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What the fuck was he doing? Was he willing to give up the cure for Annabeth? Take away my only leverage to get my ship and crew back?

“Croy—”

“Go, Amara.” Croygen cut me off with his order. “Before it’s too late and you can’t get out of here.”

Amara paused for a moment, suspicion lowering her brow, but sounds from above getting closer whipped her around, running up the stairs and out.

My lips parted in disbelief. “What the fuck, Croygen?”

He turned his head, a bad-boy smirk lifting his mouth. With a wink, he went to the opposite wall where the nectar box fell, yanking out a handkerchief from his pocket. Deep in the murky darkness, my sight caught him wrapping up an item before he stood back up.

“It fell out of the box when you hit the ground,” he muttered. Yanking my bag strap, he pulled me to him, sliding the nectar into my bag. “She didn’t notice.”

Relief washed over me.

“So she has a box of nothing?” My lips started to curve, realizing how devious this man was. He had completely played Amara. And I fucking loved it.

“Matches her heart.” His mouth was only about an inch from mine, his eyes sparking with energy. We both loved this kind of adventure, got high on close calls. “It will take her a while to notice. I do regret not being there to see her face when she realizes she shafted herself, which makes this a good fucking day.”

“Be better if we get out of here.”

He dipped his head, taking my hand. We both ran, knowing until we got out of this hellscape, away from Killian’s men, this adventure could turn deadly.

Chapter 18

Katrina

“Where the hell have you guys been?” Cooper whispered sharply at us when we caught up with him and AB a few levels up, hiding in a tunnel. The sounds of guards yelling echoed up, heading toward the dungeons below. “And why the fuck did Amara just take off past us with something in her hands?”

“Well, she does have the nectar box,” Croygen replied.

“Whaaaat?” Cooper’s eyes flamed red, his shoulders curling.

“Too bad the nectar isn’t in there.” He smirked. “That’s gonna be so disappointing for her.”

Cooper’s dubious gaze narrowed on Croygen. “She doesn’t have it?”

“No.” Croygen patted my bag with a grin. “It’s safe.”

Cooper’s body eased, running a hand through his blond locks, his gaze darting to his mate. In that one look, I could see his whole world flash in his eyes. The chance to save her, the thought of losing her. His emotions rode the edges, the Dark Dweller wanting to come out.

A loud boom of a metal, like a gate slamming, directed us all back to our biggest concern. Getting out of here.

Creeping to the end of the tunnel, I poked my head out. About midway through the tunnel, a flood of soldiers ran in from what had to be the main entrance. Orders and shouts from the prison guards already came from above us, bouncing and banging off the metal cages, filling the prison with chaos and confusion.

They were all heading down, while we had to sneak up. And some would be coming straight past us.

Voices and footsteps pounded toward the tunnel we were in. “Shit!” Croygen grabbed me, yanking me into a tiny cell, Cooper and AB taking the one next to us. We barely made it inside before boots stomped around the corner.

Croygen pushed me into the corner, his body hiding mine, flattening himself into me until there wasn’t one inch of him I didn’t feel. His breath stroked against my ear, shivering my skin, his protection wrapping around me and cradling me in a bubble. I knew he would keep me safe, and I would do the same for him.

“Hurry! Hurry!” Fae guards stomped by the cells, no one bothering to look inside, their focus on the emergency they thought was down below.

But it wouldn’t be long before the first guards saw Boyd, saw the nectar was gone, and ordered everyone else to hunt the prison for us.

I listened for the last guard to go by, my hearing traveling out to pick up movement.

Feeling Croygen’s eyes on me, I peered up at him. His expression was intense, his chest pumping hard against mine. The barriers between us were as thin as parchment. Practically an invitation when it came to us. It would be so easy to push through, to see and feel everything, to sink inside him, to feel myself submerge in him. Experience and see the connection we both knew was there, yet still thought we could deny.