Darkblood Prison - G.K. DeRosa Page 0,13
a thick finger into my chest. “Stay put and behave, got it?”
I shot him a good eye roll. “I’m not some disobedient child.”
He grunted and rolled his eyes right back at me. “Ella, you have my permission to zap her with your magic if she tries anything.”
“I got it, no worries, T.”
Talon’s earlier conversation with the SIA director flitted back to the surface. He’d told Maxim he thought my powers were greater than Ella’s. Interesting. My cousin’s mom was Garrix’s daughter so Ella must have inherited some of his abilities. Maybe not his warlock ones though… And her father was the Winter Court prince before he married into Spring. King Drake and my mom had gone to Darkhen Academy together too. Sometimes my family tree was too convoluted for even me to untangle.
Talon turned away, one eye on me until he disappeared behind a door marked Administration. I waited a few more seconds to make sure he didn’t return before grabbing my cousin’s hands.
“Wait,” she muttered under her breath. Wrapping her fingers around my palm, she dragged me down the corridor to another door. She swiped her badge over the reader and pulled me inside. A stairwell. She scanned the walls and then nodded. “No cameras in here.”
“Oh…thank you.” I inhaled a breath and spat it out. “Ella, you can’t tell anyone who I am or that I’m here.” I hoped the desperation tingeing my tone didn’t come off too whiney.
“Before I promise anything you have to answer a few questions. For starters, what are you doing here, Azara? Talon told me you’re his cellmate at Darkblood Prison. I know we haven’t seen each other in a while, but what the Fae happened?”
“It’s kind of a long story,” I grumbled.
“Well, you better make it quick because Talon will be back in about five minutes when he doesn’t find the cuff you obviously didn’t lose.”
“Okay, okay. So I’ve been living in the Nether Lands the last two years because my demon powers got a little out of control. I’d been doing much better so to celebrate I went to a new club at Winter Court. The next thing I know, I’m at Darkblood Prison and they’re saying I soul-sucked an entire Fae village.”
“And Talon’s best friend, Vander?” She clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes gigantic pools of lilac. “Oh my gods, Azara, that was you?”
I shook my head. “That’s the thing, I don’t remember any of it. And now some prison mob boss is trying to kill me, and an Underworld warlord is after me, but I have no idea why. I was set up that night, and we’re trying to figure it all out.”
“That’s crazy. So why is Talon helping you if you killed his best friend?”
“You didn’t hear? Vander’s alive. He’s being held in the Underworld, and we’re going to get him out.”
“We?” Her perfectly plucked blonde brow arched.
“Yeah, me and the Triad.”
She giggled. “Right…”
“Anyway, my parents have no idea what happened, and I have to keep it that way until I can clear my name. I don’t want anyone at the SIA knowing who I am because of Dad. He was a legend here.”
“Yeah, he was. All the males want to be him, and all the females want to be with him—even now that he’s old.”
Eew. I knew my dad was good-looking, but I didn’t need the reminder. “What are you doing here?”
“I joined the SIA when I turned eighteen a few months ago. I was tired of the Fae court B.S. and with my powers, my dad thought it would be good training for me. A princess has to know how to kick some ass after all.”
“Agreed.” I stared at the Fae royal in a navy uniform, her blonde hair pulled up in a tight ponytail, and I was impressed. When I’d met her when we were kids, she seemed like a spoiled brat. I guess I’d been wrong. She could’ve been sitting on a gilded throne eating bonbons all day, but instead she was here fighting bad guys. “Promise to keep my secret?”
“I won’t volunteer the information to anyone here, but if I’m questioned I won’t lose everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve for you.”
I nodded. “Fair enough.”
She grabbed my hand and tugged me to the door. “We better get back before Talon does. We don’t want him to get suspicious. He’s like a dog with a bone—an incredibly hot one.”
Oh, barf, my cousin totally wants Talon. “So I’ve heard.”
As we emerged from