” The heated bars serve as a stark reminder of the untapped power she wields… Fuck, I want her.

“You know, I will tell you what you wish to know, but only because I can’t wait to see the expression on your faces when you learn the truth,” Citlali declares, a malevolent grin creeping across her features. I instinctively move closer to Lyra, bracing for the possibility of her magic flaring up in response to Citlali’s provocations.

“Your betrothed still draws breath,” she reveals with a gleeful cackle.

“Betrothed?” Colton interjects, his voice laden with confusion.

“Samael. He lives, likely still searching for ways to possess you,” Citlali continues, seemingly enjoying every second of our dismay.