Page 349 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

“They’d have to catch her first.”

“You know how the Wings play with their food. What do you think? You think they’ll fuck her before they slit her throat?”

I ground my teeth so hard I nearly cracked a molar.

Tried not to react. Really tried.

But my body was already shaking from the cold. My fists ached to clench.

Dammit. I was better than this. Better than letting him see it.

He moved in closer, slow and predatory. “Is that what you’re hanging onto, little cousin? That red-haired menace? Oh, you think she’ll come for you.”

“Not in the way I’d like,” I breathed, dragging my eyes up to his. “But yeah. And when she does, she’ll slit your throat and burn the body for good measure.”

“She could try,” he said with an edge of false calm. But the footsteps overhead were growing louder, the guards outside whispering in hurried voices.

A spark lit in my chest.

“She’s the protégé of the Angel of Death and the Golden Commander,” I said. “It’s cute that you think you’re not already fucked.”

His hand settled on my shoulder.

Revulsion surged. I wanted his hands on me only slightly more than I wanted to masturbate with a meat grinder.

“Do you think”—he walked his fingers down my outstretched arm—“she’ll be as mouthy as you are while I break her apart?”

His grip slid to my wrist, the other hand braced on my shoulder. Dread pooled in my gut as I read his intent.

“Or do you think she’ll scream the moment I bust that pretty face?”

“Nix. Don’t.”

“How were you goin’ to kill Queen Reagan?” he asked, his fingers tightening.

“I’m not gonna kill my own mother—Nix, don’t⁠—”

He planted a boot against my good ribs, ignoring the building tremors, the shouting above.

“I’ll ask you one more time. How. Were you going. To kill the Queen?”

“Nix, I swear to God, I have no idea what you’re talking about. If I did⁠—”

Snap.

My scream tore through the chamber as he dislocated my shoulder.

White-hot agony seared through me, robbing my breath, my vision, everything but the sound of my own heartbeat pounding behind my eyes.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Shove it into the vault. Slam the door.

No pain, no fear.

No poison in the well.