Page 164 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

He blinks slowly.

Then his eyes shift and meet mine; anguish burns in their depths. “Surely you have an idea. Seeing as you brought it up.”

“I’d prefer not to guess.”

A sigh blows past his lips.

He drops back down into the chair behind him. “The contents in the vial initiated my curse.”

My pulse thrums in my ears.

I sit back onto my own chair. “Is that why Petra is dead?”

“No.” The crackle and sizzle of firewood punctures the air. “The vial had nothing to do with Petra’s death.”

“Then what happened?”

Darius stares at his fisted hands. “It’s no secret among Shadow Fae that Petra worked for King Marek. Many suspected he took her as his lover. Only those closest to me knew that would never happen.”

Darius’s dark eyes swirl.

I wait patiently, giving him time to find the words to explain.

Seconds pass.

I contemplate changing the subject, moving on to my attempt to heal him, when he reveals⁠—

“Petra was my mate.”

A shocked gasp escapes my throat before I can stop it. “What?”

His lips curl into a small, somewhat sincere grin. “Congratulations, Elara. You’re now one of six living souls to know of my greatest treasure and tragedy.”

My heart is at risk of crumbling under the force of the pain and hurt radiating from the formidable Fae in front of me.

“Darius…” I don’t know what to say.

My knowledge of Fae mates is limited, but I understand they are rare. And valued.

For Darius to have found his and then lost her…and in the middle of all that, he also endured her betrayal…

“Why would your mate work for King Marek?" I ask.

“She didn’t.” Heavy eyes rise to meet mine. “She worked for Rian.”

“What?”

He runs a hand down his face and shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. Just know…my Petra only worked for Marek because she thought it would protect me and the others. Little did she know, her proximity to that monster would lead to her untimely death.”

My pulse skitters in my veins in warning, but curiosity demands I ask, “You don’t like the king?”

Anger flares across his features, as hot as the flames next to us. “I despise my uncle.”

Whoa…

“Then why work for him?” I’m careful to keep my voice even.

“I work for Rian,” he snaps. “There’s a difference.”