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Fuck, it had been awful.

Twenty-one was the age of maturity for fae, and sexual contact with anyone before that age was even more grievous a crime than killing. So much so that even the monsters who’d held us captive weren’t willing to touch me before then.

“The night we escaped, they were going to rape me. We all knew it; tears leaked from Vena’s eyes for my sake for days prior. It was my birthday—my torturers sneered so as they pulled me away from Vena and Akari.”

Another shudder tore through me.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to, Diora.” Namir’s voice was fierce, his arms wrapping around me before he dragged me across the couch, turning me and setting me down on his lap. My back rested against his chest, and my breaths came out a bit painfully. His shadows dispelled my monster, though, and that urged me to finish the story.

“I want you to trust me—and I want you to know,” I admitted. His arms tightened around me, but the hold was far from uncomfortable. “My monster took over frequently, but she had never turned to full shadow, like you did in the forest that one day. I had no idea that was even possible—and neither did she, apparently. I wonder what would’ve been different, if I had known, but the wondering does nothing but hurt me more.”

My stomach clenched as memories assaulted me, but I continued. “The men who dragged me toward the torture rooms were spewing obscenities, talking about the way they would hurt me as they violated my body. Terror flooded me, and my monster took over. One moment, the chains were around me and the men were dragging me, the next, there was blood everywhere. The men were all dead when she gave the control back to me. My chains were on the floor, and for the first time in my entire life, I was free.”

I paused to take a shaky breath in. “Much of what happened next is a blur to me, same with the torture and the trauma. I found the keys to our chains on the men’s bodies, and then made my way back to Vena and Akari. My monster took over again when I came across a few more guards, but I tried not to look at their faces or their bodies. When Akari and Vena were free from their chains, Akari took over, and got us out of there. My monster took over a few more times—there was so much blood. Akari killed the last few men, though, and found running water, so we could clean ourselves a bit before we put on the clothing we had stolen off the dead guards. From there, we ran a long way, then stopped at an inn and stayed until we were ready to split up and hunt the kings who had cursed us.”

“I’m sorry that didn’t happen the way you wanted it to,” he murmured, his arms still locked tightly around me.

“Killing you? I’m not. I didn’t really know what I wanted before; my only real priority was my freedom. And here, with you, I feel freer than I ever have before.” My words were completely and totally honest.

Namir sighed softly. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

I tried to turn my head a bit toward him, but failed. Was that guilt in his voice?

“My brother—” He cut himself off, his body growing stiff.

“Your brother what?”

I was left on my ass on the couch a moment later, and Namir had turned almost completely to shadows.

“Stay here,” he snarled at me. “Laith will be looking for you.”

He disappeared through the shadowed barrier that blocked the entrance to his room.

Laith?

He was the Dark King, wasn’t he? The cruel one, whose magic Vena possessed?

My stomach clenched, my magic gathering like a knife in my abdomen.

“Oh no,” I whispered, dread flooding me as the magic took control—as the monster tore free.

She sprinted after Namir, slipping through the shadowed doors with ease as all hell broke loose in the castle. Some fae were handing out swords while others gave orders. More were ushered into the kitchen; that door was naturally concealed by the stone it was made out of.

Everyone who saw my wolf lunged out of the way, and for the first time, ripping everyone to shreds wasn’t her priority.

Instead of killing, shehunted.

She streaked out of the castle, and into the city. The air was drenched in shadows, but off in the distance, I could see the darkness warring with them, slowly devouring them. They whispered,

Run.

Run.

Run.

I felt their urgency, and silently encouraged my monster to run faster, to cover more ground.

Namir was somewhere in the forest; I couldfeelit. And that was exactly where my wolf ran, as if she could feel him too.