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I did, slowly and without the court titles Adrian liked to hide behind. “He wants you to put on the Crown and command me to give him the blood that carries my power. If I give him enough, I die. He becomes the Blood King, and you become useful only as long as he needs your authority.”

Bryony held the phone steady until I finished. “That’s clearer than anything Edith left me.”

“She hoped you’d have the case before you needed the explanation.”

“She also hoped I’d follow instructions. We were both overly optimistic.”

The bond pulsed. Her heartbeat thudded inside me, followed by a rush of heat. The distance between us suddenly felt much smaller than the gate claimed.

She pressed one hand to the middle of her chest. “What was that? You said the court linked us. Tell me exactly what that means.”

“I can feel your pulse and some of your stronger emotions. You’re getting pieces of me in return. I can’t hear your thoughts, control your body or make you feel something that isn’t already there.”

Her shoulders eased by a fraction. “Can anyone else use it, and how much stronger will it get?”

“It stays between us unless one of us gives control of it away. Adrian will try. As for how strong it becomes, I don’t know. The court has never formed this bond with an uncrowned human heir before.”

That answer bothered me more than it bothered her. Harrowmere had recognised Bryony quickly and pulled me into the bond just as fast. The speed worried me.

Her eyes narrowed. “The hunger is yours. What about the other thing?”

Heat pushed through the connection before I could stop it. She felt how badly I wanted my mouth on hers and my hands on her body.

I tightened both hands around the chains. “The attraction is mine. The part answering it belongs to you.”

Colour rose over her throat. She looked away first, and I forced my attention back to the gate.

Her mouth finally curved. That small smile made me want her closer.

Then Edith’s key moved in her hand.

It pulled towards the inner gate. A red mark appeared over the lock, matching the raven and crown worked into the key’s bow.

“Don’t,” I said.

Bryony held the key away from the metal. “I’m not doing anything.”

The lock turned by itself.

The gate opened several inches.

At the same moment, the metal door behind her began to close.

Bryony spun and shoved the torch against its edge. The door kept moving. Metal scraped over the torch casing and forced her hand back before it could crush her fingers.

She pulled the torch free. “Open the bloody door.”

Harrowmere ignored her.

“The key,” I said. “Try it against the outer seal.”

She pressed it into the mark that had cut her. Nothing happened. The passage beyond was already dark, and the hidden wall at the stairs had sealed her escape from the other end.

The door kept closing.

“If it shuts with you out there, you’ll be trapped in the passage,” I said. “Come through the gate. Stay near the wall and keep the throne between us.”

“You said to stay beyond your reach.”