Page 42

Rion

“What have you done?” For the first time, Vairik seemed unsure of himself as he watched the earth split the entirety of the colosseum in half. Everyone turned to face him, but Rion lifted his arms. He was as clueless as the rest.

Another crack and steam burst from the fissure, rising up to coat the air. The heat from it had Rion shielding his face with one arm.

Arianna .

Rion looked at his mate. He could feel her magic pulsing through the droplets in the air, as if she controlled every single one. A queen ready to make her final stand even if she had to bring down the castle itself.

His gaze traveled to her injured leg and Rion’s blood boiled at the sight. But it was her strange behavior that concerned him the most.

She’d been afraid of his magic since the day he’d hurt her, but she’d never outright fled from it. He wanted to help protect her, yet she wouldn’t allow it.

And when she’d first seen him, she’d barely glanced his way. But none of them had time to address that now. Not when Ellie had just killed the male she loved and Saoirse was barely on her feet. And certainly not with Vairik’s sinister plan in mind.

Another crack in the floor and Rion’s magic strummed through his body as if answering Arianna’s magic’s call. It’d always done that but something about this moment was different. It felt as if their energies were two sentient beings conversing. Plotting.

The ground shook beneath their feet again and another crack crawled along the left wall before more boiling steam burst into the room.

Vairik gripped the railing above, his brow furrowing. Then Rion scented his anger, a blast of ancient magic rising up from his body.

Arianna’s magic was more volatile than even his own, fed by an equally ancient rage he’d never seen from her. If she suffered from the emptiness of the bond, she didn’t show it.

Rion clenched his jaw and resisted the urge to reach for his chest. Even with Arianna standing right beside him, he could scarcely breathe.

But she was beside him. She was safe and alive and the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on. A few moments alone, a few days and the bond would rebuild.

But first they had to get out of here. Alive and with Ellie.

The Dark Fae lunged, plunging their world into chaos. He kept an eye on his mate, trying to stay as close to Arianna’s side as she’d allow.

She kept backing away and avoided his magic at all costs. He caught her eyeing him, her gaze wary as if he were the enemy.

Rion glared at Vairik. That blasted male had tampered with Ellie’s mind, there was no reason to assume he hadn’t done the same with Arianna’s.

One of the beasts lunged and his heart broke all over again when Arianna cried out in pain. He blasted everything surrounding them and ripped the hound off her body with his bare hands.

Earth and rock crushed the creature before it even hit the ground. He knelt at Arianna’s side, his knees scraping against the hard stone. He reached for the wound, ready to draw a rune with his own blood, but a thin layer of frost crawled up his arms, and Rion stilled.

She crawled backward before stumbling to her feet, her chest heaving.

She’d never done that before. Not even when she’d been terrified of his magic.

Rion’s heart thundered as he recognized the look in her eyes. The same look everyone else always gave him.

The floor cracked beneath their feet, along the walls, across the continent and in his heart.

“Stop,” Vairik bellowed, a tinge of fear in his voice.

Another burst of steam and Rion struggled to see beyond himself and Arianna. Then the entire castle shook, threatening to topple from its foundation. He felt it with his magic first, a burning fire rising up, up, up until molten rock spewed from the crack directly below Vairik. It consumed the dark creatures and Fae who were unfortunate enough to be standing too close.

Ellie stepped away, her face a twisted grimace at the sudden interruption.

He didn’t know how Arianna had done it or why or if she was even aware. But when another crack crawled up the wall, Rion realized she’d just sealed this entire castle’s fate.

“It’s time to go Evelyn.” Vairik commanded. His voice was far too calm for someone who knew everything they’d worked for was about to come crashing down.

Rion looked up at Conall’s lifeless body. Whatever information they’d hoped to gather, whatever people they’d hoped to free, it’d all been for nothing. They’d died for absolutely nothing.

Ellie huffed but obeyed, pivoting and craning her next back to stare up at Vairik’s retreating form.

Rion’s heart jolted. If she left with him now, there was no telling if or when they’d ever see her again. That monster had already made Ellie do something that would haunt her for the rest of her life. If he didn’t grab her now there might not be an Ellie to bring back at all.

Rion had lived his entire life doing unspeakable things because of this monster and his games. He’d be damned if he let Ellie suffer the same fate.

