“We deserve an explanation!” another woman shouted.
Gabby stepped aside, and Steward Soloman walked forward. “We have examined the video of our queen supposedly performing Unseelie magic, and have found it to be a fraud,” Solomon began. “After careful inquiry, the Circle is certain that this video was carefully released the same night of the Slaughter of Innocents in order to provide even more chaos. Therefore, we must regard it as nothing more than a cruel trick.”
“Just like that?” Kiara yelped, but I’d expected as much. I knew Gabby and the Circle would deny it was real. The timing of our release had been at the worst possible moment, but what could we do?
The crowd murmured, and as far as I could tell, most bought her argument. It was hard to convict the queen of Unseelie magic when, by all appearances, she’d once again been the savior of the people last night by chasing the monsters out of the city with her army.
Steward Soloman backed away, and Gabby spoke again. She came forward with more explanations. Her voice was like static. I didn’t comprehend her words, but I knew they were all lies to manipulate the people.
Didn’t matter. It was over now.
“Hey,” I heard Stefan say. Delmare sighed as he took her against him, and he said, “Glad to see you all safe.”
There were similar notes of relief from the other girls. My body tensed, expecting to feel my mate’s broad arms around me, but my body was barren. I circled in place, seeing Theo, Alexei, Stefan… but not my mate.
Ethan wasn’t here.
“Where’s Ethan?” I asked. My tone was high and on edge.
Stefan’s brow wrinkled. “What do you mean? He left early last night to be with you.”
“We haven’t seen Ethan all day,” Delmare said.
“We thought he was back at the university,” Stefan said, voice beginning to show panic.
All at once, every face among my friends went pale. I began to hyperventilate.
“Ethan!” I cried out, wanting him to be here, needing him at my side. A couple of people glared at me, but I ignored them. Alexei reached out— he pinned me against his body, and I tried to fight back. His emotion magic attempted to calm me, but I didn’t allow it— I couldn’t feel an inch of peace when I was this hysterical. The voice of Steward Soloman broke through my insanity as Alexei refused to let me go.
“We have determined,” Steward Soloman continued, “That the video was the work of none other than the city’s menace, the Phantom.”
I realized Odette’s first vision had been true… but not in the way we were expecting. We’d interpreted her prophecy wrong. We had the alicorn stone in our grasp. But Ethan wasn’t with us. Odette’s foresight had been a warning from the gods that we’d lose my mate after we acquired the alicorn stone, and now, that horrible future was coming true.
Ethan wasn’t here. There was only one place he could be. I clawed at Alexei’s arms, and my eyes went upward.
To the balcony.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ethan
I cringed as the dungeon door opened. My hands chained behind my back, and every bit of me ached. The darkness swelled so there was no bit of light, save for the burning torch on the wall.
The two soldiers around me moved forward again, but Elijah’s voice rang out. “Stop. That’s enough.”
The soldiers retreated, and I curled into a ball. My body hurt. I was bleeding from multiple places. The noxite cuffs on my wrists did not allow me to shift, nor allow me to fight back. The soldiers had been beating me since I was caught, kicking and punching at every opportune whim.
They’d left my face unmarred. They wanted to be sure I was recognizable.
Elijah’s shoes appeared before my face. “Had enough?”
I spat on his boots. Elijah stepped back. I’m quite sure he sneered.
“You’re relentlessly stubborn. What means do I have to resort to?”
“You’ll have to kill me.”
Elijah let out an annoyed sound. “Must you be so dramatic, dear cousin?”
I didn’t answer. My clothes were sticky with my own blood.
Elijah prowled around the room. “You have a choice. Give me the crystals. Otherwise, your life is forfeit.”
“This is petty behavior, something I’d expect from you,” I growled.
Elijah snapped his fingers, and the guards began another assault. It was getting to the point I was numb, now. Every punch and kick bounced off my bruised body with no effect. My cousin would have to do better than that.
The soldiers retreated, and Elijah’s look was cold.