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“Usui!” Lux called, jogging now. “Usui!”

Silence.

She was alive, at least. Lux knew so with certainty. If he could see her soul, she was alive.

He ran until he was out of breath, following the pulse of her soul. Finally, when he rounded a bend, he found her.

It felt like a spear was shoved through his gut.

She was on the stone, wearing a gown that may have been a lovely color at one point, but now was as black as night, caked with mud. Her always warm, ebony skin looked pallid, thick lips chapped and chafing. She’d always had a voluptuous figure, but now, she was skin and bones. The tidy black curls she always kept in a neat puff at the back of her head were now a series of unkempt locs.

Which made sense.

Given the chains that bolted her to the cave wall and floor.

“Usui.” Lux collapsed to his knees before her, taking her face in his hands. Her eyes barely fluttered. “Usui, wake up.”

She was too weak to respond.

He grabbed the chain where it was bound to the wall and yanked with all his strength. He was half Angel, so that was plenty, especially when he was so angry.

The chains at her feet were next. He freed them as easily as he’d released her arms.

Then he jammed the torch between his teeth, tucked an arm beneath her knees, another behind her back, and bolted to the edge of the cavern.

He lapsed again, this time to Laiad. The only place they could not be found.

* * *

Lapsing woke Usui long enough for Lux to help her to some water at a river. She slurped and slurped, nearly toppling into the icy tide. Lux helped her upright, then pulled her into a cave along its path. They stayed close to the entrance, but far enough from the winter wind that he could start a fire.

Lux passed her a loaf of bread, but her fingers were too weak to break it. He tore it into chunks for her. She muttered a thanks as she chewed, craning close to the fire for warmth.

Once a bit of her energy was restored, enough for her to sit up on her own, eyes finally opening to their full size, Lux said, “What the fuck happened?”

Usui stared at the flames. A bit of confusion sparkled through her, but her shoulders sagged with shame.

This was not the woman Lux knew. Usui was a headstrong, fierce leader. Like this, she looked… broken.

“When is it?” she asked.

“Start of the third quarter.”

Her jaw tightened. She tore the next chunk of bread with her teeth and chomped furiously. Once she swallowed, she said, “They locked me in there for about a quarter then.”

“Why?” Lux didn’t have time for sympathy. It wasn’t his expertise regardless. “Did you betray them? Did you—”

“They betrayedyou.” Her gaze snapped to his, eyes wide with fury. “They betrayed usall. They’re belligerent fools, and they’re going to get us all killed.”

Lux didn’t sink backward, despite how intimidating her voice had sounded there. “What did they do?”

She snorted. Turning back to the fire, tears bubbled in her eyes. She didn’t let them leave.

Through gritted teeth, staring into the flames, she said, “They bartered the souls of your world with the maalaichte cnihme.”

CHAPTERTHREE

LUX