Prologue

Odas

W atching Cato pace our cell puts me on edge, so I drop my head between my hands and close my eyes.

His Dragon is panicking and wants to break free. Wants to break us free of this cage. I feel the same, but the difference is, he has hope that I don’t. Hope that our mate will know where to find us. That she’ll be able to set us free. To do that, she’d need to know where we are. Would she assume the Fae Queen is behind this?

Marcellus didn’t tell Moon where he was taking us. There was no ransom…no threat. The Fae Queen has no intention of freeing us. We aren’t bait, we’re prisoners. She wants us back for good. She must have seen us in the games and knew where to send her henchmen.

Even if Moonlight does figure out where we are, how can she possibly free us? And what will the Fae Queen do when she realizes she can no longer use me? Will I even live long enough to be saved? I can never be controlled again, not by anyone but my Moonlight, and I trust her the way I trust Cato. My mate–our mate–would never hurt either of us, and the only reason Moon would ever use my blood to control me would be if she were doing it to save one of her other mates.

Cato snarls, and I look up, making sure he’s not about to shift in our tiny ass cell. He’s gripping the bars of the cell with both hands, his face pressed between them as he tries to snap his teeth at our jailer.

One thought consumes me. We might never see our Heart-Bonded mate again. Were those our first, and last, kisses? My eyes fall closed as I try to picture her smile. Her purple hair, and vibrant eyes.

I almost hope she doesn’t find us. It's too dangerous for her here. Especially after what we learned about our mate last night. She’s the rightful heir of the Fae kingdom. The Queen will want her dead. Does she already know the truth about Moon?

“Did you know?” I ask the guard, who claimed he helped us escape the first time. He dropped the bomb just moments ago that he wanted Moon to find us and is counting on her killing everyone here. “Of course you did. You’re his real father, aren’t you?” I ask, looking up at him before rising to my feet. “We know the truth. Who Moon’s father really is. That Fenrick really is a bastard, like the rumors claim.”

“Shut your mouth unless you want your tongue removed,” the guard hisses. I scoff. His threats mean nothing to me. Nothing scares me anymore. Nothing except the thought that I might never get to kiss Moon again.

“Now you’re threatening us?” I laugh. It’s a harsh, humorless sound that fills the space with a void. An emptiness that reminds me that Moon isn’t here, filling us with her chaos.

“No, Odas, I’m not. But I’m not the only one who might hear you.” His words have their desired effect, and I shut my mouth.

“Then why have you brought us back here?” Cato growls, his voice deeper than normal. His Dragon is desperate to escape this familiar prison.

“She wanted you back, boys. There’s nothing I could do to stop her. But I know Moonlight. I’ve been doing all I can to guide her from afar. She will come for you. She must.”