a golden crown appeared, encircling his brow. It speared down toward his nose, mimicking ancient armor that I’d seen in books and on statues.
A warrior king.
Of course he was the ruler here.
Hell, he’d rule any place he set foot in.
I turned toward the city street, spotting people emerging from businesses and houses. Most were dressed in shades of black or gray, though their clothes appeared to be from many time periods. Awe filled their eyes as they looked at the bastard next to me.
He’d donned the crown for their benefit, I realized, though he didn’t seem terribly pleased by their worship. In fact, he didn’t spare them so much as a glance.
In the shadows of the building, I caught sight of glowing golden eyes, low to the ground. I squinted. Feral wolves, their lips pulled back in a snarl. I could hear their growls from here.
“The night wolves stalk the streets. They are the children of Cerberus,” he said. “If you try to run, they will find you.”
I swallowed hard. Well, shit.
Cerberus, the famous three-headed dog from Greek myth, must be guarding the main gate, wherever that was.
I wanted to look away from the beasts but couldn’t make myself. They seemed to congregate around the library, sticking to the deepest shadows. Or maybe they congregated around the monster who had kidnapped me.
At the bottom of the stairs, he flicked his hand. A whinny sounded, and a horse appeared out of thin air.
I flinched.
The term horse was a bit generous.
The beast was proportioned like his master—enormous and insanely muscled. Though its gleaming coat was black, red flames flicked over ebony. The same fire glinted in its eyes, and if it lifted its lip, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see fangs.
I tried to step back, but the dark king’s magic bound me tight.
“I’m not getting on that thing,” I said.
“You are.”
I fought to step back once more, and this time, the magical bindings broke. Balance offset, I landed on my ass.
Ouch.
I scrambled upright, ready to run, but he caught me around the waist and lifted me onto the stallion. He launched himself onto the tremendous beast in a seamless, graceful movement, seating himself behind me.
The man was solid as a rock. He wrapped an arm corded with muscle around my waist and pulled me against his cold chest. His body gave off no heat, and the magic that had nearly bowled me over earlier today threatened to take my breath. It was dizzying to be so close to him.
“It won’t be long.” He spoke low against my ear, and I shivered.
Long until what?
Before I could ask, the horse took off down the avenue, headed for the imposing castle at the other end. There were no other vehicles in the road, though people drifted out of their houses to watch our progress.
Their eyes burned into me.
Would I find any help from them, or were they his allies?
From the mix of adoration and fear in their eyes . . .
Probably not.
Lightning struck overhead, cutting through the red sky. Beneath me, the horse pounded down the street. My heartbeat raced in tandem with our journey, fear a constant friend.
As we passed the center of town, I spotted an open city square on the right. Within the center, bodies hung by their feet, skin flayed from their backs.
Horrified, I stared.
They were still alive.
I stiffened in horror, and my captor shifted to give me a better view.
“You’re a monster,” I whispered.
“This is hell. Hell is full of monsters.”
I swallowed hard and looked forward, mind spinning with all the ways I could help those poor people.
Horror opened a chasm inside my chest.
How could I, when I was the personal captive of the one who had strung them up?
Get it together.
I tried breathing deeply, forcing myself to chill.
It didn’t work. But I didn’t break down screaming, so maybe it was a partial victory.
Within minutes, we’d reached the immense castle. Sculpted of the same black stone as the rest of the city, it was impossibly large, with turrets that shot toward the sky. A black bat circled the towers. Glass reflected the lightning that seemed to perpetually strike around the castle, though the thunder was muted.
In a swift motion, he leapt down and pulled me off, sweeping me up into his arms like the captive in some dark fairy tale.
“Put me down,” I demanded.
He clutched me to him, arms impossibly strong behind my back and legs. His chest was cold against my side, and I pressed against it, trying