Onyx Eclipse (The Raven Queen's Harem 5)

“You harm her and I will peel your skin off with a knife and leave it to the wolves surrounding the castle for feed.”

“I won’t hurt her.” He swallows. “Not again.”

It takes everything I have not to pierce him in the heart. But that is not my job to handle. Morgan will have the final say on the conse

quence of his betrayal and right now is not the time.

With them safely out of the room, I turn and face the soldier that tortured and held me captive the last time I was in this realm.

“I never thought you’d return,” he says. “After you ran so quickly the last time.”

I step forward, assessing everything about the room. The layout, the furniture, the scent of lavender shampoo in the air. Morgan’s hair had been wet. And there are damp spots on Casteel’s pants.

“Did you harm her?” I ask, unconcerned with his petty taunts.

“The little princess?” He runs a hand down the jagged scar. “Not yet.”

“And the Morrigan wanted you to…defile her?”

“No, that was all on me.” I hear the sharp click of metal and see he’s found his own weapon, stashed away on his body. “I figured she could pay your debt.”

“My debt?”

He laughs. “For letting you live.”

I take him in. The weak point of his injured arm. His ego. The fact he doesn’t even understand what’s going on here and how much bigger all of this is than petty grudges. I let him laugh and then give him a smile of my own.

And then I launch my attack.

Chapter 30

Bunny

There’s no hesitation when Dylan tells me to run. My behavior is out of instinct—out of the need to keep Morgan alive. Now that all hell is breaking loose and any semblance of control I had over the situation is gone, I have little choice but to get Morgan out of here alive.

At the turn leading to my studio—back to the portal—she stops, refusing to go further.

“Take me to them.”

“To the dungeons?” I shake my head and keep an eye over her shoulder. “Not a chance.”

Her grip tightens around my fingers and her voice turns cold. The glint of her sword, still tipped in blood, hangs at her side. “Fine. I’ll go alone.”

“Morgan, this is your chance to escape—get away from the Morrigan while you can,” I plead but she pulls away, disappearing down the dark stairway that leads to the dungeons. In seconds her boots are nothing but an echo and I curse, chasing her down.

By the time I arrive on the floor, she’s taken one soldier down by surprise and has another on his knees, her sword at his neck. “Hand me the keys,” she says.

He spits in her face. She moves with efficient speed and indifference, smashing him in the head with the hilt of the sword and snatching the metal ring of keys from his waist. Her chin juts forward in defiance. Her are shoulders straight. I feel like I’m seeing a different side of Morgan—the one that wants her Guardians back. Someone who will stop at nothing to protect those important to her.

The magnitude of my betrayal rains down on me as she approaches the gate leading to the dark cells. She will do anything for her Guardians. Maim and kill. Travel from one world to the next. I’m terrified to think of how far her sacrifice will go.

And how in one defiant, selfish move, I endangered us all.

She fumbles with the keys and I step forward and take them with steadier hands. The stench from the cell is inhumane and it’s so dark, I can’t see any of my brothers. “Are you sure about this?”

I expect wrath. Rage. Anger or some smart remark challenging my question. She just says, “Yes.”

“Okay, just…it may be…just be prepared.”