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Chapter 58

Chrome

Icouldn’t pull my eyes from the needle pressing into Gray’s neck. Time stood still while I contemplated every possible way to lodge a knife in my mother’s throat. I knew she’d follow through on her threat; she never had been one to make cheap promises. I needed to be smart. “Put that poison in her body, and you’ll wish I had never been fucking born…Mother.” Never mind the fact that she’d already made that abundantly clear since I was able to form memories.

“Don’t interfere, Chrome,” Amethyst warned. Was I imagining things, or was there a hint of caring in her voice?

No, I was definitely imagining shit.

I locked eyes with my little savage princess. No, my savagequeen.Her chin was held high, and her eyes were as cold as ice. It was her choice whether she wanted me to interfere or not. The last thing I wanted to do was to step in and potentially fuck shit up if she had a plan of some sort, but if not, I’d be more than happy to help.

I was the deliverance of eternal wrath. I wouldn’t hesitate to carve the veins from anyone who touched a fucking hair on Gray’s head, but I would give her the chance to defend herself if she was in a position to.

Gray closed her eyes and dipped her chin in the slightest of movements, giving me the go-ahead to step in.

My shoulders shook from a rage so fucking intense that it consumed me. I thanked the gods for her giving me the go-ahead because I couldn’t hold back much longer. I could feel her resolve through our bond; she would play her part while I unleashed hell.

“Stay with me,” she whispered. I barely heard her, but I felt her plea, begging me not to lose myself in the fight to win this battle.

My lips twitched at the words that had become my mantra with her.

While Gray tossed up a tight shield around her body, I used my element to launch the knife from the table at Amethyst’s head. As expected, she ducked, giving Gray the chance to throw one of her electrified blue orbs at her. My mother flew across the room, slamming into the wall.

Forest needed to be subdued—and fast. I wasn’t sure what the hell he was chanting, but I was sure it was bad for us.

The one thing the king hated most was chaos, especially if it wasn’t his doing. The control freak that he was, he couldn’t stand it if one person stepped a toe out of line.

Well, what did I happen to be best at causing? It was too soon to kill them. There were still other factors at play. I needed answers, and I needed to get Gray shielded.

Once again using my element, I made all of the metal in the interrogation room go airborne. Weapons, tables, and chairs levitated, even the ones bolted down to the floor, as I removed the screws.

The room became a maelstrom of debris, spinning wildly around at erratic speeds. I was sure to hold it high enough so as not to accidentally hit Gray. Honestly, it wasn’t hard to do with her vertical ineptitude.

I kept my focus on Forest, who stared back at me, a slow, vicious grin appearing on his face. “It’s done!” He laughed. “You’re too late!” More unnerving laughter peeled from his chest as he looked up at the ceiling, watching my chaotic outburst.

Agony ripped through my lower chest cavity, almost blinding me. It felt like someone took a sharp metal hook and forced it to latch onto mydiaphragm and then tugged. I gasped for breath, but it hurt too much. I stumbled back a few steps, desperate for it to stop. “What…”

I spun around to find Gray hunched over with a hand pressed against the top of her diaphragm. The pain began to subside, allowing me to try and make my way to her. As soon as I reached her, she straightened, her breaths ragged.

After assuring me she was okay, I noted my mother clambering to her feet, dusting off the dirt from her pristine clothes. I stripped her of any weapons and sent a small, pressurized blast at her, just enough to keep her out of the way. I wasn’t done with that bitch yet.

I turned back to face Forest, who couldn’t contain his gleeful grin.

A strong gust of wind blew past me and crashed into his chest. Knocking him off his feet, he spun several times before skidding across the concrete floor. He lifted his head, a menacing gleam in his dark eyes. “I’ve fucking had it with you, you little bitch.”

Gray sauntered to my side, a viciousness of her own encapsulating her aura and sending it like a straight shot to my cock down our bond.

When Gray didn’t deign him a response, only a scathing look of absolute abhorrence instead, Forest snapped. Apparently, he was not used to blatant disobedience and respect…from his daughter, no less.

“The bond is complete! There’s nothing you can do now to stop it.” Forest rose to his feet, his perfectly styled hair thrown askew and his suit disheveled.

“What bond?” I asked. My initial thought went to the bond between Gray and me, but I doubted that was what he was referring to. Gray and I met each other’s alarmed eyes.

Forest rumbled with another chuckle, getting off on the joke Gray and I weren’t privy to. It only served to piss me off more. At last, the king spoke. “The Syphon Bond.”

“Explain,” Gray demanded. She showed no fear, nothing but pure savage beauty stared down her father.

Forest appraised Gray with a look of amused disgust. “Tell me, why areyou so bloody?”