“What are those creatures?” I ask, tilting my chin towards the window.
“The horde.” Maaz bares her teeth at me in a grin.
“We march on Alnembra,” Sadal says, his hand trailing down Maaz’s ribs. She shudders with pleasure as he speaks. “We will drench the land in the blood of its people. I’ll save Altair for last so he can see the consequences of defying me.”
Maaz moans, eyelashes fluttering. “It will be glorious.”
Sadal grins and tosses something at my feet. I drop my gaze to it and then recoil. It’s the book. “You might get bored in here. There’s little to do,” Sadal says cruelly.
I stare down at the text, the bits of paper and leather that began everything. I crouch and wrap my thin fingers over the book’s binding. It vibrates in my hands, as if awakened. As I rise, my eyes slip towards Sadal and Maaz. They’re at the door, leaving. Sadal gives me one last look, winking flirtatiously before the door closes behind them.
The book is warm in my hands as I stare down at it. Anger and fear combine in my chest, flooding through me like a tsunami. I tremble, heat washing over me. I squeeze the book, knuckles turning white as I watch the binding bend to my will. My furious gaze darts up towards the door.
I grin viciously, the book heavy in my hands. If it’s a war they want, it’s a war I’ll give them.
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Seduced by The Fae King
(Mated to The Fae King Book 3)
Preview - Seduced by The Fae King
Chapter One
Verity
I wrap the blanket tighter around myself as the frigid chill of cool, mountain air slips into my room. The shutters closed over the window are warped and wet from the day’s rain and do little to block the wind. I can hear it howling outside, mingled with the shrieks of the demonic creatures. A shiver trails down my spine that has nothing to do with the chill.
The fireplace is filled with ash and charcoal, smoke curling from the burnt-out embers. I stare into it, at the Bloodbane book I tossed onto the flames. It’s unburnt, undamaged from the flames it immediately quenched after I tried to burn it. I tossed it into the fire after reading some of the more gruesome rituals, even worse than the Holy Rite.
My stomach turns as the drawings of the rituals pop into my mind. I’ve tried to forget them, but some pictures just stay with you. I’ve spent days since my capture reading the book, teaching myself spells and enchantments that I can use against the Bloodbane. But there was only so much I could read before I made myself sick.
I curl my hands into fists, glaring at the binding of the book. I want the power, but I’m not willing to face the darkness of that power. I feel weak, useless, and guilty. It’s my fault that Altair will lose this war against Sadal and the Bloodbane. How could he win against such overwhelming forces of darkness? And I’m unable to help because of my own weakness.
The door handle rattles and my head snaps towards it. I lunge for the book and snatch it from the ash as Sadal slips through the door. His black eyes glide over the ashy book in my hands and he smiles at me.
“Don’t like the reading material?” He asks, striding into the room.
I brush the gray embers from the red binding. “You could say that.”
I turn towards the hard cot that I’ve slept on the past few nights and toss the book onto it. For reasons I don’t know, Sadal has left the book with me. I suspect he thinks it will tempt as it did before into joining him.
Sadal leans against the fireplace, smirking. His long fingers tap over the dirty stones. “And how do you find your new quarters? Better than a cell, I presume?”
“Not all cells are the same,” I whisper.
His eyes narrow. “Ingratitude? From my reluctant bride? What a shock.”
“I’m not your bride,” I say forcefully, thinking of Altair. “I never will be.”
“You think your handsome, Fae prince will save you?” Sadal chuckles. “He’ll be dead by the end of the week.”
I stare down at my finger, where the engagement ring used to sit. It was taken from me the first night of my arrival here. “What do you want, Sadal?” I ask quietly.
“I came to offer you an invitation.” Sadal closes the distance between us. He lifts a finger to my cheek and slowly trails it over my chilled skin. “We move on Alnembra today. Would you like to join me?”
“Do I have a choice?” I stare at him through my eyelashes.
“You do, in fact,” Sadal says with a light tone. “Maaz has suggested feeding you to the demons. They’re getting awfully hungry – hungry enough to hunt inside our walls from time to time.”
I stare at the warped wooden door. That explains the shrill screams of terror that I’ve heard each night. My eyes snap back to Sadal and I stare at his wicked smile. This man doesn’t stop the demons from killing his own people, he might even enjoy it.
“I’ll come,” I say blandly.
If I stay here in the keep, I’ll be useless. The closer I can get to Alnembra, the greater my chances of escape. I might even find a way to sabotage Sadal’s army. I picture Altair facing off against Sadal and my heart clenches painfully. Altair could never win against an old god, not without help.
Sadal grins. “Excellent,” he purrs. “I can’t wait for you to see the glory of my forces.”
I don’t answer, instead gathering my few belongings into my arms. Instead of the silken dress I wore when I woke up in the keep, I’ve been given a scratchy woolen shift that keeps me warm.
