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G alen . I stumbled backwards in disbelief, nearly falling to the floor as he prowled towards me. He was still shining bright with my magic, but as I studied his twisting, shifting soul, the gold burn away, until only a dark red glow remained. His mask was off. And he was angry .

“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you? You are mine. We're fated , Marigold.” He spoke like a snake charmer, continuing to stalk closer. Pausing, his eyes fell upon the emerald ring sitting on Rafael’s nightstand.

By the time his focus was back on me, I was ready. He darted towards me, but I’d already slammed a wind shield between us. I sent ice towards his feet, freezing him in place as I scrambled past him, out the door—only to meet Robert and Alaric blocking my exit to the stairs.

“We don’t want to hurt you, Lady. Don’t resist,” Robert said, having the gall to look guilty.

I whipped wind at them and they both tumbled down the stairs.

They hadn’t bothered to shield themselves against me.

I was getting used to being underestimated.

I raced after them, using wind to propel me over their somersaulting bodies, landing on the ground floor below.

I looked back to see Galen sauntering down the stairs, curling his lip in disgust at his two guards laying in a heap.

I ran towards the front door, past screaming prostitutes.

There were only a few scattered customers left.

I readied to shift into my animal form, but was stopped by Galen’s shadow-wielding trainer, Frederick, blocking the exit.

Before I had time to strategize, he’d shadowed inside my shield—like Rafael so often did during our training—restraining me with little effort .

I fought back; jabbing him with my elbow, stomping on his feet, then sending out frozen wind that swirled through the room, knocking over furniture and people.

He was too strong, too quick, as he pinned my hands firmly behind my back.

He stayed in a state of partial shadow that made my attacks as useful as an arrow trying to pierce mist.

Galen took measured strides towards me with a satisfied smile on his face. “Well, this was easier than I expected. Where’s my brother? Did he already grow bored of you?” Galen gripped my chin in his hands, looking into my eyes. I lurched away from his touch and refused to answer him.

“Fine, keep his secrets. He’ll come looking for you eventually and then I’ll get my revenge. I’ll teach him to take things that belong to me.” He pulled out a pair of stone cuffs and the magic in my veins shuddered.

“Please don’t, Galen. I’ll come willingly. Please, don’t cuff me.” I sobbed, terrified of the numbing feeling that came with losing access to my magic.

“It’s just temporary, little dove. Once you submit to me—once you’re my blood-bonded—this chapter can be buried in the past. I don’t want to hurt you more than necessary, so don’t make this more difficult than it has to be.”

I bucked and screamed as Galen passed the cuffs to his shadow wielder, continuing to thrash even as they clicked around my wrists.

I felt the eternal light inside in me blink out.

The ice in my veins dissolved into nothing; my restless wind grew stagnant.

I was hollow. Everything that had blossomed within me shriveled and died.

I wanted to crumple to the ground and cry, but I couldn’t give him the satisfaction.

He was a monster . He’d burned Rafael—his own brother… What would he do to me? The male that I thought I knew was ash in the wind. Our love had been a beautiful illusion, like the moon on the water—all it had taken was a few storm clouds to show me that it had never been real.

The shock of my predicament made me complacent as he gripped me by the arm and led me to the carriage that waited for us.

Once he’d shoved me in, I sat in silence, drenched from the short walk, while he sat across from me.

The rain clung to my clothes and a chill settled over my skin, penetrating deep into my bones.

“Rafael was stupid to leave you alone,” Galen drawled. “I suppose he didn’t know Robert was a bloodhound shifter, capable of finding anyone, anywhere. Especially your scent that he’s studied for months .

“My brother must’ve grown too comfortable, assuming he's still the most powerful faerie in this world. Fortunately, for me, your magic— soon to be my magic— is flowing through me. And it appears it outranks his. His wards crumbled under my flames once Robert found out where you were. Not many can track past wards so strong, but Robert is exceptionally gifted. Did you think I kept him around for the conversation?” He laughed and I began shivering with a deep loathing.

It was a laugh that I’d adored until recently.

I didn't know that heartbreak and grief were one in the same until now.

Every word spoken was another shovel of dirt, burying the male I'd cared for, killing the love we'd created.

“You’ll learn to forgive me with time. We’re well-matched.

We’ll breed powerful children and be capable rulers.

The sooner you accept this, the sooner you’ll gain your freedom back.

” He stroked my cheek with the back of his hand and I jerked away.

He sighed and pulled out a flask of something—whiskey, by the smell of it.

He took a swig before offering me some. I refused.

“Drink,” he ordered. A flame appeared in his other hand. He weaved it between his fingers, taunting me, while bringing the flask to my mouth.

I took a sip, glaring at him. And another. And another. Until I was sputtering and coughing. "To the death of any affection I once held for you," I said, spitting the words.

