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Arabella’s eyes narrowed as she wondered whether the queen was implying she knew about Arabella’s demon heritage or if she was wondering who her shadow fae parent was. Did she suspect Arabella’s ties to the royal family?

Crossing her arms, Arabella nodded toward the locked cell door. “Perhaps you’d like to invite us to a more comfortable place to discuss such matters?”

While Arabella could step through the shadows and get out of the cell easily, she was too far away from Jessamine to be able to escape with her friend before the queen or Hadeon could attack. It was either escape alone or risk losing Jessamine by trying to get to where she straddled Hadeon on the ground behind her. And she wasn’t about to risk Jessamine’s life.

Genoveva turned to Hadeon as though Arabella had never spoken. “What’s at the other end of the gateway? Where did it lead?”

Hadeon frowned. “You don’t know?”

There was a gateway in the Twilight Court, and the queen didn’t know where it came from? Why not seal it herself, then? Why risk leaving it open if she didn’t know where it came from?

The queen’s power—which exceeded her son’s—bloomed in Arabella’s mind’s eye. A single strand flicked out from Genoveva’s extended hand.

The door to the cell swung open.

Behind Arabella, there was a shuffling sound, and she hoped Jessamine had dismounted from Hadeon. She loved her friendfor her fierce loyalty, but now wasn’t the time to deal with Hadeon’s betrayal. Not if they were in the Twilight Court. They were at a severe disadvantage and could be imprisoned at any moment. As such, it was too risky to do anything but play along for now.

It was clear the queen didn’t have eyes for Jessamine or Hadeon as they strode into the hallway. Instead, her gaze fixed on Arabella as she left the cell.

Again, her nostrils flared, one lifting higher than the other. “Why do you smell like a demon?”

“The gateway comes from the Abyss. We encountered a number of demons on our journey,” Hadeon said, moving to Arabella’s side. “You’ll have to excuse our appearance and… scents.”

Arabella bit the inside of her cheek in an attempt to keep her facial expressions from revealing more than they should.

What was Hadeon’s angle? Why try to protect her and Jessamine? He’d shown that he was no friend of theirs by forcing them through the gateway and sealing it behind them. And then threatening Jessamine.

She allowed her senses to stretch back toward the cell—where the gateway had been.

And was no more.

Somehow, the prince had found a way to close the gateway permanently.

Not for the first time, she was overcome by frustration at her lack of knowledge. She had no idea how gateways were created or destroyed. The only thing she could tell with certainty was its existence.

Turning, the queen strode down a long stone hallway illuminated on either side by a series of torches on the wall. It wasn’t unlike the dungeons beneath the Quarter in Shadowbank—cells in a place of stone, which neutralized many different types of magic.

As Genoveva walked, her dress trailed on the ground behind her.

Arabella glanced at Jessamine, who looked at her at the same moment. It was clear her friend had the same thought as her.

Just what was in store for them?

Then the queen spoke. “I expect a full explanation soon. But for now, I have another visitor.”

The gateway letout in the dungeons beneath the castle in the Twilight Court—the very same castle she’d fucked Elias at not too long ago.

Longing filled her alongside a deep ache.

It was at that moment she realized that she could feel Elias’ emotions down the mating bond. The tugging in her chest had returned the moment she was in the fae realm. Unlike the last time she was here, his emotions felt far sharper. They were no longer muffled.

Fear filtered down the bond but not pain. He wasn’t actively being tortured by Magnus. That was something, at least.

The last she’d seen him in the dreamscape, he’d been near to breaking. She knew at that moment she had precious little time before the male she loved was no more. Either he’d be broken by Magnus, forever changed, or worse.

As guilty as she felt about the shadow fae being trapped in the Abyss, their plight was secondary to her mate’s.

But why could she feel him so clearly now? What was different?