57

ORION

SOMEHOW , the pain from Ivy’s explosion of magic was worse than the beating Kamaria dealt me when I refused to aid her on another one of her little attacks. The worst of it happened while unconscious, when Ivy’s magic had taken me into the darkness with her. I remembered none of it. My last memories were of finding her in the rubble, the sight of her body as she was handed off to her shifter mate, and then nothing.

I recalled the inferno of power radiating through my body, tearing apart the carefully placed walls around our bond. The unleashing of Ivy’s power almost destroyed the shields, draining Blythe as she’d held them in place.

The bandages around my torso strained as I forced myself into a sitting position. The silk sheets of my bed—not the one I had at the academy, but rather the one held for me at my father’s estate in the city—coiled around my legs like chains. I gritted my teeth as a fresh wave of pain and frustration swelled within me. I stopped moving to let it fade, but the burning sensation refused to ease.

One of their cruel punishments. Years ago, I’d learned to bear the pain so it didn’t transfer onto my mate.

I prayed to Nyx Ivy hadn’t felt any of my punishment, that she’d been knocked out during the worst of it. Since I wasn’t in chains, Kamaria and Hyperion hadn’t broken down the walls between Ivy and me. For now, she was safe.

Heavy footsteps sounded outside the door, and before I could react, Hyperion filled the doorway. My entire body tensed as his dark eyes roamed the length of my body. Did he enjoy gazing upon the work of my torturer? Was he pleased with the destruction done to my body?

Hyperion sighed, like he was disappointed in what he saw, and entered the shadowy bedroom. I forced myself not to move from my position on the bed. To keep myself from flinching when he made it to one of the beams holding up the canopy above me. He curled a bloody fist around the post without saying a word.

How much of my pain had he inflicted? How many times had he used his own hands to break my body?

Everything I’d done to keep him from taking his wrath out on me…all for nothing. I would laugh at how fucked up it was, but with his dark, almost too calm stare still pinned on me, I kept my mouth shut.

“Tell me,” he murmured, cocking his head, “why did you sleep for over three days?”

I stiffened, the wounds on my back pulling taut. I gritted my teeth and exhaled slowly. “I don’t know,” I replied. I couldn’t blame the beating; Hyperion always made it so I would remain conscious during his punishments. If I let the darkness claim me, the retribution would be worse. “There was an explosion at the academy—”

Hyperion hummed, cutting me off. “I’m aware of that. You apparently worked valiantly to free the student trapped.”

It’s a trap , I reminded myself. He wanted a reaction. He wanted to know what would break me. “I thought, if we are to rule once he takes Avalon, it would be in my best interest to show the other Fae I am a worthy prince.”

His eyes narrowed as he assessed the validity of my words. “By freeing a witch ?”

“The instructor was Fae,” I replied, chest tight. “Hawk Nash. He’s on the list.”

At the mention of the half-Fae’s name, Hyperion’s eyes brightened, and the grip he had on the post loosened. “I hadn’t heard of his involvement in the accident.”

My jaw clenched. Accident . Hyperion knew I wasn’t stupid. Was he still hoping for a reaction? Or did he truly not think I’d already suspected his False King was behind the attack? Everyone knew how powerful the sparring rooms were. They were designed to deflect the power of a Goddess. And although Ivy had four completed bonds, not even she was capable of blowing up one of those rooms.

But like everything concerning my mate, I held it in. As badly as I wanted to turn on the man standing before me, to repeat his punishment onto him, I didn’t. I reminded myself that it wasn’t time. That he would be at my mercy eventually. Once I ensured Ivy was Queen and the bastard king was on his way to Nyx, I would give him what he is owed. By the end of it all, he would be begging for death. And only then, would I consider releasing his soul to the Goddess.

“You will not be returning to the Academy until after the ball,” Hyperion stated, finally releasing the beam and stepping back. He clasped his hand before him, ever the sight of perfect royalty, with his silver robes and slicked-back hair. It disgusted me how he could appear so serene and immaculate when beneath the facade, he was a beast, rabid and loyal to a creature who knew no loyalty to others. “You have a task to complete before the celebrations.”

