Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms 3)

“No, you shouldn’t have.” She sat next to him, so close he could feel the crackle of the magic that now coated her golden skin. “Show me what we worked on the other day.”

For the briefest of moments, he hesitated. But the pain rose up again, forcing him to obey. He loosened the ties of his shirt and bared his chest to her. The golden swirl over his heart had dimmed since she’d begun to consume his magic, just as she’d done with Danaus, but less severely. She took a small taste every day, just enough to keep him from visiting Lucia in her dreams or watching over her in the mortal world in hawk form.

He, too, was now a prisoner here, in every way.

“I know I’ve been harsh with you,” she said softly. “But I have no other choice. I can’t risk anything going wrong.”

“And nothing will, my queen.”

He could only blame himself for the position he found himself in. He’d wholeheartedly agreed to collaborate with her, thinking that he could help save his world—help save all worlds. He’d understood from the beginning that certain sacrifices would have to be made for the greater good, but his intentions had always been pure.

He hadn’t known the whole truth then.

Melenia inspected the symbols she’d carved on his chest with a golden blade infused with her magic. As she traced the wounds with her fingertip, she infused even more of her obedience spell into his very being. The four designs—the symbols for each element—were so simple, yet so powerful, especially when etched so deeply into the flesh of an immortal.

And even when the scars finally faded from sight completely, they would still control him.

She would control him.

“Do you think you’re ready?” she asked.

The words bubbled up and escaped before he could stop them. “I exist only to serve you, my queen.”

She slid her hands up his chest and throat, then over his cheeks. She held his face between her hands, as she had with Danaus. He had no choice but to meet her gaze, unsure whether she would let him live or kill him now and be done with it.

No, she wouldn’t do that. She’d spent far too long preparing him for what was to come. She needed him.

“You will carry out my orders without hesitation. I shall give you a gift in return for all you’ve done and will do for me, my beautiful boy. Do you understand and agree to this?”

He could feel her scrutinizing him for signs of dissent. If he flinched, she would strengthen her spell even more. More pain, more torture. He would lose that much more of himself. Already the need to obey her was a snake wrapped around his throat, squeezing until he could barely breathe.

He held on to an image of a beautiful girl with raven-colored hair and sky-blue eyes, the girl he’d once pledged to protect with his very life. He believed in her. She would give him the strength to survive this.

“Yes, my queen. I understand completely.”

CHAPTER 8

NIC

AURANOS

Cleaning up after King Gaius’s vicious wolfhounds was not the duty of a palace guard. But it was Nic’s duty. He didn’t think it was a coincidence.

A nasty pair of guards named Burrus and Milo laughed as one of the leashed dogs dragged Nic, quite literally, toward the stables in her search for the best place to relieve herself.

“Having fun?” Burrus asked.

“So much fun,” Nic replied without hesitation.

“Be thankful this is the worst the king’s asked of you this week. He seems to be in a foul mood.”

s winced. Alexius could see that he was beginning to feel the pain as his magic flowed into Melenia, weakening him and strengthening her. “Enough. Stop.”

“But, you see, that’s impossible. I’ve already taken too much,” she whispered loud enough for Alexius to hear. “I don’t want to leave you to suffer and fade. I am doing you a favor today, my friend.”

Alexius’s fingers dug into the soft padding of his chair as he watched Danaus begin to glow, his face convulsing.

“Stop!” Danaus cried, the pain most likely excruciating. “Please, stop!”