Page 78 of Storm of Shadows

“She’s making us look stupid,” he grumbles.

“I like this little game she’s playing,” I say, licking my tongue along my lower lip. Beaufort glances towards me, catching my eye and something tells me, no matter what he may say, he likes it too.

I don’t think Thorne feels the same way.

For a man with a hell of a lot of complications in his life, he’s way more straight forward than us.

“She needs to wear the collar,” he grunts.

“Don’t you worry, pal,” I say, grinning at him. “She’ll wear it.”

We’re silent for the rest of the walk over to the tower and up the magically operated elevator to the common room. I occupy myself imagining how good she’d look wearing that collar and nothing more.

The party’s already in full swing and by the look of things everyone is either stoned or hammered – possibly both.

My encounter with our little thrall has quelled any desire I had to get wasted tonight. My blood’s already buzzing – I don’t need alcohol or drugs.

Thorne glowers at the throng of people in front of us as if every single one of them has personally affronted him. It’s going to take one little spark to blow his fuse tonight.

And it looks like that spark is right there in the middle of the room.

Yeah, because dancing right there in the middle of the common room – if you can call that dancing, looks more like dry humping to me – are the Hardies and their cute brunette thrall. She’s dressed in a red dress that clings in all the right places, her collar glittering around her throat and from it a golden chain that ends in Kratos’ fist. Their hands are all over the brunette, and they’re grinding her from behind and in front.

And we get the message, right?

They couldn’t be more obvious if they had it written in the air above their heads.

Look at us and our obedient thrall. So obedient she’s practically banging us in front of everyone.

Whereas our thrall …

“Get a room,” I call out. It’s so transparent. An obvious provocation.

Kratos doesn’t look up from where he’s sucking on the brunette’s neck, offering up his middle finger as way of reply.

It’s time we shoved him back in his place.

I lean into Thorne. “I learned something interesting today.” Thorne’s eyes flick to me. “Seems the Hardies’ thrall may be the one responsible for all our girl’s injuries.”

“How do you know?”

I grin. “She told me herself.”

It’s the spark I was hoping for.

We can’t go after the girl. We have some fucking morals. But the Hardies? They are fair game.

Thorne launches at them and all hell breaks loose.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Briony

Once again I find myself prisoner inside the Princes’ tower, while they are out having a good time some place else. Honestly, I don’t understand this situation. What is even the point of forcing me to come around?

Actually, I know the answer to that one.

Power.