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Materializing right under the male’s nose, Vadim went for Adam and knocked the bow out of his hand. He placed the tip of his blade under his enemy’s chin.

“I thought you wanted to fight, but it seems all you can do is cower behind your fellow sect members.”

Adam smiled. “I’m not hiding now, Death Bringer, and you are exactly where I wanted you to be.”

He held up his hand, and dark power roared through Vadim, making him rock on his feet and take an involuntary step back.

The malign force of the other sect members coalesced behind him.

It was like being enmeshed in a suffocating circle of iron and darkness.

He gathered his powers and pushed back at the boundaries that were attempting to crush him on all sides.

Nothing shifted, and he redoubled his efforts.

“Ella? Now would be a good time.

“Ella?”

Nothing. He glanced up toward the balcony and couldn’t see his mate at all.

Fear beat at him, and he staggered forward into Adam and felt a blade pierce the skin right between his ribs.

With one stroke of his dagger, Adam could sever his keel bone, and he’d be unable to fly away.

A flash of pink caught his eye, and he finally saw Ella struggling to stand up by the edge of the upper circle.

Two of the guards were right behind her and closing in.

Fuck that.

No one was touching her again.

He forced himself to concentrate and fought back with everything he had.

With an almighty roar, he sent the three junior sect members flying backward.

They landed in a heap like broken puppets, their magic dying with them, releasing Vadim to face Adam again.

This time it was his opponent who backed away, his bloodied dagger held high in his hand.

Vadim bared his fangs in a deafening growl.

“Stay back, Death Bringer, or I will kill your mate.”

“No, he won’t!”

This time he heard Ella shouting out loud.

She’d done something to get rid of her guards and was preparing to climb over the remaining barrier and jump down onto the checkerboard floor.

Power flowed toward him from her, power he recognized as his, but with a very definite twist of Ella. He switched his gaze back to Adam.

“Stay there, Soul Sucker.”

She kept moving. “I think I know why they need me to be alive.”

He shot her a quick glare. “Will you just let me execute Adam before we get into that?”

“Don’t kill him before I get my face back. Ouch!” She suddenly stopped and grabbed her shoulder.

Adam smirked. “That’s what I was trying to tell you, Death Bringer. If you come any closer, your father will use the power of his mark to kill your mate.”

Vadim didn’t lower his sword or his mental shields. “Why would he do that for you?”

“Because he wants you dead.”

The other members of the Royal family were advancing down the steps toward them. One of the guards reached Ella and was helping her stand. Her face was white, and her pain beat within him like a drum. He felt the shield around the arena come down.

“Don’t let any of them use me against you, Morosov. Seriously, I’d rather die.”

Her voice was clear and steady. At that moment, he loved her more than he’d ever thought possible.

“I don’t intend for anyone apart from Adam to die, Soul Sucker.” Vadim locked eyes with his father. “Why are you attacking my mate for this male? You agreed that winning this contest cancelled out all debts.” He gestured at Adam. “The only reason I can’t execute him right now is because of you.”

“And that’s a terrible mistake, Fergal.” Ella limped forward until she stood opposite the Fae king. “Don’t you get that you’re being used? Adam wants to rule Otherworld. He wants you all to destroy yourselves, can’t you see that?”

“Nonsense.”

“ Listen to me. Why do you think he forced Morosov back here? Why do you think he stole my face? He wanted him to annihilate all of you! He’s still hoping you’re going to carry on being a dickhead right now and annoy your son so much that he’ll carry out his threats!”

“Be silent.”

The king’s hand shot out, and she gasped and fell to her knees, her whole body shuddering.

A low totally inhuman growl erupted from Vadim’s throat. “Hurt her again and I shall willingly rip you to pieces.”

“You see?” Ella gasped, her head lowered, her hand covering her shoulder. “He’ll do it, if you don’t listen to me.”

“The only way I will release you from your mark, Soul Sucker, is if you keep your word to me.”

Vadim tensed as Ella met his father’s cold gaze.

“You mean it?”

His smile was chilling. “Not quite. I no longer trust you to carry out your intended purpose. I believe I’ll do it myself.” The king held out his hand. “Give me the weapon you carry so secretively in your backpack.”

“What weapon?” Vadim asked, but no one answered him.