He caught the whiskey trailing down my chin with his thumb and chuckled. “I’m going to teach you manners. Soon you’ll be begging for anything I offer you, including my affection .”

The alcohol quickly warmed my limbs and I fell back in silence. I settled my head against the carriage window as it bounced along. It was heart-wrenching to look at him and remember what we’d shared—how much I’d thought he cared. We’d shattered so quickly, so spectacularly.

Galen peered out the window before announcing that we were almost to the castle gates.

“It’d best if my mother doesn’t find out I have you.

As cruel as you might find me, I promise you, I’m the closest thing you have to a friend now.

My brothers will not rescue you, so behave yourself or things will get much worse. ”

He cloaked me before leading me to a familiar door towards the back of the castle.

We were going to the dungeons. I began trembling as we descended.

Instead of turning towards the open arena where he trained, he took me down a narrow hallway, into a small room that flickered with soft light from a single candle.

I spied something across the hall in the adjacent room. It appeared to be the innards of a dead animal, encased in a large glass tube. It hung from the ceiling like dry-aged meat, making my stomach churn uneasily.

My chest pounded with a deep primal fear. Whatever it was, it was unnatural. I could feel magic oozing from it like thick tar. Galen slammed the door when he noticed me staring. “Wha-what was that?” I stammered. The remains of something— someone?

“A project the Elders have been working on. You’re right to be scared.

Humans will soon be obsolete in Nymera. The Elders have found a way to harvest magic from human hearts.

The blood continues to pump, even when their souls are gone.

They plan to kill every last human and make countless devices like that.

Soon the Kingdom will control the entire magic supply.

We’ll have total and complete power—and enough blood to take care of all loyal citizens.

” He looked smug, but I saw fear in the whites of his eyes.

I tried to grasp what he was telling me, still reeling from the horror of it.

“I just saw… a human heart, contained in some kind of vessel? You’re collecting magic from a dead person’s harvested organ?

An abomination! They're monsters— you're a monster .” I kicked and screamed…

trying to knock him down. He sighed as he pulled me to him with a hard tug.

“Don’t worry, love. I won’t let that happen to you. I don’t plan on sharing. You taste too good.” He shoved me to the bed and I took stock of my surroundings.

I was in a small room with stone walls and floors. No windows—and definitely no fireplace or bath. Just a bed, a chamber pot, and a small desk with several metal tools sitting on it. My eyes widened when I identified small knives, hooks, scissors, and saws… torture devices.

Galen followed my gaze. “I’ve used this room for interrogation before. I don’t plan to use any of those on you—as long as you don’t do anything stupid. Yield to me. Once you blood-bond with me, this will all go away.”

Silent tears began to fall, despite the strength I wanted to show.

“You poor, gentle-hearted creature. Always crying, always trying to save someone.

It must be exhausting, always trying to do the right thing.

" My eyes narrowed at him as he continued.

"There must be a part of you that wants to give in…

to let me take control. I'm your destiny, after all.

" He tried to brush back my hair and I scrambled away from him.

"We’ll undoubtedly be great together. We have been great together.

I’ll eventually forgive you for running off to Rafael.

After all, I’ve been letting Isla lick my wounds.

I’ll teach you how I like to be licked… perhaps she can show you.

Monogamy gets boring. You’re young… you don’t understand the larger picture, but you’ll learn in time.

I don’t expect perfection from you, but I do expect obedience .

” He took the engagement ring out of his pocket and held it up to me. “What do you say?”

I spat at him in answer. That proposal had somehow been even worse than the last. He had the audacity to look outraged as he wiped spittle from his face. “That was uncalled for, pet. ” He huffed, before sending me flying as he backhanded me.

The pain was instant, searing, and somehow stung more than the spider venom that had burned like acid.

My cheek throbbed as I sat hunched on the floor in disbelief, holding my face, completely gutted.

He’d continue to hurt me if I didn’t obey.

His flames would be next. I clamored towards the corner of the room and curled into a tight ball.

“Your willfulness is tiresome.” Galen sighed.

“I gave you patience and protection, and in return you ran to my brother. Just remember, this is all your doing. We could’ve done this the easy way, but you decided to become disobedient.

” He stood up straight and smoothed down his green velvet tunic.

He nodded to the guards and they gripped me by the arms, securing me to the wall.

Prisoner— that’s what I'd been to him all along. I’d made it so easy for him, but now my blinders were off and I planned on fighting like hell.

He couldn’t force me to blood-bond. Could he?

“I’ll leave you here to mull over your choices. Don’t make me wait too long…” He glanced at the desk, before methodically gathering up the tools, one at a time, and handing them to Robert. I laid on the bed in shock, rubbing my swollen cheek.

My Prince Charming had been a villain all along.