Page 41

Elsie

T arix is still out on his shopping errand, but it’s been a while. He could return at any moment.

I refocus my efforts on finding animals around the cabin in which he has locked me.

He was clever enough to make sure there are none except for birds and insects.

I test my power on a few ants that pass through the kitchen.

The ants change direction as I command them.

However, they’re of no use to me. I can’t attack Tarix with a few sugar ants.

If they were fire ants, it would’ve been a different story.

Where the hell am I? There’s not even a bee or a wasp around, and it’s freezing cold.

I stoke the fire I built in the fireplace so that it doesn’t go out. I found a few pieces of wood, old newspapers, and a box of matches in the cupboard next to the fireplace. The warmth is welcome, but my main objective is boiling the water in the pot that hangs from a hook over the flames.

Rubbing my arms, I take stock of the space for a second time in case I’ve missed something that could be useful as a weapon, but the room is pretty much bare. It’s not a very comfortable hideout.

Awareness of Aruan hits me just as I throw the last log onto the fire.

The sensations changing inside me are both scary and beautiful.

I’ve never felt anything like it. The vagueness of our bond is gone, and in its place is pure and certain clarity.

My whole body trembles with cognizance while heat shoots up my veins.

I swear every cell in my body is vibrating.

Most of all, there’s a deep-seated notion of being whole and complete.

It’s as if an open line of communication has been established between our souls.

I don’t know why or how it’s happened. All I know is…

He’s here!

The knowledge gives me strength. I want to cry with relief, but the fight is far from over, and there’s no guarantee that Aruan will find me in time.

I’ve barely had a few seconds to enjoy my first experience of our fully formed bond when a portal appears. A part of me hopes it will be Aruan, but the bond tells me differently.

When Tarix appears with a brown shopping bag under each arm, I’m ready.

I throw the boiling water in his face and hit him hard over the head with the pot.

He drops the bags, covering his face with his arms as he fights to stay on his feet.

I block out his horrible screams, trying not to think about the damage I’m doing as I hit him over and over again.

I swing the pot through the air, putting all my strength into it, but Tarix is strong. He deflects my blows without going down. I’m quickly tiring myself while his knees aren’t even buckling.

I’ve got the pot firmly in my grasp, bringing it down for another hit when he knocks it from my hands. For a second, the sickening sight of his face—skin blistered and red, eyes puffy and swollen with the pupil of one a milky color, and brown hair caked with blood—catches me off-guard.

He grabs me in that moment’s hesitation, locking his hands around my raised arms.

Snarling, he drags me closer. “You’re going to regret this. I was going to end you painlessly.”

I kick and twist. Even injured, he’s as strong as a bear, easily wrapping his hands around my neck and cutting off my airflow.

I scratch his arms, but my efforts have no effect on him.

I aim for his eyes and the bubbly, angry-red skin of his cheeks, my nails not finding their target as he easily lifts me off my feet.

I land kicks on his stomach and chest. He doesn’t even grunt.

He’s like a wall of bricks, the muscles beneath his clothes hard and unrelenting.

I tear at his hair until my fingers come away with bloodied tufts sticking to them, but he only squeezes harder.

Spots burst behind my eyes. My vision grows dark around the edges, unconsciousness starting to creep in.

“You’re not dying that easily,” he says through gritted teeth. “Not before I carve off your face.”

He unlocks one hand from around my throat and plants a fist on my jaw at the same time as he releases me.

The blow knocks my head sideways even as my body crumples to the ground.

Air hits my lungs just as the wind is knocked out of my sails.

I’m gasping like a guppy on dry ground, helpless to do anything but curl into myself before he plants a boot in my ribs.

Shit, that hurts.

He pulls back his leg and aims again. I scavenge the strength I have left, catching his ankle and yanking with all my might. He falls backward with flailing arms, hitting the floor on his ass and winning me a few precious seconds to push myself onto my hands and knees. But he’s faster than I am.

I brace myself for the impact as he bends his knee. I can’t die here. I have to fight. For Aruan, my new life, and most of all, for myself. I didn’t escape death countless times only to give in now, to the likes of Tarix, no less.

Throwing myself at him, I tackle him with my arms around his thighs. We go down with me on top. He grabs a fistful of my hair and drags my head back. Before he can throw me off of him, I punch a fist between his legs. He wheezes and pulls up his knees, hitting me in the stomach in the process.

I elbow him in the nuts, making him howl. While he cups his crown jewels, I struggle to my feet. That’s when I feel him.

Aruan.

A portal appears. I press the heel of my boot on Tarix’s throat, applying just enough pressure not to crush his windpipe. He grabs my ankle and then goes still as the circle of lights turns brighter.

“That’s right, Tarix,” I spit out. “Your game is over.”

He grins sardonically, holding my gaze as he changes into the queen again. Aruan exits the portal to find me pinning his mother down on the floor with a boot on her neck, her face horribly disfigured and her hair clotted with blood.

Aruan stops in his tracks. Rage contorts his features.

Tarix raises a pale hand to Aruan. “Aruan, help me,” he pleads in the queen’s voice. “Please. It’s a trap. I came to help Elsie, but look what she’s done to me.”

Shit. I know how this must appear. But then I look into Aruan’s eyes, and everything that’s happened passes between us without him or me saying a word.

Aruan turns his gaze on Tarix, staring at him and seeing the truth.

“Look what she did to me,” Tarix whines again. “Help me, my son.”

The hand Tarix holds out to Aruan starts to bubble and boil.

Aruan’s lips pull back from his teeth. “You dared to put your hands on my mate.”

The scream that leaves Tarix’s mouth is in his own voice. He can’t hold up the act any longer. He changes back into himself, showing his true colors.

