by Rye Brewer
“No, no, it isn’t fair.” I hugged her again, and the rapid beating of her heart told me she wasn’t as calm as she pretended to be. Tears trickled out from behind my tightly squeezed eyelids and rolled down my cheeks. I wouldn’t let her go. I couldn’t.
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Scott. My heartbreak turned to rage. “You. This is all your fault!” I flew to him, slamming my fists against the ice. “You’re lucky you’re still in there, you pathetic waste of breath.”
“Don’t do this,” Stark warned as he pulled me away. “Remember how this started.”
“I remember how it started—which is why I’m going to kill him,” I snarled as I fought against him.
He wouldn’t let go.
“What’s about to happen to him is far worse than anything you could do.” Yet, the way he glared at Scott told me he believed every moment of suffering would be deserved.
My chin quivered, more out of frustration that I couldn’t vent my fury than anything else. I wanted to make him hurt for what he’d done to Anissa. They might have gotten off the island with no trouble if it hadn’t been for him. I had never hated anybody more. Not even Marcus.
“No, this is my fault. I should never have brought either of them with me. The Senate was right—I went too far. The fact that you two have to suffer for my short-sightedness is the real tragedy here.” Fane’s shoulders slumped. “I’ll never forgive myself, and I know Jonah will never forgive me.”
“I’m the one who’s sorry for that,” Anissa murmured.
I had never heard her sound so defeated. It was like listening to a stranger—and looking at one, too, considering the way she hung her head. I wasn’t used to seeing her this way. She was always the strong one, the one with the answers. If it weren’t for her, I would still be in a cell in Marcus’s dungeon. I never would’ve made it out on my own, and he never would’ve let me go so long as he could use my sister against his enemies.
She went to Fane. “Tell Jonah I’m sorry. He was right. I shouldn’t have come. It was too dangerous. But I was too stubborn to listen. It’s not a consolation now, of course, when there’s nothing I can do about it, but I need him to know that I see how wrong I was.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about everything she’d done for me. All the sacrifices she had made. I couldn’t allow her to suffer alone. When I glanced up at Stark, I knew for sure what I needed to do. “I can’t leave her here alone.”
“What?” he whispered. “We can’t stay here now. Not after this. They’re going to be watching us closer than ever. The slightest infraction of one of their laws and we’ll be in a cell along with your sister.”
“I have to take that chance. You can leave if you want to.”
His brows knitted together as he frowned. “Sara…”
“No, Stark. There’s so much you don’t understand—if you did, you wouldn’t question my decision. I’ll tell you all about it sometime. For now, trust me. She would do it if the roles were reversed. I have to do it for her.” I touched my palm to his face, staring deep into his dark, stormy eyes. “I’m sorry if you think this is wrong.”
He opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out except for a long sigh. “I won’t leave you here alone.”
“I don’t mean to hold you captive here.”
“I know. But you already have me captive. Don’t you know that?” He kissed my palm and showed me that, even in the middle of a horrible nightmare, my heart could melt with happiness. It seemed wrong to feel this burst of joy, but there was no ignoring it.
I turned to Anissa. “I’m staying here on the island to be with you.”
Her face fell further. “No, no, you shouldn’t. Go someplace else, be safe and happy. Please, do that for me.”
“Excuse me.” Elewyn’s voice rose over all the others as we argued. “I believe I have a solution for all of this.”
13
Sara
I didn’t like her. I might even have hated her. But if Elewyn had an idea for freeing my sister, I was all ears.
She hadn’t spoken soon enough, since the door opened and rendered anything else she was about to say useless.
Dracan stood there, watching us as I could imagine myself watching a bunch of insects doing something interesting.
My vampire instincts came forth with a vengeance—my fangs threatened to descend the second I saw him.
“Your cells will need the proper enchantments placed on them, and that will take a bit of time,” he announced. “This was unexpected, after all. There are two holding cells being prepared for you, complete with silver-lined bars.”
“Wonderful,” Anissa spat.
Stark shook his head, warning her against talking back again. I would’ve told him he was wasting his time if I wasn’t so afraid of attracting Dracan’s attention. Something about him chilled me to the bone.
He chose to ignore her. “We’ll have more information about the length of your sentence within a few hours, and the cells will be ready.”
I watched, helpless, as Anissa was led away by two guards. Scott’s block of ice was wheeled away on a cart. I heard Dracan order the guards to melt the ice once he was in his cell. He shot us all a look before following them away.
Fane turned to Elewyn. “All right. We’re alone now. You said you have an idea?”
She waved us all into a corner of the room. I had no choice but to follow her, along with Fane and Stark. Samara stayed by the door, as though she were watching out.
She stared at all of us, and I noticed for the first time how much color there was in her cheeks. She was excited about something. I drew a little closer to Stark, in case it had to do with him. No matter what she had in mind, I didn’t trust her with him.
“I don’t think Anissa or Scott have to be imprisoned here. Not if things go the way I plan. But I need your assistance.”
