Page 116

Lord Oblog ignores the other Toad Lord, though. He’s quivering, and I can taste the scent of the adrenaline pulsing through his veins.

Lord Oblog is shocked that Lucius made it so close to him. The Sentinels should have cut him down in less than a second. No mortal man could have dodged those shots.

But Lucius is no longer a mortal man – or Aurelian.

Oblog understands now that the Bond does more than just link us telepathically.

He understands now just how powerful Bonded Aurelians are.

But Lord Oblog is a careful man – you don’t make it to the rank of Lord in Toad society without being so. With one flick of his wrist, he knows he could open up my artery, and send my life blood spurting across the room. He could gut me like a fish, and then push me down the stairs. I’d bleed out in the arms of my Aurelians – and they’d be powerless to do anything except watch me die.

The Toad Lord has me in his grasp – and through me, he has the Aurelians, too.

So, I do as Lord Oblog demands. I turn slowly, the knife still whispering against my throat. As I face the hideous Toad, I extend my hand – and I’m ashamed how much it trembles.

Oblog has the upper hand, but he doesn’t sneer or mock. He knows how dangerous we can be; and that knowledge takes away what might have been my only advantage.

The Toad Lord keeps the knife at my throat with one hand, while holding out a jet-black ring in the other.

The hot room suddenly becomes cold as I stare at the object in his slimy palm.

The ring is made from some impossible substance – deep, and endless, and black and blue both at the same time. It’s like a hole in reality where the object should be – falling through to endless depths that suck in all the light around it.

That object is dark and evil, and I know instantly that it’s made from Orb-material.

I’ve seen Orb-Blades before, but this is different. This is proof that the power of an Orb can be harnessed in many unnatural ways. It sounds ridiculous, but that object in Lord Oblog’s palm almost seems to be alive – and I can sense its malevolence.

I gulp. There’s nothing I can do but keep my hand outstretched as Oblog forces the blue-black ring onto my index finger.

Instantly, Quint and Marcel also disappear from my mind.

I gasp, and then cry out as thatthingtightens around my finger.

Lord Oblog releases my hand, and I snatch it to my chest – trying to rip the ring off my finger. I might have succeeded – but only if I took the finger with it.

The two Toad Lords laugh as I struggle to remove the ring, but it’s stuck on me like it’s part of my body. I can’t get it off – and it’s blocking the power of the Bond.

The Aurelians are removed from my mind – and even though I’ve only been Bonded to them for a matter of hours, it’s like somebody has scooped out my soul.

“A Bond disrupter,” Lord Oblog answers my unspoken question. His voice is cold and strained. “Keep trying to remove it, Jamie – maybe you’ll get it off if youpull. Ha.”

He ends the statement with a laugh, but it sounds nervous and strained to my ears.

“A Bond disrupter is worth a fortune these days, what with more Aurelians finding their Fated Mates,” Oblog explains. “But it’s worth every penny to me - because Iwon’thave you discussing any plans with your triad.”

I finally let my hand drop to my side. The ring isn’t coming off.

Now, confidence returns to Oblog’s voice.

“I won’t have themfeelingfor your location. I won’t have you giving them intel, or sharing secrets. Your Bond issevered.”

Severed. I know it’s only the ring that disrupts the Bond between me and my Aurelians, but Oblog speaks as if the disruption is permanent.

It might as well be, if he’s the only one who can remove this ring.

“It’s for your own protection, Jamie,” Oblog warns. “If they could sense your location, your big, brave triad might be stupid enough to Orb-Shift into my ship, or make a suicidal attack with that little Reaver of theirs.” He looks over at my triad. “You’re not going to do anything stupid, are you? If you want to see yourmatealive again, you’ll have to do exactly as I say –withouther whispering sweet nothings into your mind. Understood?”

Marcel stares up at the Toad Lord with his cold, green eyes.