Aruan extends an arm toward me. “Come here, Elsie.”

I don’t hesitate. I stumble over to his side and let him pull me against him. He brushes a kiss over my temple without taking his eyes off of Tarix. “All right?” His power rages, I can feel it, but he’s in control, our completed bond a steadying influence on him.

I smile through the pain. “You know perfectly well how I am.”

“I just wanted to hear your voice.” He kisses the top of my head. “Don’t look.”

“Don’t do it.” I place a hand over his heart. “Don’t melt him.”

A muscle ticks in Aruan’s jaw. “He deserves nothing less.”

“The people he betrayed deserve to hear his confession.”

Cradling his arm against his chest, Tarix splutters through sobs, “I did what I did for Zerra.”

Contempt distorts Aruan’s features. “I’ve heard enough.”

He looks over his shoulder at the open portal. “We have to get back to the portal my mother created.”

If she’s still holding it open .

I can read his thoughts, even though he doesn’t say it.

I brush my palm over his chest and offer him a smile. “In the worst-case scenario, we’ll stay close to my parents.”

His expression darkens. “Zerra needs us.”

Because I almost destroyed it. And I have to go back and fix what I can.

Before I can fully process that, he bends down and grabs Tarix’s good arm. “Hold on to me, Elsie.”

I cling to him as he takes us through the portal to the lawn in front of my parents’ house. I’m only grateful their car isn’t in the driveway, which means they must be out. I don’t want them to see the blood and gore.

Dragging Tarix along, Aruan rounds the neatly trimmed hedge. His chest expands with a breath when the circle of lights comes into view.

This time, as he pulls me through, I go willingly. Wholeheartedly. Because the only place I want to be is at his side. No matter where that is.

The immediate royal family waits on the other side. The king and queen, as well as Gaia, Kian, and Vitai, are gathered in the queen’s reception room.

Aruan shoves Tarix in front of his mother.

She clenches her hands. “You betrayed me.”

“I did it for Zerra.” Tarix repeats the same line over and over. “I did it for Zerra.”

“I trusted you to advise me,” the queen says. “Instead, you abused my trust.”

“He’ll destroy us,” Tarix exclaims.

“You’re wrong, Tarix.” The queen’s smile is grim. “Losing his mate would’ve destroyed us.”

“That’s not true.” Tarix glances between the queen and the king. “You’re believers. You know what the prophecy says.”

“Look around you, Tarix,” the queen says. “ You almost destroyed Zerra by taking Elsie. If Aruan hadn’t found her in time, that’s what would’ve happened.”

Tarix glances out the window and blanches. “But the prophecy?—”

The king lunges forward to grip Tarix’s nape. “The prophecy be cursed. I’ll hear no more about it.”

Tarix bares his teeth. “You’re weak, all of you.”

The king’s smile is cold. “We wiped out your slave trade operation and put an end to your pitiful rebellion. Tomorrow, at first light, you’ll be on trial for the crimes you’ve committed against the royal family and citizens of Zerra, whom you were supposed to serve.”

Tarix breaks free. “I won’t be judged for doing what’s right.”

The king’s smile stretches into a dark grin. “We’ll see about that.” He turns to Kian. “Take him to the cells.”

“We need to block the cell so he doesn’t try to escape with a portal to Earth,” Aruan says. “He can also change shape. He impersonated you, Mother. Don’t let anyone near him lest he tries to trick them.”

The queen reels at that.

“Now if you don’t mind,” Aruan continues. “I’d like to take care of Elsie.”

He puts his arm around my waist, leading me to the archway, which I dissolve.

“You should save your strength until Vitai has healed you,” he chastises as we enter the hallway.

“I need more practice. I want to open my own portals.”

So I’ll never be anyone’s prisoner again.

Aruan’s voice holds grim understanding. “I’ll teach you to do it—or better yet, Gaia will. Anything you want to know, you will learn. Anything within my power is yours.”

I swallow hard, thinking about what almost happened. “Thank you for finding me.”

“Always.” His tone softens. “You made it easy for me.”

“With our bond.” Stopping, I face him. “What do you think happened? How did it become complete?”

Aruan’s gaze burns into me. “My mother said the bond couldn’t be complete unless you loved me.”

My heart lurches, then settles into a rhythm that mirrors his. “I’m… not going to say that’s not true.”

His heartbeat accelerates, even as his eyes drill steadily into mine. “Do you love me, Elsie from Cleveland?”

“You know I do.”

“Say it,” he demands. “Tell me to my face.”

Threading my fingers through his hair, I press our bodies together. “I love you, mate.”

Fierce joy and primal possessiveness glow in his silver eyes. “I love you too, Elsie. Always have. Always will.”

His lips are on mine before I can ask him to repeat those precious words. But it doesn’t matter. Because all the answers I can ever want are an eternal part of me now, locked deep inside, and no one can ever take that away.

I break the kiss not only because I need air but also because we’re in the hallway. “Take me to our room.”

He growls under his breath. “With pleasure.”

Scooping me into his arms, he descends the stairs with a brisk pace. As he carries me, I can’t help but shudder as I note the damage to the palace.

He did this.

Because I was gone.

From what I glimpsed through our bond, he almost destroyed all of Zerra. Judging by some of the repairs I see in progress, the royals have already started rebuilding what has been broken.

The man cradling me in his arms has a terrifying, godlike power, yet I’m not afraid of him. I see him for what he is: dangerous and beautiful, violent and imperfect. And mine. Above all, mine.

“And you are mine,” he says roughly as the archway of our quarters dissolves and closes behind us. “Nothing and no one will ever tear us apart again.”

It’s a beautiful vow, one that’s fitting for the start of a new life.