to crack, and their efforts were a waste of time. I’d been abandoned, left to languish with only the interruptions of my one daily meal to provide any break in the lull.
The solitude and the silence was far worse than the beatings. I’d prefer for the guards to start wailing on me again rather than continue to be alone, with nothing but my own haunted musings to entertain me. Even if I bled, at least it’d be some sort of company.
There was a sizzling sound in the hallway in front of my cell, like embers hitting the ground. Blue sparks appeared before my cell door and began spinning outward. I watched, barely processing as a portal bloomed in front of me. I blinked, mind dumb as the portal expanded, and a woman stepped out.
Her mane of red hair instantly caused me to feel a sense of relief. Her scent washed over me, and it made my form tremble. I desired to break down and weep at the sight of her. She was my mate, my goddess, my temple, and I longed to bow before her and worship her very presence. I had been cast into hell, but she was my savior, and just her presence gave me a bit of reprieve from the heavy doom that’d settled inside. I was all right now, so long as my mate was here.
As the portal vanished behind her, Emma stared at my face, tilting her head in unsure observation.
She didn’t recognize me. I’d been beaten so badly the bruises had massed around my face and made everything dark and swollen.
When her eyes connected with mine, her face twisted, and she fell to her knees in front of the bars. “Oh, Ethan, you look horrible.”
“I’ve been better.” It was the most optimistic thing I could say about the situation. I reached my arms through the bars and grabbed her, bringing her as close as my cell would permit. The bars separated us, but at least I could touch her— feel her skin, run my fingers through her hair. If the gods had permitted me one last blessing, it was to see her face and be in her presence.
I hadn’t seen Emma since we’d parted the night of the Winter Hunt. Each hour apart from her was equal to an eternity. Now I didn’t care that I was imprisoned. Emma was here, and that was the only thing that my soul craved.
Emma’s green eyes roved over me, and tears began to drip from her lashes. She was carrying a small canvas bag, which she placed aside as she reached out to me. Emma wiped some of the dried blood away from underneath my eyes and wept. “How could they do this to you?”
“Don’t mind that. It’s all right.” She took away my pain. I could barely feel it.
“It’s not.” Emma sniffed. She ran a hand through my hair, and I almost died with delight. How had I not noticed before how exquisite her every movement was? Each trail of her fingertips over my skin seemed precious.
“How did you get in here?” There were wards all around the palace, preventing the use of portals on royal grounds.
“Kiara found a way to put a hole in the ward, but it won’t last long. I only have ten minutes before it closes up again,” Emma flustered.
“You shouldn’t be here. If Eli finds out you’ve damaged the ward—”
She put a finger to my lips. “Don’t worry about him. I’m here to save you.”
“Save me?”
“Yes. I’m getting you out of here.” Emma pulled out of my arms, and I felt my heart break. She backed away to the wall, gathering a battle orb in her hands. “Stand back.”
I didn’t bother to move. Emma flung her orbs at the bars. When they connected, they immediately fizzled out. Emma’s eyes grew wide with fear. She flung orb after orb at the bars, to no avail. When they refused to break, she rotated her arsenal, casting every spell she knew on the lock, the door.
Nothing had any effect on the noxite. Emma began crying harder, and her hands shook in a panic.
“Emma, it’s no good. The bars and the lock are made of noxite. Your magic won’t have any effect on them.”
“I… I can make a portal that opens inside the cell,” she said, thinking of flustered solutions.
“It won’t open,” I said wearily. “I’m boxed in by noxite. Magic can work in the hallway, but not when it’s cornered by four walls.”