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Chapter Eight

ELIAS

Atugging in Elias’ chest pulled him from sleep, and he gasped awake.

For a moment, he blinked, staring at the inside of Magnus’ tent, nearly passing out again. As he glanced around from where he was cuffed hand and foot to the X, he heard the rustling of the awakening encampment.

It was morning.

There was another tug in his chest, and he realized it was the mating bond.

Arabella.

He could sense she was moving. There was something… different about her emotions. While her fierceness shone down the bond as it always did, there was a new determination. Or perhaps it was resignation.

What are you doing, little enchantress?

There was a flash of light as the tent flap was pulled back and Flynn walked through it with Magnus a few steps behind.

Flynn stood near the entrance, his hands crossed in front of him. “Elias is ready for you, sir. He’s been teetering between passing out and going feral for hours.”

That was right. He’d nearly forgotten with the tugging on the bond.

After Flynn had sliced him open for hours, bleeding him of essence, Elias had blacked out.

Now, his stomach twisted painfully, and his fangs lengthened, puncturing his lower lip.

If he didn’t feed soon, he’d succumb to his inner demon.

What would turning fully into a demon do to Arabella and their bond? Would the mating bond snap? Or would she be plagued by his hunger, feeling it down the bond every moment until the final day of her mortal life?

Magnus didn’t come to stand before where Elias was tied. Instead, he stood beside the table of food, popping a grape into his mouth. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time this morning to see to our little experiments. I’ve located where the enchantress has gone to. The next time I see you, I suspect it will be with your mate in tow.”

Panic surged in Elias’ veins.

How had he found her so quickly?

He couldn’t let Magnus find her. Not if she would soon share his fate. The sorcerer might want to use her shadow fae magic to create new syphens, but he wouldn’t hesitate to torture her to get what he wanted.

“Wait,” Elias said as Magnus turned toward the tent’s exit.

Elias’ mind raced as he desperately searched for something,anything,to keep Magnus from leaving.

From going after her.

Elias would do whatever he could to protect her. Even if all he could do was stall the sorcerer.

Magnus paused and turned back toward him, one eyebrow raised.

“I need…” Elias began, struggling to speak through the fear tightening his throat. “I need to feed.”

Magnus nodded as though expecting this before waving a hand to Flynn. “Bring in one of the humans?—”

“No,” Elias interrupted. “I don’t want them.” For a moment, the lie lodged in his throat. But he knew there was only one thing that would keep Magnus from leaving.

“I want you.”

Magnus’ hand was frozen mid-air, his eyebrow inching farther up his forehead. After a moment, he lowered it before turning to face Elias fully.