Page 126 of I Dream of Dragons

“No,” Rae whispers, trying to step between us. “Please, stop.”

“You can’t stop me.” I pull her to the side, straining against his doubled power. “And you can’t stop me from entering the third trial. It’s sacred law.”

“Phaethon will stop you once he has the reins. I shall have you tortured to call him forth, and for my personal entertainment. Since you’re not afraid of pain. Since you don’t care if she feels it, too.”

I growl deep in my throat. “Don’t you dare harm her.”

“That makes no sense,” she whispers. “You only want to hurt Jai.”

“I have a theory,” he says, ignoring her, “that threatening you will make Phaethon stronger, give him the upper hand, just like her death made him stronger. That’s why I killed her, you see. I tried to explain this to her.”

“Killed her?Youkilled her?”

“Sudden pain shocks Phaethon, but prolonged pain, physical or mental, will force him to take over and save you. Let’s see if I’m right… Phaethon, are you there?”

My mind twists. A low rumble starts inside my head.

Words surface, seething and slithering.

Black snakes.

Dragon tongue.

And then they turn into a long scream. A howl.

I stagger back a step and bring a hand to my temple. I feel as if my head is slowly exploding.

“See? He’s close.”

“No.” I grab my head, hissing. “Fuck… I’ll fucking kill you.”

“You will regret this.”

“On your knees!” the king orders me, eyes flashing, fury transforming his handsome face into a mask. He lifts his hand and sends a shadow jabbing into the wound on my thigh. “And apologize. Apologize for defying me. On your knees, Athdara. Do it or I will find new ways to hurt her, I swear it.”

The pain makes me hiss and flinch, and she flinches, too, shock written all over her face.

Fuck!She felt that. She’s vulnerable because of her link to both of us.

So I fall to my knees. “You can’t hurt her. You fucking can’t. You’ll be hurting yourself through that mark you put on her.”

“Who said the pain goes both ways?” His mouth stretches into a slow grin. “As you yourself said, I don’t care what happensto her. I’ll kill two birds with one stone, how about that? I will lash you until you let Phaethon out to play.” He waves a hand. “Find him, cede your place to him. I’m being magnanimous. Let him take over.”

As if it’s that simple. As if I’d do something like that.

“If you so much as raise a shadow or a finger to attack me or my guards, I promise you, Athdara, then Iwillkill her again.”

“You bastard.” I clench my hands. “Do with me what you will, but don’t harm her.”

“You think you can give orders to me, the king of the fae? That you have the upper hand? I only need you alive. I don’t care if you’re broken.”

She drops to her knees beside me, lays a small hand on my arm. “No…”

“Do I need to spell it out?” the king sighs. “Didn’t you realize yet that should you attempt to kill me, she dies, too? She is my insurance. Nod if you understand.”

Her face is pale, eyes dark with anger and fear. I need her in my arms, but I know it’s an illusion. I can’t protect her like that.

The only way is to let the king have his way with me.