“What sort of assistance?” Fane asked, though it seemed like she was speaking to Stark. Fane was clearly in charge of things.
She turned her attention to him. “You’re all strong and powerful in your own way. With your help, along with Scott and Anissa—both of whom I can release—we can mount a coup against the Senate.”
I didn’t dare breathe as I waited for either Fane or Stark to respond. As far as I was concerned, she was crazy. A coup? Against witches like the Senate? I wasn’t sure I wanted to imagine what the six of them could do together.
“And you would free Elazar at the same time, of course,” Stark muttered with a wry smile.
“Of course,” she fired back, glaring at him. “Why wouldn’t I? You know how much he means to me.”
“I do. I only wish you wouldn’t make it sound as though Anissa and Scott are your priority in all of this. It’s Elazar you’re concerned about.”
“It’s the Senate I’m concerned about,” she countered. “You know better than any of us what it feels like to be under their collective thumb, Stark. And see what they did tonight. They won’t announce how long they intend to keep their new prisoners. They have no desire to arrange for them to get the blood they need to survive. All because of some ridiculous law, although it’s clear neither of them had any idea the law existed. Do you need any further proof that this entire system needs to be taken down?”
“And who would take the place of the Senate?” he asked in a knowing voice.
“You know it would be me.” She threw her shoulders back. “And why not? What other witch is as well-established here on the island? Who else is as skilled as I am? I have what it takes to oversee the enchantments over the cells—that’s nothing for a witch like me. There’s no reason for the Senate to exist any longer with someone like me in existence.”
I had to give her credit for her confidence, though I wasn’t sure it would be as easy as she was making it sound. But she did know better than I would, with all her experience. Stark’s silence could either be ominous or merely the result of him trying to make sense of the situ
ation.
Fane asked, “What form do you plan on this coup taking? A fight?”
“Do you think they would allow us to unseat them without a battle? You’ve seen them at work. They care about their power here on the island and nothing else. Fairness doesn’t matter. Mercy is nonexistent. Do you think your family is the only one which has been torn apart by those monsters? They deserve nothing less than the most brutal fight we can put up.”
I couldn’t imagine Fane would go for anything as dangerous as what Elewyn suggested. He had already gotten the two of them locked up after acting recklessly.
He nodded. “All right. Let’s do it. Sooner rather than later.”
“What?” I gaped at him, sputtering. “But… but…”
“It’s the only way,” he insisted. “There’s no telling how long the Senate will keep them locked up here. I can’t allow that. If there’s a way for us to free them, I’m all for it.”
“It’s too dangerous!”
“Do you think I would go back to my son and tell him I allowed his fiancée to be imprisoned? He would never forgive me for that. I would never forgive myself. No, I won’t allow that to happen.” His face turned to stone. “We’re doing this.”
“Don’t you want to free your sister?” Elewyn prompted.
“Of course, I do. I would do anything to help her.” I glanced at Stark, wishing he could provide a little clarity. It all seemed to be happening so fast.
“I think we could take them down,” Stark decided. “With Anissa and Scott, we have the strength we need. And there’s no love lost between the Senate and myself. I would love to see them suffer for everything they’ve done.”
Elewyn’s eyes glowed as she listened to him.
I wanted to claw them out. She didn’t get to look at him that way.
What could I do about this route? There was nothing for me to do but agree.
“We have a few hours, right? That’s what Dracan said?” Fane’s enthusiasm for the plan was obvious. He was completely sold.
I could see where he was coming from—he wanted to save his family and something more. Something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
“I want to go up to my brother to make sure he knows to be ready. We might need his help as well, and I can free him with little trouble.” She was as excited as Fane.
Neither of them could wait to get started. I wished I had their enthusiasm. I wanted to save Anissa, but not if it meant getting anybody else hurt. Or worse.
My palms tingled, almost like my body was reminding me of my powers. If I wanted to be sure nobody got hurt, it would be up to me to do my best to fight off the Senate before the worst happened. I had what it took. I only had to channel it.
Elewyn hurried out, along with Samara. I took the opportunity to pull Fane aside. “I need to know why you came here in the first place.”
“You need to?” He quirked an eyebrow. “You’re certain of that?”
Electricity crackled in the air around us, and it wasn’t my imagination when I noticed some of his hair standing on end. His eyes widened in surprise—and, maybe, respect. It gave me the strength to push forward. “Yes. I need to know why you got my sister into this. Was it worth it?”
His gaze drifted away. “I already told the Senate why I brought her.”
“You didn’t tell the entire truth.” I shook my head when he tried to argue. “Stop, please. I’ve lived with your family long enough to feel as though I’m part of them, if only by extension. I know what it looks like when one of you Bourke men tries to avoid the truth. You have a way of looking anywhere but at the person you’re speaking to.”
“You and your sister certainly have a lot of experience with my children,” he muttered. “All right. The reason we came was for me to find a way to free Elazar. I need him and Samara, his mate, to find out whether Elena is still in her body.”
“Oh. It all makes sense now. And if we’re successful and Elewyn frees her brother…”
“Right. This is the best possible outcome for all of us.”
