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He shrugged and then flinched when he took a sip of blood. “By accident. I was in Thrace, fighting some war, I can’t remember which. I stumbled across some tribe attempting to sacrifice a newborn babe in the forest. They believed that the sacrifice was necessary. They were going to spread her blood around the fields in order for something ridiculous to occur, like the growth of fertile crops or some other lie. I couldn’t let them kill a newborn, and so I snatched Cassie and brought her here to grow up.”

“You didn’t know what she was?”

Oracles were born to humans and experienced their first vision of the future when they were around six or seven, later transitioning to full immortality. As far as I knew, there was no discernible pattern. It was a complete guess as to which mortal child would spout prophecies.

Lucien shook his head. “Not until she was a little older. She was already a hellion, and then she added in predicting the future.”

After reading about him, I was already nursing a bit of hero worship for Lucien. Who wouldn’t be impressed by him? But hearing what he did for Cassandra made me look at him in a new light, as if he could…protect me.

Adelaide appeared out of nowhere, and I startled, nailing my knee on the table. “Where in all hells did you come from?!” I exclaimed, nearly jumping out of my chair. Not a single immortal besides me appeared surprised by her sudden presence.

Lucien laid a calming hand on my shoulder, pushing me back into my chair. I rubbed my now sore knee with a wince. “Announce yourself, Adelaide,” he said.

The housekeeper nodded solemnly, handing the huge scroll she carried to Lucien. “My apologies. I need your approval for the coronation invite list, sire.”

“Whose coronation?” I inquired, tilting my head to the side. A beat of utter silence followed, during which the wolves glanced at each other with shocked eyes, prompting a feeling of dread to course through me. With my teeth gritted and my hands gripping the table, I hissed, “Whose. Coronation?”

Without another word, Erik disappeared, his men following close behind. Elijah pulled Gunnar, who hurriedly scooped some breakfast into his arms. In a single minute, we were alone in the kitchen.

“Now, Phoebe…” he entreated, resting a hand on my shoulder.

I shoved away from the table and from him. “Are you planning a coronation for me? You’re going toforceme to become queen, no matter what I have to say about it? What about my choice?”

He was taking away my decisions again! When would I learn? For all his sweet words about mates and forever, I was still a prisoner. I was being controlled again! First the Council and now Lucien. I was always being made into someone’s puppet.

Lucien stood up, his green eyes hard. His fists were tight at his sides, the knuckles white. “You don’t get to choose! You are my mate! My queen!”

My head snapped back at his words. “So you think you’ll take away my freedom? Again?” I threw up my wrists, showing him the cuffs. He winced slightly at the sight of them, but his face hardened. “Were you planning on showing your queen off to your court with her powers bound?”

“No! I hoped…” he broke off, his face paling. His eyes were bright with emotion, but I was too angry to read him.

“Hoped for what?” I hissed.

“Hoped you would stay...with me.” He glanced away, his fists relaxing at his sides.

My anger dimmed slightly, though I desperately clung to it. I needed every defense against him. “How can I choose anything without my powers, Lucien? Were you planning never to take them off?” My magic was like a phantom limb, aching just out of reach. Not to mention, I was utterly vulnerable to my enemies.

“How can I trust you not to rift away if I do?” he snapped. He whirled around, giving me his back.

If. If he does. Bastard.

The fury returned, scorching me. My nails dug into my palms, my emotions in turmoil because somewhere deep down, I was thinking ofstaying.That couldn’t be right. I knew so little about him, except that he’d protected a mortal baby, and later a powerful oracle, from those that would harm her for no other reason than it was right. He’d entreated gods to create a home for demons to end a war, helped end fae slavery. Most of all, I feltsafewith him, and that was by far the most dangerous realization of all. I needed to escape and run. I was almost in too deep, and soon it would be too late.

“So, you can’t trust me without the cuffs, and I can’t trust you with them. Where does that leave us?”

Desperation gnawed at me, only heightened by my fear. I was so afraid I was already so far gone on this male that Iwouldn’tleave given a chance.

His shoulders slouched in defeat. “I don’t know,” he muttered.

I had to escape now. I couldn’t wait any longer.

XXI

The Realm of Mortals.

Întuneric Castel, Romania.

I HEARD HER FLEE FROM THE KITCHENSbut didn’t turn around, shame burning its way up my neck.Why couldn’t I do anything right by her?My hands fisted at my sides. I wanted something to throw, someone to punch, anything to release this boiling rage inside me, scalding me. Yet, for all the anger coiled inside me, I knew nothing would help. Not when the real enemy, the one truly responsible for everything, was the one that looked back at me in the mirror. My fists relaxed, and I took a deep breath. The relief would be fleeting. The only genuine relief was with her.