My stomach sank. “And what kind of task will you have me do, Father?”

The bastard quirked a thin brow, though he moved to the door silently before pausing. “You and Kamaria will help with the final preparations.”

I frowned, ignoring the fiery pain radiating through my body as I slid out of bed. “Preparations for what?”

“ He has decided that the time has come to take the crown. Greer is weak, and so is that Daughter of Nyx she has been protecting. Now is the time to strike,” he said. “Fifteen minutes, Orion. Or this time you will not be unconscious for your punishment.”

With that, he closed the door, trapping me in the gilded cage of my bedroom. Bile rose in my throat. I moved away from the bed and stumbled to the window. The powerful wards keeping me captive within tingled across my skin as I threw open the curtains. Darkness fell over the island, with only the stars to guide the way to the palace.

I stared at the spires reaching for the heavens and prayed to the Goddess my mate was safe. I didn’t dare attempt to reach her through our bond, letting the dark chord connecting us rest.

I knew only for certain that if what Hyperion said was true, then there was no time left.

And I would finally return to her, a failure.

~

The streets of Endora were quiet. The usually bustling hub of parties, events, and shows was eerily deserted. As we passed the building where the sector ’s namesake originated, an exclusive theatre visited by only the most prominent of Nyx’s creatures, I thought back to the night I’d been forced to attend. The moody atmosphere. The shadows. And my mate on the arm of another male, waltzing her through the dark halls wearing that tight, green dress. The entire night, I’d prayed to Nyx for one more look at Ivy. Hell, I would have taken a whiff of her natural scent, simply to ease the primal beast wanting to reclaim her.

It was perhaps for the best I never saw her again. That my only chance to look upon her had been brief. I’d been surrounded by far too many of Hyperion’s fellow traitors, so seeking Ivy out would have been dangerous.

I turned away from the building and followed behind Kamaria. The three other Luna Fae were just as silent as the city. My handler had yet to reveal where we were going. The known enemies of the False King were scattered around Avalon, but none in the direction we were headed. None of his known players, either.

And if my thoughts were right that he would strike at the ball, then why were we walking in the opposite direction of the palace?

My mind raced as we stopped outside a building. It appeared to be a nondescript set of apartments. Five storeys’ high with vines creeping up the red-brick facade.

Frowning, I pushed my way to Kamaria. “What are we doing here?” I asked quietly, glancing warily up at the darkened structure.

“Our target lives within,” she replied coldly. “It should be a simple mission.”

I wanted to ask who, but I held my tongue. I knew better. I wouldn’t risk the punishment, not when Ivy needed me at full strength.

Kamaria took my silence with a smile and started for the side entrance. And like the good son I pretended to be, I followed. As we climbed the stairs, I wondered what it would be like to kill her now—kill all of them, actually. Leave them where their bodies fell and let Hyperion and his False King know that they had not made a traitor of me yet.

But I held back. I tucked the rage away and trailed her as we stalked to the third floor. Like shadows, we moved silently until we reached a door at the end of the hall. Nothing about it indicated who—or what—our target was. I knew only they had to be a lower creature, perhaps a civilian. Maybe an agent.

Kamaria spared me a look, one that read danger for me if I opened my mouth. Gritting my teeth, I bowed my head and waited as she lifted her hand to knock.

Knock? My brows furrowed. The door opened, and a male appeared. He wore gear and had black hair that fell over his forehead. Shining eyes roamed over our little party, the colour bleeding red.

Vampire . And unfortunately, a familiar one. A face I had seen near Ivy once, after her arrival in Avalon. A face I recognised as an agent of Phoenix.

Rather than react, he smiled and opened the door wide. “I have everything you asked for,” he said, smiling darkly as Kamaria slid past him into the apartment.

As I moved, the vampire stuck out his hand. “We haven’t been formally introduced,” he started. “I’m Lark Zephyr. Most call me Zeph. I look forward to working with you.”

My gut twisted. I ignored his outstretched hand and entered the apartment, heart racing. He was a member of Hawk Nash’s team, responsible for getting Ivy to Avalon.

They know , I thought, eyeing the apartment. They knew Ivy’s identity.

I was already out of time.