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And all the time in the world.

“Let’s go,” she said, biting the inside of her cheek and tasting blood. She welcomed the pain if only to distract her from one single truth.

This might be the last time she’d see this castle.

Elias’ castle.

The place she’d fallen in love with an erox.

A single tear fell down her cheek as she grabbed hold of Jessamine’s hand.

“Get them out of here,” Hadeon hissed at Vorkle. “Now!”

Vorkle nodded.

There was a zap of magic as Hadeon released his shield and launched himself into the sky—toward the cloud of gargoyles.

Arabella opened her mouth to yell at Hadeon and demand to know what he was doing. But then she disappeared into the space between worlds.

Leaving the fae prince behind.

Chapter Five

ELIAS

The breath was torn from Elias’ lungs as he was dragged from oblivion.

“Wake up,” a voice hissed as a fist landed in his gut.

No,he thought.Let me sleep. Let me dream of her.

He’d had dreams of Arabella every time he’d closed his eyes. Each time, she looked decadent in her leathers, and there were chains woven into her long braid.

Slowly, he opened his eyes to the sight of Flynn, one of Magnus’ inner circle, standing before him in Magnus’ tent.

Flynn wore a leather breastplate with crisscrossing straps and countless sheaths, metal shoulder plates, thick leather gloves with metal spikes atop the knuckles, along with trousers and tall leather boots. It was a mix of browns and blacks, a perfect blend to move stealthily in the dark forest.

Swinging, Flynn’s gloved fist connected with Elias’ gut again, the spikes sinking deeper. Instantly, Elias coughed up blood, gasping for air. Blood trickled down his stomach and over his cock before dripping onto the ground.

He was naked, and utterly at his captors’ mercy.

He couldn’t fight, couldn’t move. Not when his hands and feet were cuffed to two crossing beams of wood that formed a giant X and were staked into the ground. It was a magical device that suppressed an erox’s strength and powers. The only magic it permitted was his body’s regeneration. His flesh could sew back togetherifhe had enough essence—even if the weapon or blade was inside him.

Except for one blade.

His syphen.

If that was embedded in his flesh, his body wouldn’t be able to heal. Not until it was removed.

The X was the perfect torture device for the erox. They could be ripped apart again and again, and their bodies would stitch back together. But they couldn’t fight, couldn’t flee.

Couldn’tobject.

He’d been tied to this torture device all those years ago beneath the mountain in Magnus’ stronghold.

And now, Elias knew one thing with certainty.

There was no escaping unless someone set him free.