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“You don’t need her,” Elias found himself saying, the word slipping free of his lips. He knew trying to reason with Magnus was pointless, but he couldn’t help himself or his desire to keep Arabella safe. “You already have a syphen. You can create new erox. Please just?—”

Magnus turned to him, and something dark glittered in his scarlet gaze. “Even if the enchantress was no more than a mere mortal, I would take her.”

When Elias had given himself to Magnus, the sorcerer had revealed that Arabella was shadow fae and that he intended to take her so she’d make more syphens for him. But now… It seemed that there was another reason Magnus wanted to have her under his control.

“Why?” Elias asked, feeling his heart sink.

“Because she’s yours,” Magnus said as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. “She’s the perfect motivation to get what I want.”

Elias frowned, not understanding.

What he wanted? He thought Magnus just had some strange obsession with him. Was there some other reason why he’d entrapped Elias and took special interest in him all those years ago?

“Flynn,” Magnus called, and the tent flap opened. The erox strode through. “I have something to see to. Drain Elias of his essence. I want him to be on the precipice when I return.”

“Yes, sir,” Flynn said, his eyes fixing on where Elias was strapped to the X.

Elias swallowed thickly.

Like all demons, the erox’s magic required them to feed on mortals. It was what differentiated their magic from non-demonkind. But rather than feasting on flesh or souls, erox fed on desires. Consuming essence kept the true inner demon at bay. If an erox waited too long to feed, the creature within came forth—demanding blood. And if it wasn’t sated, if the erox was too far gone to hunger, there was no coming back. Everything that erox was would cease to exist as they lost their memories and humanity. They’d become a mindless creature who knew nothing but hunger for the rest of eternity.

This fate was perhaps the one thing he feared more than Magnus, himself.

“You have me,” Elias called after Magnus as he grabbed the tent flap, about to exit. “What more could you possibly want?”

Magnus lingered for a moment, not bothering to look back. With a chuckle, he disappeared out of sight.

Over the pounding of his heart, Elias heard Flynn’s booted footsteps as he neared.

There was the hiss of a blade being pulled free of its sheath.

I’m so sorry, Arabella,Elias thought.This is all my fault.

She was in danger because of him. Because Magnus had set his eyes on her. He never would have known of her existence if Elias hadn’t taken her as an offering.

“I’d bet Magnus captures her within the week,” Flynn purred as he ran the tip of his knife down the center of Elias’ chest. Immediately, blood pooled, leaving a stinging trail in its wake. “You’ll be serving the sorcerer willingly before long. Mark my words. You’ll give in to him soon enough.”

Flynn was right.

It was an inevitability. Elias could only last so long, even without the use of the syphen. Soon enough, Magnus would break Elias down.

And there’d be nothing left of who he’d been.

Chapter Six

ARABELLA

Arabella knew instantly she was back in the fae realm by the humming of the earth.

It was far richer than anything in the mortal lands, and it didn’t hold the taint of demons. It felt like sea air carried on spring winds. She didn’t sense the lingering sludge in the land that the presence of demons always left behind.

She stood beside Jessamine, Breckett, Kazimir, and Vorkle in what appeared to be a large sitting room with a myriad of sofas with velvet cushions and golden trims. Each sofa was likely worth more than a home in Shadowbank. For a moment, all she could think about was how this land was free of the threat that she’d lived with her whole life.

The demon-infested forest.

Had the demons always lived in the mortal realm? Or had they existed in all realms, but the fae had the power to kill them or force them out through the gateways?

What was it like to not live in constant fear?