Page 43 of Exquisite Monster

Another blow, this time directly to my stomach.

“No,” I spoke through the pain, my voice thin. “She didn’t ask. Shebegged. She begged me to ruin her so that even if shewasrecused, you would be so disgusted that you’d never touch her. So we did.”

It wasn’t the truth. Lena never begged. When I’d asked her to, she refused. And we would never take what wasn’t willingly offered. Andaros didn’t know that. He would assume the worst about us.

Because he would have ruined her. Without hesitation.

Knuckles slammed into my cheek, my head knocking back into the wall.Fuck.

“Why are you angry? Did you not try the same thing the night before your wedding?”

Andaros turned red. “What?”

“Katalena told me only a blade stopped you from taking what wasn’t yours that night. Or do you deny that?”

I watched the king stand up and pace back and forth across the small space, his armor clanking together loudly. “I deny nothing. Nor do I justify my actions to a fucking dragon.”

“I’m flattered, but I’m not a fucking dragon with anyone but my mate. Or are you interested in ruining me too?”

Rage took over his face. He stormed toward me, and I braced myself for the blow that never came. A soldier entered the cell through the still-open door. “Your Majesty.”

“What?”

“The delegations from Denao and Zastea have arrived. They await you in the throne room.”

Andaros crouched down in front of me once more, gripping my jaw so hard my bones creaked. His smile was slick and oily. “You dragons think you’re untouchable. All the humans think you’re untouchable too. But I’m about to show them you’re not. I’m about to show the entire human continent how easily you wither into ash. And when I break you? You’ll be the one I use to show them how easy your kind is to control.”

He stood and strode for the door. I called after him. “We’re not draygs, Andaros. Even if you were able to break us, we’ll never be easy to control.”

“We’ll see.”

The door slammed shut behind him.

I pushed him, I told Sirrus and Zovai.As far as I could. He’s angry.

Good,Z said.

I sighed, cringing and finally moving to ease the bruises he’d just delivered.Even if he snaps, it might not be enough.

Not with Aeghi’s command binding us in place. The only way we could?—

Focusing on every impossible circumstance we needed to escape this place wasn’t helpful. Instead, I dove deep into my head and started once again, thinking of every possible way out.

I wouldn’t stop until I was back with my mate.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

________

KATALENA

My eyesburnedas we approached the surface. Living in such darkness for so long, I was no longer used to the brightness of daytime.

Idroal flew out of the hole ofEvrítha. Wind and sound, light and color—all of it crashed back into my senses with the force of a storm. All I could do was hold on as they aimed away from the mess of tangled waters that fell into nothing.

“Where are we going?”

We have made camp to the east. Farther than I would have liked, but these plains are far too open. It is on the dragon side of the line. Fear not, no one will find us.