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Heart thundering, Layala backed toward the hallway, and bumped into Aldrich. The jittery feeling now rushing through her jolted energy in her once-weak legs. She could make it to the servants’ passage, hide.

“Come forward. Sit.” Mathekis’s voice took on a different sound, a more melodic and rich tone with a slight echo. Layala found herself involuntarily advancing.No, no I don’t want to go forward,she thought but kept moving. She slowly shook her head even as she was powerless to stop herself. Spiking fear made her hands tremble. She reached the chair and grabbed the back of it and lifted her chin.

Mathekis smiled. “My, my, we have a stubborn one. You won’t be the first I’ve broken.”

The High King’s upper lip curled, and he shot Aldrich a harsh glare. “Don’t just stand there. Do your job.”

Aldrich grabbed her hips, steered her around to the seat, pushed her down in the chair and scooted her in. That bastard. She still felt the ghost of his palms on her and her face heated in disgust. But that bitterness was quickly stolen away by the bowl half filled with ripe purple berries and a plate holding a buttered roll and a turkey leg. She inhaled the rich scent of the meat, her mouthwatering, and stomach growling as if demanding she take a bite. For a moment she wondered why Mathekis didn’t smell rotten like the others she’d encountered. Maybe the food masked the scent.

“You’re hungry,” Tenebris said. “Eat, Layala.”

There was no silverware within her reach. Nothing to use as a weapon. The king’s knife was on his left and she, on his right. Layala kept her hands on her lap despite how ravenous she was. This felt wrong. They’d ripped her from Thane, and starved her to only have her sit down and dine with them like nothing happened?

Aldrich pulled out the chair next to her and sat. “When will the dragon arrive?”

The dragon? Memories flashed of Layala driving her dagger into the dragon shifter’s chest, nearly hacking off her arm and finally to the black-taloned hand that sliced through Thane’s gut. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath to calm the anxious energy spiking in her again. She couldn’t panic, couldn’t black out. Not here.

“Any moment now,” Mathekis answered.

As if on command, the doors clicked open. Layala turned her head. The pearl-white gown dragging on the floor behind Varlett hugged the dragon’s curves like it was painted on. She was beautiful with her vibrant brown skin and golden curls that fell like a waterfall around her, spilling to the apex of her hip bones.

“Mathekis, my dear,” she cooed, her heels tapping loudly on the glossy stone floor. “It’s been too long.”

Even her voice made goosebumps rise along Layala’s spine. If there was one person she wanted dead more than Tenebris it was that wench. If it weren’t for her, she would still be with Thane. They’d have escaped through the portal together. She could be holding him right now, kissing him, loving him.

“Varlett.” Mathekis’s eyes greedily roamed over her without an ounce of modesty. “You look delicious as ever.”

Ew, gag me,she thought.

Tenebris stood, then lifted a hand toward the chair next to Mathekis. “Welcome, Varlett.”

Layala wanted to puke at all the formalities like they weren’t a bunch of disgusting creeps.Oh yes, let us sit down and act civilized when they eat people.

Varlett took the seat beside Mathekis, and tsked, looking Layala over from across the table. She pushed out her lower lip dramatically, “You look sad, poor thing,” she purred. “I couldn’t possibly imagine why.” She giggled as if what she’d done to Thane was funny.

Heat flared in Layala’s body. If she had use of her magic, she’d strangle the life from her, watch with pleasure as she gasped for breath. “Bitch.”

Smiling as if she’d gotten the exact reaction she wanted, Varlett said, “Feisty. Feisty. And here I thought a stretch in the tower would tame that tongue.”

Tenebris pushed his shoulders back. “I need to know if you did what I asked.” His voice was snappy and harsh.

Varlett arched an eyebrow. Leaning forward, she tapped her three-inch talons on the tabletop.Click, click, click.The sound made Layala’s skin crawl. “I severed their bond. You can check her wrist if you’d like. I don’t know why you haven’t already. You’ve had her for weeks.”

“I meant, is he dead? I told you to go back and make sure. I can’t very well have him coming for my head. He already tried to kill me once, and I’m hearing… rumors.”

Layala’s heart stuttered. Rumors Thane was alive?

“First of all, you don’ttellme anything.” She rolled her eyes to Layala. “I left him bleeding out on the forest floor with a hole through his gut. I doubt even he survived that.” Varlett turned back to Tenebris. “But I suppose it’s possible he lived. He is—uniqueafter all.”

The harsh frown lines around Tenebris’s mouth creased further. “I wanted a guarantee. I paid you enough.”

“Should I have brought your son’s head to you? I’m sure your naïve wife would have loved that.” She let out a cackle. “I did you a favor so if he’s alive, it’s your problem now.”

“My problem?” Tenebris snapped. “You think he wouldn’t come for you, too?”

Her eyes flashed and she smiled. “I’d welcome the challenge. It’s fun to toy with boys.”

Layala’s hands curled into fists. Maker, she wanted to fly over the table and strangle her. She found it odd they spoke about this in front of her like she was a part of their scheming crew or as if she wasn’t there at all, but then again, it spoke volumes. They didn’t see her as a threat. They didn’t fear she’d lose her temper and slaughter them all even though that’s exactly what she wanted, but like them, she knew, in this state, she wasn’t capable of it. Without weapons and magic and with little food, she was no threat. Those weeks in the tower were his strategy for a reason.