Another fissure erupted and Raevina stepped into the path of the fiery blast, using her magic to bend the spraying rock in another direction. He felt Arianna’s magic race across the space to subdued it.

Ellie crouched and ice spread around her feet.

Now .

She jumped but Rion sent a tendril of magic snaking after her. It wrapped around her ankle and yanked her right back to the ground. She landed on her hands and knees before flipping over and baring her teeth at him.

Rion looked up again, but Vairik and Niall were already gone, leaving their new pawn to either live or die. The male likely didn’t care either way. She was just another pawn in his games. Another piece he could move or discard without much thought or care.

Ellie’s magic shot across the space, but Rion summoned his own only to find the molten rock itself responding. He yanked it up to block the ice. It sizzled between them, and more steam clouded the air. Rion winced again from the heat, his skin feeling as if it would melt right off his bones.

He sprinted across the space, turning the molten liquid beneath his feet to solid rock. It did little to ease the heat and he swore the bottoms of his shoes were melting into his flesh.

Ellie’s eyes widened and she tried to step back, but Rion was faster. He snatched her wrist and forced it behind her back. Ice jutted from the ground, aiming for his body, but Rion summoned the earth to block it strike for strike. She swung her other arm around, but Rion grabbed it too, then shoved her to the ground. He grimaced when her face collided with the hard earth.

Ellie screamed and bucked. Frost crawled up his hands and her fingertips reached for him. Rion encased them in earth. One touch and Ellie would disable him for the rest of his life.

The ice just kept coming and the frost on his arms was spreading. He couldn’t wait for the others. As much as he hated to do it, Rion gripped her hands with his magic, then slammed the side of her face against the ground. She went limp and the magic faded.

Rapid footsteps had Rion looking up in time to see Arianna charging for him, fury written all over her face. “Get away from her,” she growled. Rion didn’t hesitate. He released Ellie and took a single step back with his hands in the air.

“She’s fine. Kirian said to knock her out.” Arianna just stared at him, her eyes moving back and forth between his own, as if she didn’t know him at all.

The entire area shook again, the ceiling cracking above. A large chunk plummeted down, landing to his far right. The floor cracked beneath its weight, then collapsed as more molten fire spewed forth.

Ice suddenly coated the floor and Talon skidded to Ellie’s side, pulling the young female into his arms. “We have to go. Now.”

The floor cracked beneath their feet but Rion grabbed it, calming the fiery stone below. It writhed beneath his grasp and nearly pulled free. “Go,” he roared. Arianna didn’t move until Talon had Ellie draped across his back. Gavin stood beside them too, his eyes wide as if he couldn’t quite grasp the situation.

Talon ran and Arianna followed. Raevina draped her arm underneath Saoirse and she and the half-breed ran with his sister between them.

They made it past the center crack, his and Arianna’s magic holding everything at bay.

A rock crumbled from the ceiling above and Rion shoved his magic forward, jutting portions of the stone out to block it. Arianna looked back just as he was crossing the space himself. Her eyes were still—strange. As if she was surprised he was helping them at all.

What remained of the Dark Fae were running, many getting caught in the fire themselves. Their screams still echoed throughout the space. The Fae had fled behind Vairik.

Rion dodged and leapt over falling rocks. He caught up with the rest of them, still knocking falling debris away from their bodies. Wind whipped around the space, telling him even Zylah was using her magic to toss the stones aside.

The entire floor behind them collapsed and Rion spun to find the lava spraying up. It spilled over the edge, racing for them, consuming everything in its path. Rion yanked at the rocks around him, pulling the stones together until they formed a wall to block the molten rock. Rion gritted his teeth when the lava hit and began melting the stone from the other side.

“Out,” he yelled.

“No staying behind this time,” Saoirse called.

Rion stepped back, pulling more and more stone to replace the chunks in front of him that were disintegrating. He winced, feeling the heat beneath his feet again, searing against the burns that were already there. Then ice coated the ground around his feet and reached up to form a wall. Rion backed away as it thickened, retreating into the tunnel.

He turned to find Arianna standing with one arm outstretched, her wide frightened eyes meeting his in silent understanding. No matter what was going through her head right now, they had to survive. They’d figure out the rest along the way.

He nodded to her and the lot of them took off sprinting down the long, dark hall.