Page 6 of Claimed By Shadow and Blood (Of Fae and Wolf Trilogy #2)

Chapter Three

Vad

M y vision tunneled as shadows writhed and twisted, forming whip-fast tendrils that reached for Thalen's throat.

He ducked, his wings tucking tight as he rolled backward. “Whoa, easy there, you big bellend?—”

One of my shadow tendrils curled around his shoulder and neck and snapped him back against the wall.

I grabbed him by the arms, blood thundering in my ears.

“ She is not your Chaos ! Never call her that again. She is mine !” My magic faltered, flickering like a sputtering candle flame before surging again.

My knees threatened to buckle, and my stomach soured even more, but my physical grip on him didn’t weaken.

Face pale, he lifted his hands. “Understood. I was only trying to tease you, but I should’ve known better. That’s my fault, and I’ll stop this instant.”

I slackened my grip on his arms slightly.

He let out a shaky breath. “Briar is yours .

I never thought she was anyone else's. She doesn't belong with anyone but you, and I'd bet your best vintage of moon whiskey she feels the same. Put the fangs, claws, and shadows away. Please . I’m sorry. I won’t say it again…” Then he mumbled, “At least not today.”

“I heard that,” I gritted out as my chest heaved. I couldn’t get enough breath to fill my lungs. The shadows tightened again before releasing and vanishing like smoke into the floor.

I let Thalen go and stepped back as I tried to push back against the enormity of the grief crushing me and suffocating my thoughts.

At least, the jealousy felt like sickening fire, providing heat and an urgent clarity.

A tendril of fear curled through me, bringing even more ice.

It had been years since I’d lost control to the point that my shadows behaved like this.

I was unraveling, and I had to bring myself back in. Otherwise, Briar could pay the price.

Adjusting his shirt, Thalen slumped against the wall. “We both know nothing clears your head as much as rage… to a point. Add on Briar, and that wasn’t thoughtful of me at all.” He straightened and rolled his shoulders like he’d had the wind knocked out of him.

Thalen knew that, when I lost my temper, my shadow magic reacted.

That was what he’d done to me whenever we sparred, and one time, in a shadow rage, I’d accidentally knocked him off the edge of the labyrinth wall.

Sometimes I despised how glib he was in the face of danger, but considering what we were up against, his resilience and hardiness would come in handy.

He smirked. “You sure you're finished, or do you need to take another swing at my ribs for closure? Maybe smash my face into the wall for good measure? Get some more of that rage out of your system and get in balance?”

“Call her yours again, and I will.” I snapped my surcoat back into place and straightened my sleeves. My body thrummed with warning. The longer Briar stayed with my betrayers…

Acid burned my throat, and I stopped my thoughts from continuing. If I imagined what they were doing to Briar, I’d lose the control I needed to truly save her.

Thalen bit his bottom lip. “Maybe we can use that display as our secret weapon. We get to the prison, and then you go berserk like that and worse. They won’t stand a chance. Assuming you can keep it under control and act completely feral.”

My lungs ached. I couldn’t get enough air.

My magic thrashed beneath my skin as if it wanted to shred through flesh and bone and couldn’t find its balance.

I choked it back. The last thing I needed to do was destroy half the damn corridor, but as my thoughts returned to her, the rage boiled up.

My stomach threatened to empty at the thought of her screaming in the dark while I stood here, helpless.

Every single one of them would pay in blood and agony.

My hands curled into fists again, and I dug my nails into my palms until the skin split and blood welled. But even that couldn’t ground me.

I slammed my fist against the black marble wall at my side, and a hairline crack split up the stone and behind a gold-framed painting of a peace signing. My breath snagged in my throat as my lungs constricted.

Thalen approached from the side. “Don’t disappear into your grief and sorrow now.

You know we’re going to get her back. Of course, when I say ‘we,’ I mean you, and I’ll help.

Nothing’s going to change that, and they’re going to pay for what they did.

What I was saying before is that we can trust Broodface.

Even if the Aureline Council is up to something treacherous and it isn’t just one or two of them with the Shadow Council, he won’t let them interfere. He takes his duties personally.”

The anger still coiled within me, threatening to drown me in its heat just as the grief wanted to sink me into a void I’d never escape.

