Three

ELLIS

Iwanted to grab Eve and tell her it would all be ok. I wanted to tell her how strong she was, and how I didn't deserve her.

I suspected she already knew that, however.

But when the guards separated me from Eve, I lost my goddamn mind. Her eyes haunted me, never leaving mine as her guard physically picked her up and took her away.

A fae guard so large I knew I'd never have a chance in hell of fighting him without burning everyone and everything, including Eve.

"Let me go! Eve! EVE!"

I let the magick go, consequences be damned. Fire exploded across my body, black and deadly, as the surrounding fae screamed in pain and leaped away. I raced down the hall toward where the tall, bearded fae had taken Eve, but an arm reached out and grabbed my shoulder, yanking me back so hard I fell to the ground, my head banging off the marble floor.

Stars exploded behind my eyes, but I lashed out anyway, hot rage erupting as black flames shot out indiscriminately. I didn't care who or what I hurt; all I cared about was getting to Eve before they subjected her to the sick whims of whatever fae walked through those doors.

"Stop this. You'll burn yourself out."

The voice was annoyed, and that pissed me off. Arms grabbed me and hauled me up, apparently uncaring and unfeeling of the black flames licking at their skin. I pushed more magick out. More flames.

"Impressive little display, but worthless. Cease your dramatics."

Nope. Not in a million years, buddy.

A hand smacked me so hard across the face that my lip split, blood trickling down my chin. The fire disappeared, sucked out of existence entirely as my concentration broke. I fell to my knees, suddenly weak and exhausted.

"There. Much better."

Blearily, I looked up into the face of a fae guard, who was standing with his hands on his hips in front of me. Four more stood in formation behind him, purple-tinted armor and metallic headbands flashing and sparking at me.

"You're the half-breed from the human realm. No wonder," the guard snorted, pulling me to my feet as if I were a child.

"Magick doesn't work on our armor. So it's quite useless." He pointed to the headbands and his chest plate, giving it a thunk with knuckles.

The armor looked thinner than a tin cup. Surely I could—

"I wouldn't do that. Haven't you done enough?" The fae gestured around him, my gaze following his arms on instinct.

I cringed.

The walls were black ash around us, the doorframes charred and still smoldering. It was a good thing they had taken Eve away, or I likely would have almost killed her.

Again.

I shrunk in against myself. When would I learn to control my anger and my impulses?

"Impressive, nonetheless," came a different voice. The formation of guards parted automatically as the king stepped through calmly, though his eyes shone with glee. How had he gotten here so quickly? Had he followed us, or was it another fae ability I hadn't yet seen?

"You remind me of my first daughter. You simply must meet her." The king grinned, fingers stroking his chin in thought. Gazing at me for a moment, he snapped his fingers suddenly.

"He must have descended from my line. It all makes sense: the power, his physical features … yes, yes!"

The king clapped his hands. "I've changed my mind. Bring him back to the palace. Perhaps we can breed him."

A fist collided with my jaw, and it felt like I'd been slammed into a brick wall. It didn't quite knock me out though, just made me wish I was dead.

"Interesting. Hit him again."

I tried to put my hands up or call out no, but none of it made any difference as the fist slammed into me again, this time knocking me out cold.