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Her blood chilled, terror a living thing within her.

Julian.

No.

No, no, no, no, no!

They’d chained him, shirtless and spread-eagle, against the wall. His skin peeled away from the silver shackles clamped around his wrists and ankles. Besides the shackles, silver chains wrapped tight around his chest, leaving angry red marks. How long had he been like this? What else had they done? He wasn’t healing, and his veins stood out in sharp contrast against his ghostly skin.

Why?The mental cry was one of anguish.Why did you come?

Her eyes locked with his pain-filled ones, the intensity of his emotions taking her breath away. The answer was there, clear as day. He could no more have stayed away than she could have killed him without being under external control.

“What’s he doing here?” Leah stepped back, the shock real. She only hoped that Dmitri saw her fear as fear of Julian, not for.

“You remember the video we made? He’s here for you.” Dmitri picked up the crossbow and handed it to her.

It was heavy, loaded with a thick silver bolt. She forced herself to hold on to it.Don’t fail now.

“Your wings, spread them,” Dmitri ordered with glee.

His face a stone mask, Julian spread the wings she loved so much. They filled up the rest of the wall. Horror was a monster clawing at her insides when Dmitri looked at her with wicked intent.

“You want to prove your loyalty? Pin his wings to the wall.”

She almost chucked the crossbow at Dmitri’s head. If she surprised him, then shoot the two Hunters, she might have enough time to free Julian.

Then he could take them out.

Do it.

Julian’s implacable voice stayed her hand. Her gaze snapped to his. There was no anger, no recriminations, only relief and a tenderness that destroyed her.

Her heart was full to bursting with desperation.

Desperation and love.

He’d come for her, risked his immortality, knowing it was a trap. Even though she’d staked him.

Leah’s hands were steady as she raised the crossbow, his presence anchoring her. She had to do this, had to believe he had a plan. She shot once, the bolt piercing the edge of his wing and pinning it against the wall. Her shoulder blades burned with the impact, and her heart felt like it would explode, but she reloaded and did it again to his other wing.

“More.” She’d never hated Dmitri more than in that moment. “One more in the center of each wing.”

Biting the insides of her mouth, Leah did as he ordered.

At the last shot, Julian’s legs buckled. He would’ve dropped to his knees if not for the chains holding him up. A ravenous growl escaped his lips. His body tensed, his muscles straining. Leah recognized that stance. Knew Julian was holding himself back.

Her heart shattered to a thousand little pieces.

Her Julian.

Her proud warrior and protector.

Reduced to this because of her.

Leah was numb on the inside, a heart-rending sadness wringing her dry. It was like when Dmitri had controlled her body. Her mind seemed far away from her actions. If she thought, if she felt, she would collapse into a heap on the floor.

“There. Done.”