“I hope it is,” I whispered. “I have to be honest with you. I don’t care right now whether or not Scott ever goes free.”
“That’s understandable,” he murmured, nodding. “What he did was inexcusable. I’m sorry. I wish there was something more I could do or say.”
“If you want to do something, get my sister out of this unscathed. That’s all I can ask.”
Determination flickered in his eyes. “That much, I can do.”
I hoped he was right.
14
Elewyn
I wrung my hands together as we climbed the stairs. It was all I could do to keep from running, shouting, celebrating. I knew it was a bit too early for celebration, but I couldn’t help myself. Everything I’d ever hoped for was about to come to pass. It was a heady sensation, to say the least.
I’d always looked down on people who couldn’t control themselves as I did. I finally understood a little of what possessed them.
Elazar appeared markedly less self-possessed, as well. He rushed to the bars, as close as he could, when he saw me approach. “Well?”
“It seems as though everything is in place.”
Samara joined me, and I made it a point to smile at her. When I’d shared the plan with her in my cottage, I’d painted the situation as a partnership between the two of us. We were going to join forces and free my brother, her love. We would be his champions, as he would have been for us if the roles had been reversed.
She had no idea.
“I wish you would tell me what to expect.” His voice was low as his imploring gaze fell on his mate, but she was as tight-lipped as I was.
One thing we could agree on, the less he knew, the better.
“Just expect to be free,” I whispered in return. “Be ready. It will happen before the night is over.”
It was obvious that the two of them wanted to be alone together, so I stepped away and waited at the top of the stairs for her to return.
They sickened me.
No, she did.
That wretch.
Hundreds of years spent hating her, and I would finally have the satisfaction of watching her die. After all, who was to say what would happen in the midst of battle? Casualties occurred. If a spell accidentally went awry, it would be such a tragedy.
Such a tragedy to have the pleasure of watching her die as horribly as possible. She should’ve been the one behind bars, not him. I was sure at the time of his sentencing my twin would realize what a mistake he’d made when he took her as his mate—the only positive aspect of an otherwise terrible event. Instead, it had brought them closer together. Every time she’d sworn she would be faithful to him and wait for his release, his devotion to her had strengthened.
It would hurt him to lose her.
That was the only part of my plan which caused even the slightest discomfort. But he’d get over it once he was free. He would understand her loss was necessary in the face of the whole.
I would create a narrative where she was the hero who had fought valiantly for his freedom. She would die for his love. And it would be up to him to make her sacrifice worthwhile and live his life to the fullest.
Wasn’t that what people told each other when they lost a loved one? I would have to practice my sympathetic face.
Stark came into view down in the entry hall, pacing as he undoubtedly weighed the pros and cons of my plan. He had no option but to go along with it, that much was obvious.
Fane was practically jumping out of his skin to get started. There was something he wanted. Something big. I hoped he was good at dealing with disappointment, since he would be when I killed Samara if it was his wife he wanted back.
I was never clear on the specifics of the spell which had transferred Nivia, but Samara had been the caster. He would need her.
I took my time walking down the stairs, watching Stark’s every move. He was as glorious as ever. And as troubled. Somehow, that made him more h
andsome. The way he frowned, so stone-faced, so intense, sent a shiver of pleasure down my spine. It was his intensity which had drawn me to him in the early days, and nothing had changed. I was as attracted to him as ever.
It was more than attraction and always had been. It hurt a little to admit how deeply in love I was with him, as he’d all but forgotten me since his release. Fate had a way of bringing people together when they were meant to be, however, and it had brought us back into each other’s spheres. Perhaps the little vampire-witch had her good points if she was the reason why he returned to me.
“You don’t seem happy,” I observed with a smile as I approached him.
His back was to me at the time, and he flinched at the sound of my voice. Too wrapped up in his concerns to notice I was there. As always.
He was smiling as he turned to face me, and my heart ached with the same desire it had ached with for far too long. Desire and longing and unexpressed, unrequited love
He raised a brow. “I’m sorry. Was there something to be happy about at the moment? I must have missed the announcement.”
He could always make me laugh, even in the bleakest situations. “I thought this would excite you as it has the others.”
“The others? Who’s excited?”
I had misspoken. “Fane, of course. He seemed as though he wanted to get started immediately.”
“And…?” He tilted his head to the side, a knowing smile spreading slowly across his face. “You could never hide things from me. Not once I got to know you. You’ve been telling Elazar all about your plan, and he’s excited about it as well.”
“I haven’t shared the specifics. I don’t want him knowing more than he needs to know. Just in case.”
“In case this goes badly.”
“I wasn’t aware your powers included telepathy.”
We smiled at each other the way old friends did.
What I wanted was to wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips to his, to feel him holding me and wanting me the way I had wanted him since the moment I saw him in his cell. I knew there was more to him than just a prisoner—and more than the sentence the Senate had passed down. He was special. He was worthy of a witch of my caliber. I had never been able to say that about another man, ever.