But Thalen was right. We were going to get Briar back.

“And Captain Finbar? Do you know more about him? His brother Ruar died tonight. Can he be trusted too?” To my knowledge, he’d never done anything even slightly questionable in his service.

I started walking again, dreading telling Elara what had happened.

Thalen followed. “So far as I know, yes. And I know how to make sure of that too. Leave it to me. I’ll make sure you get your Copper Chaos back. Though we should probably figure out what I can call her to let you know I’m talking about her without mentioning her name.”

“Yes, we need something. But we've got to find out which Aureline prison they've taken her to.” I dragged my hand through my hair, then turned to face him. "Can you do something for me?"

He lifted his shoulders and spread his hands. "Anything."

"Find the guards who took her away." I swiftly described both of the lower court guards with every detail I could remember.

"See if you can get one of them alone. The Aurelines won't let anyone who isn't avowed to their service remain there long, so they probably sent them back as soon as they delivered her. "

Thalen's expression had gone hard, and his eyebrow tweaked up. "You want one or both?"

I'd love to make both disappear. But restraint was essential.

If I didn't hold myself together, I'd lose everything.

"One. And only if you can ensure no one notices he'll be missed.

This can't come back on us. We don't want to raise suspicions. But if you find both, learn whatever you can. They’ll be dealt with in time. "

Thalen cracked his knuckles and winked at me. His wings twitched as if they were in on the joke. "No one will suspect a thing. I'll have a servant bring you black currant wine as soon as I find one and get him down in the onyx cellar."

"Good. No one can know we're doing this though," I reminded him sternly.

"I'll be as silent as a shadow. Well, a real shadow. Not yours when they're going insane." Thalen tapped his hand to his brow and darted away.

I sighed and continued to walk in silence down the black marble hall, my footsteps growing heavier and heavier.

The gold embellishments now seemed dull, the delicate painting of the portraits faded.

Color was no longer bright. Everything was miserable, and I balanced on a knife's edge of self-control.

Even as I forced myself to stay calm, the storm that brimmed within me intensified, wild and ferocious, craving the blood of my enemies and longing to hold my Briar.

My shadows prickled within my consciousness, begging me to unleash them and let them feast on the blood of anyone who hurt her.

What were those fiends doing to her? If they hurt her—feck, they'd taken her from me. They were all dead men walking. But if they hurt her beyond taking her from me, I'd make sure they suffered ten times as much as she had. My fingers twitched at my sides.

I passed the juncture of the hall and turned toward Elara’s rooms. Was she even awake?

My stomach sank as I imagined tears welling in her dark-blue eyes, which were so like Father's. The hour was late, and she tired easily. Maybe she’d already gone to bed.

Part of me just wanted to get it over with, but my dread grew. This would shatter her world.

The faintest line of light shone beneath the dark embossed door, likely from one of the lamps that was always lit in case of an emergency. Over the years, she had endured many.

Her bedroom door clicked open, and my other best friend, Silus, stepped out.

My brow arched, and my spine stiffened.

His charcoal surcoat was straight but slightly mussed, the fine black fabric rumpled near the collar. The deep cobalt cravat had been loosened, and the top button of his shirt was undone.

His brow lifted like a mirror of mine when he saw me approaching.

"Physician Tai just departed a few minutes ago.

" He stood with his arms at his sides, but his posture was unusually tense. His throat bobbed. "Elara began to feel quite ill, but she’s resting now. She managed to get through one of the dances before she was too exhausted and had to leave the ball. Her condition is worsening. Physician Morlo will examine her in the morning unless there’s an emergency in the night. "

His words struck like blows to my heart. “How long has she been ill tonight? How bad is it?” I braced my hands against my belt. Had Father’s passing made it worse?

“It started shortly after you left.”

He didn’t mention Briar, and I narrowed my eyes.

“She was fine and wanted to dance, but then she started feeling worse and couldn’t draw strength from the shadows.

She tried to come back alone, but I insisted on escorting her.

By the time we got here, she was struggling to breathe, and her glamour had faltered, so I sent for the physician.

Physician Tai saw to her. She said Elara’s condition is worsening but rest is the best thing for her.

After Tai gave her a draught, she seemed to calm and remained peaceful. ”