“Four months,” Brander answered. “That isn’t the worst part, though.”
I lost the train of thought I’d held as the thought of just how long he’d been suffering while I’d been gone. My ability to speak was stolen by the claws gripping it in a merciless choke hold. Quick, shallow breaths left my lips, but I felt as if I couldn’t get air into my lungs. The coppery tang I tasted on my tongue told me I’d bitten it hard enough to draw blood. Repeatedly clenching and releasing my hands into fists, I shook my head in denial.
This had to be a nightmare. It had to be, right? Everyone watched as I constantly shook my head, then began yanking off the jewelry I’d been adorned with before leaving the other realm. It felt as if it were strangling me. The crown I’d never wanted went sailing across the room first. Next, the earrings that jingled in my ears noisily. The palpitations in my chest incessantly beat faster, harder, until I thought it would break from my chest and run to who it truly belonged with. A tightening in my chest had my fists pressing against it, rubbing where it ached.
“I’ll be right back.” The words were a faint hiss of air as I moved toward my side of the library. I didn’t make it over ten steps past the shelves before the tears fell. An image of Knox bloodied from Hecate, punishing him for being with me, ripped through my head. I slammed my palms against it, needing it not to be true. One after another, images flashed through my mind, as if I was being fed memories instead of panic induced scenarios. Inside my head, I watched him rutting into the goddess. His ass slamming forcefully as he turned, looking at me over his shoulder, smiling coldly. My palms flattened against my eyes, needing to stop the images from entering my head.
A strangled scream ripped from my lungs. It held every ounce of frustration, pain, and panic with it as it tore through the library. My rattle came, Ember sensing my pain as she realized what had happened, adding to the sound of grief ripping from us all at once.
“Where is Hecate holding Knox now?” I demanded with strength and resolve laden in my voice.
“She isn’t holding Knox anywhere, Aria. He stays with her willingly.” Brander’s words compelled my eyes to narrow, even as I tried to understand why Knox would stay beside her.
“What does she have that keeps him there?”
“He’s no longer Knox. He’s tainted in the darkness, he’s agreed to serve.” Killian dropped his stare the moment I glanced at him.
“That’s not possible,” I argued in disbelief. “Knox was protected from her control.”
“He was,” Greer corrected.
Greer’s words caused my head to skip a beat. “You’re saying that Hecate has Knox, and he’s not warded against her?” I felt the color draining from my face. The normal shiver that rushed down my spine at scary shit was missing. My entire body shivered, then my mouth dropped open. “What the fuck!” The reins of my control snapped, shattering the armor I wore. “That’s fucking fuckity, fucked up!” Stepping back, I sucked in air. Big gulps of air into my lungs, refusing to hold anything. Without another word, I walked back to the shelves, then bent over, holding my middle.
“Peasant?” Greer’s voice held worry, but it also had a hitch in it, which was worrisome.
“Meat Suit? If there’s any other tragic fucking news, I am going to need a moment,” I warned. My head was between my knees, which applied pressure, even as my eyes squeezed closed.
“I think you’re supposed to sit down before trying to shove your head up your own ass,” Lore’s rasping voice tugged at my heartstrings.
He sat down beside where I was trying not to hyperventilate. My gaze inspected the deep gouges in his flesh, knowing precisely what Hecate had done to him. Being near him made it effortless to distinguish the claw marks of the dire wolf from its long canine incisors. My heartstrings pulled as I leaned forward, resting my arms over the top of my knees, the same as he had done. I felt the sting of tears burning behind my eyes as he released a long-shuttered breath, as if he’d been holding it this entire time.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you,” I whispered as I rested my head against my arms, poised on my knees.
“We’re all just glad you’re back now, Aria.” My smile slid to his, which didn’t touch his eyes. Lore’s light was dimmer. The amber gaze he held on me lacked the normal sparkle of golden light in their starry zeniths. “The dragon needs you to save him, damsel. Occasionally, all things need to be saved, even if it is from themselves.”
“Are you okay?” My voice shook as a single tear slipped free. I’d been unable to conceal the tremble of my tone, or tears from Lore.
“I’ll be alright now that you’re back where you belong. Knox left you a letter,” he informed, then slowly sat up, leaning against the bookcase. I saw the slight flinch caused as his back went flush against the wood.
Lifting my head, I frowned as I realized why he wasn’t healing. “There are no witches here.” I stood, even as Lore looked at me like I’d gone off my meds. “It’s dire wolf saliva. It’s poisonous. Once it is in the flesh, you need a salve to remove the toxins. That’s why your scars aren’t healing, Lore,” I simplified it when he merely narrowed those dull, amber eyes on me.
“See,” he muttered softly. Lore smiled, exposing the severity of what Hecate had done to him. His eyes held mine, uncaring as I stared at the damage. “It’s okay, Aria. I hear chicks dig scars.” He winked, but I didn’t feel the same way he did.
Hecate had placed him in a pillory, then allowed a starved dire wolf to rip his face and arms apart. Though, she’d probably used the magical restraints on it, ensuring the wolf hadn’t killed her bait for the beast she really sought. I carefully lifted my hand, noticed he flinched, then shrank away from my touch. Sitting back, I gave him a reassuring smile.
“I need to know if she allowed him to use toxins, or venom, Lore.” At my softly whispered words, he dipped as his eyes closed.
“Aria?” Killian called, then sat down beside me. “He isn’t okay.”
“I won’t hurt Aria. One day, she’s going to be my baby momma. Maybe sooner than I thought, since we lost fucking Knox.” The guilt bore heavily on his words. Pain fought to roil through me, but I shoved it down. “If she can even stand the sight of me now.”
“I think I prefer this version. The other was entirely too pretty for my taste,” I returned, leaning closer as I smirked at the sparkle lighting in his eyes. “Who knew it was true, huh? Scars really make a girl wet after all,” I lied, uncaring if he bought it or not as my fingers skimmed against the deep cut beneath the skin, where he would never heal without assistance to extract the toxin.
His hand reached up, gripping my wrist. Sliding my gaze to hold his, I offered him a smile as his lips skinned over my knuckles. Dropping to my knees, I cupped his cheeks between my palms and exhaled.
“We are going to be okay, Lore. This? This will pass too,” I promised, knowing he’d come back from it. He had to. He was Lore. The one good thing I’d had, no matter which side they’d assumed I was on. “We’ve come a long way from when or how we met.”