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Bile rose in my throat. I wanted to vomit, to scream, to do anything but lie here listening to this monster's plans.

"And after that?" He spread his arms wide. "The other houses will fall in line. Those who don't... well, I have plans for their daughters. Strategic marriages to my most loyal followers. Nothing bonds men like sharing the same sins." His smile turned vicious. "Though I doubt many will survive the wedding nights."

My web strained against whatever was blocking it, desperate to reach out, to fight back, to do something. But there was only silence along my spine.

"As for Sídhe..." He leaned closer, his cold breath ghosting across my face. "I have something special planned for them. Your Guard won't expect an army that doesn't need to eat, doesn't need to rest. Imagine their faces when they realize their precious arcanite towers won't save them. When they see their own people turned into fuel."

Tears burned in my eyes as I pictured Raine, Briar, all of them facing an endless tide of Damphyres. The horrors they would witness before the end.

"I'll march their bloodless corpses through Ravenfell's streets in celebration." His voice dropped lower, savoring each word. "Stacktheir heads on pikes outside the palace. A reminder of who truly delivered salvation to Umbrathia."

Please, I tried to beg, but only a whimper escaped.

"Which brings me to your commander." Something shifted in his expression, turning darker, hungrier. "Would you like to know what's happening to him right now? In my dungeons?"

No. No. Please no.

"He’s quite resilient," Valkan mused, examining his nails. "Most would have broken by now. But him? He just keeps asking about you. Even as my guards strip the shadows from his flesh."

My heart splintered at his words. Tears rolled freely down my cheeks now, and Valkan's eyes lit up at the sight.

"You see, that's the beauty of it. The torture of a vessel. When they run out of that delicious darkness you so lovingly provide, they're all skin and bones once more." He traced a finger through my tears. "And bones can be broken…" He closed his eyes as if savoring a fine wine. "The screams are exquisite."

The room spun as nausea clawed at my throat. I wanted to retch, to cry out, to beg him to stop.

"Soon, his mind will begin to fray. That's my favorite part. When they start hallucinating, calling out names, pleading with ghosts." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I wonder what secrets he'll reveal in those final moments?"

Stop. Please stop.

"Of course, that's assuming my men don't cut too deep." Valkan's eyes glittered. "My guards can be quite creative with their tools."

Rage burned through my paralyzed limbs, useless and devastating. But beneath the fury, guilt crashed over me like a wave, threatening to drown what little strength I had left. This was my fault. All of it. My arrogance in thinking I could enter this territory without conflict. My stupidity in flying to Draxon despite Aether's warnings. My weakness in getting captured so easily.

Aether had tried to stop me. Had begged me to find another way. But I wouldn't listen. Couldn't listen. And now he was paying the price for my stupidity. Being tortured in some lightless dungeon while I lay here, useless, unable to even scream.

The memory of his golden eyes flashed through my mind—how they'd looked when he'd made the decision to come with me. The way his warmth surrounded me in that cave. And this was how I repaid him. By leading him straight into Valkan's trap. By being the reason he might die in agony, alone in the dark.

I'm sorry, I tried to whisper, though my lips wouldn't move.I'm so sorry.

"But enough about him," Valkan cut through my thoughts, "I'd rather focus my full attention on you, lovely." His cold fingers traced my jaw.

Something inside me cracked at his words. My focus exploded outward in desperate, silent waves, but found nothing to grasp onto.

He inhaled deeply at my neck, making a sound that sent violent shudders through me. "Now that we’re so close…” He trailed off, running his hand along my side. “I can smell how potent you are. How much essence flows through these veins."

My mind screamed at my body to move, to fight, to do anything. But I was trapped, forced to lie there as his fingers moved to my cheek.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for this." His voice lowered with need. "Since that first night in Stravene, when I caught your scent. The power in you... it's pure. Untainted." His eyes seemed to devour me.

A knife appeared in his hand and my mind exploded with panic.No. Please no.This couldn't be happening. I had to wake up. Had to get away. Had to?—

The blade pressed against my throat and a sob caught in mychest. Tears leaked from my eyes as he leaned closer, his face twisting into something grotesque.

"We could have been magnificent together," he breathed against my skin, and I fought the urge to vomit. "A true Duskbound and a Damphyre king. We could have restored Umbrathia to glory." His voice turned vicious. "Now you'll serve a different purpose." His free hand tangled in my hair, yanking my head back to expose my throat. "You'll be my own personal wellspring. My infinite source of essence. The tool I needed to conquer both realms."

He inhaled again, longer this time, like he was savoring a fine wine. "Though I must confess, it will be... difficult to show restraint—to not drain you completely each time. But that would be wasteful, wouldn't it? When I can keep you like this, suspended between awareness and oblivion, for as long as I desire."

The knife bit deeper and I felt warmth trickle down my neck. My mind shattered as his mouth sealed over the cut. The sound he made was obscene—pleasure and hunger mixed into something monstrous as he drank deeply, each pull of his lips sending waves of weakness through me. I could feel my essence draining, could feel him stealing pieces of me.