Page 43 of Glass Hearts

The urgency in the room is heightened; it’s now or never that we make our escape to find our woman. The air thickens with a sharp tension, and each breath feels like a countdown. Just as we leave the castle, we hear the four loud shrieks of the Baudelaire Sisters.

The sound is more like a command than a plea, and before I can even register it, their figures are hurtling toward us. Grayer is the first to react, his hand shooting out, fingers locking around Mia’s throat. His grip tightens like a vice; she gasps, her hands scrabbling uselessly at his wrist.

“Grayer, release her; killing her won’t bring Arabella back to us.”

“No,” he mutters, his voice flat, emotionless. “She has to pay.”

Before I can move, Archer gathers the wind around him, and it swirls like a storm, pushing Grayer back, forcing him to stumble. Koi’s hands dart out, locking onto Grayer’s arms with a grip like iron, pulling him away.

“UGH! What the fuck! Why are you not loving on us anymore?” Pia shrieks.

“What’s with the choking? I demand you go back to your rooms until my mother gets back!” Lia screams pointing indignantly towards our tower.

Bri is running towards us, a few parcels of food in her hands, wide-eyed at the scene taking place.

“This is how it is going to go. You all will spend a few evenings in the dungeons. Only I have the key, so even if your mother gets back, there is no way she is getting you all out. Bri here will ensure you are fed, but that’s pretty much it.

We are going to go find Arabella, and then SHE can decide your fate,” Archer calmly lays out, and this gets Grayer to calm a bit.

“Yes, the perfect homecoming gift for my Duchess.”

The sisters try to run, but we act fast in detaining them. They have never had to fight or struggle a day in their life. By the time we wrangle them into the dungeon, all four are teary-eyed and spouting venomous words along with desperate pleas.

“Funny how, when Arabella was pleading at our farce of an engagement dinner, you all did nothing,” Koi adds what we are all thinking. They may not have orchestrated and executed the cruel plan. But they were just as complacent.

“Archer, baby, don’t do this. I can be just like Arabella if you need. You need me to roll in the dirt, I can do that for you.” Archer rolls his eyes, annoyed at the desperation.

“Here.” Bri hands us the food she has been carrying. “Go find our girl. I will take care of the trolls.” A sister squawks at the name, which has Koi laughing, and even Archer tries to hold back a laugh.

Grayer is still dead-eyed. It’s as if he is an angry shell of the person he was. I knew Gray had fallen hard for the Vixen, just like all of us. But I didn’t realize just how troublesome having her away from him would be. I rest my hand on his shoulder.

“We are going to get her back, buddy. Let’s get going so we can find our love.”