“I tried to warn you all that she was weak and untrustworthy. Why do you think she was so desperate to keep her possessions shielded from your gaze, Death Bringer?”

“It’s not like how he’s making it sound.” With some effort, Ella took off her backpack and placed it on the ground in front of her. “He was the one who gave me the stupid thing.”

“And you were the one who intended to use it.”

“To do what?” Vadim asked again.

She retrieved something from her bag and slowly stood up.

“Take off the mark.”

The king held out his hand. “Give me the weapon first.”

“What?” Vadim stepped in front of his mate and stared into her eyes, willing her to talk to him, to tell him what the fuck was going on.

“Give it to me now, Soul Sucker.”

She shook her head. “No, I think I’d rather stick to our original plan.” She launched herself at Vadim, a small, lethal dagger in her hand. Even as he fought her to the ground, he heard her screeching orders inside his head.

“Take it, kill him.”

“Which one?”

“God, I don’t know. Can’t you get them both?”

He expertly rolled her onto her front, bent her arm up against her spine, and disarmed her.

“Ow! That hurt!”

She kicked out, catching him on the shin. He bit back a groan and increased the pressure of his hold. “Stop fighting me, then!”

“No, it has to look realistic.”

A burst of mangled magic shot past his ear, making him wince and the spectators closing in on them scatter.

“Fuck it, Ella, you nearly took off my head with my own power!”

“Good!”

He moved off her and dragged her to her feet, the dagger now concealed within his massive hand. “If I kill Adam, you won’t be getting your face back.”

“I don’t care about that.” She hesitated. “Do you?”

“It’s a matter of principle.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Give it to me then!” She tried to head-butt him. He jerked his chin back just in time and held her out in front of him like a shield. “What the hell did you give her, Father?”

“I gave her nothing. I assume she obtained the dagger from the Dark Lord and his minions. When I met her for the first time, she already had a plan in place. She asked whether I would have any objection if she killed you. I told her to go ahead, and in return I would help her get her face back. In truth, you might say that this entire mess is her fault.”

“That’s bullshit! Don’t you get it?” Ella kicked out and tried to get free again, but Vadim restrained her. “Adam wants Morosov to kill you all. He probably hoped that if I saw that massacre, I’d turn on my mate and use the dagger on him, leaving Adam king of the world.”

“You are a liar, Soul Sucker. Can’t you see it, my son?”

“She can’t lie to me. Remember, she is my mate.”

Ella wiggled around until she could see into his face, and put her hand on his chest. “ That’s why I’m still here. Your father hoped I’d kill for him, and so did Adam. They both had a vested interest in letting me live.”

She turned to look at his mother and grandmother. “Hell, I’m the only one that can kill Morosov, aren’t I? That’s what you were trying to tell me.”

“Is that true, Father?”

“She said she wanted you dead! She told Adam the same thing! You heard her!”

Vadim smiled slowly down at his mate. “She is entitled to kill me. I am hers for all eternity. But she is not going to do it at your bidding. If we combine our powers, Soul Sucker, do you think we could find the truth in Adam’s mind?”

Terror flashed across his adversary’s face and he tried to run past the encircling guards. Vadim stopped him dead with an entrapment spell.

“What do you think, Father? Shall I ask my unworthy opponent for his opinion?”

For the first time, unease flickered behind the Fae king’s eyes. “Why bother? What can he tell us that we don’t already know?”

The queen mother stepped forward. “I would like to hear Adam’s thoughts on this matter, too. If I find out that he truly wishes to annihilate our family, I want him to suffer for it.” She glanced at her daughter-in-law and then at the visitor from the dark court. “Are we all in agreement?”

Vadim smiled at his father. “It seems as if you have been overruled.” He released his mate and reached for her hand. “Come, Soul Sucker. Let’s see what thoughts Adam really harbors in his mind.”

* * *

Ella let Vadim lead her toward the immobile Adam.

Beyond him lay the rubble of the arena and a neatly stacked pile of dead bodies.

She’d heard the explosion of Vadim’s power and felt it within her, but missed the visual as she was crawling on the floor.

Looking at the remains of the explosion, she was glad she’d skipped it.

She was totally happy that the sect members were dead, though.

Adam radiated a strange mixture of power and anxiety that drew her empath senses like a strong cup of black coffee.

“Do you feel it too?”