Page 114 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

“I know you can’t access your accounts, but no one is monitoring mine.” Isabella reached into her satchel and withdrew a paper bag. “I know your sister is sick. I went to the pharmacy. They had insulin yesterday.”

“Someone could have seen you.” Despite how she wanted to slap Alexander’s sister, Dani snatched the bag from her hand. They were desperately low on Ava’s supplies. “Thank you.”

“We don’t have much time.” Sera paced before the window. Despite Finneas’s assurances the glamour over their location was secure, she was always on edge. “I assume if you’re gone for long, there will be questions. We need to know Alex’s current condition, and any weaknesses we might be able to exploit in order to get him out.”

“Alex isn’t doing well.” Isabella folded her arms. “They manage to get him prepped for the cameras each day for Lara’s propaganda pieces, but he’s getting weaker.”

“You think it’s the fae bracelets they’re holding him with?” Dani asked.

“Most likely, but from what I’ve overheard, Lara is angry because they’re not affecting any of the other prisoners they’re holding in the same way. She was convinced Alex was faking it until he started having fainting spells.”

“She has to remove those cuffs.” Dani pressed a hand to her chest. “You have to tell her. She’s going to kill him.”

“Believe me, I’ve tried. She’s determined to get his compliance.”

“Lara does realize that without Alex, her little plan to become queen is all for naught, right?”

Isabella looked suddenly uncomfortable. “That’s the other thing. She’s determined to get an heir in order to cement her place on the throne, even if that means coercing Alex into her bed in order to make it happen.”

“That fucking bitch,” Sera swore. “You said they have Henri. Is he still alive?”

“He was as of yesterday. Lara has him at every taping with a knife to his throat in order to ensure Alex’s cooperation.”

“We’ve got to get them out of there. She’s unstable. Eventually, she’s going to snap when she doesn’t get her way.”

“And that may come sooner than we think. Lara is furious because apparently the magic in the handcuffs is making Alex so ill that he can’t, um… perform.”

“That bitch.” Sera tugged at the edge of her glove. “Alex was worn out before he left for the prison. I should have gone in his place. I would expect that once the cuffs are removed, he and Henri will both make a full recovery, but we need to get them out of there as soon as possible.”

“Is there any chance that if we managed to get the cuffs off, he and Henri could dematerialize away on their own?” Dani asked.

“Doubtful.” Isabella shook her head. “They’re both very weak.”

“So that means someone has to get to them, find a way to get the cuffs off, then transport them out.”

“And first, we’ll have to reset the wards surrounding the castle,” Sera added.

“Father doubled the guards on the ward stone chamber,” Isabella reminded them. “You’re never getting in there.”

“For this to work, we would have to reset the wards entirely. Otherwise, once we liberate the castle, Cavalieri and his men would just return.”

“The only ones who could do that are—”

“The high fae. They set them for us in the first place after the first peace accord.” Sera rubbed her temples. “It’s going to be a problem. They aren’t too happy with us at the moment given that their people are being held as hostages, but I don’t see another way in.”

“Finneas would do it if you asked him nicely.” Dani smirked.

“Get down on my knees and beg, you mean.”

“Hmm,” said a voice from behind her. They turned to see Finneas standing against the wall, smiling. “That does sound intriguing.”

“Keep sneaking up on me like that and I’m going to put a bell on you like Dani’s cat.”

“Even though I brought the blade you asked for?”

Sera’s expression softened. “You got it.”

“It will work for the next forty-eight hours. Now how are we getting in there?”