power revealed. For a moment, I frustratedly yearn to possess such control.
Control that would hand me magical dominance over all the Mages in this room, save perhaps Vogel.
I dare a glance up to find Lukas’s parents and self-righteous brother staring at me coldly, while Aunt Vyvian looks me over with conceited triumph, all gazes flowing to the hand I have clasped around Lukas’s.
A stinging flush warms my face. I know what they’re all scrutinizing so intently—the Sealing marks that now flow around both our wrists, our changed lines proof of consummation.
Angry humiliation flares, running hot through my lines. I feel exposed, used.
Like their communal plaything.
Lukas tightens his grip around my hand and lifts it straight into the air, as tradition dictates. The applause surges to life once more, some of the men cheering Lukas on, and I’m aware that I’ve ceased to be a person to all of them save Lukas, who I know despises all this as much as I do. But to them I’m nothing but a thing to be bred on. A conduit of my grandmother’s power, seized for the Grey line. Seized by a family loyal to Marcus Vogel.
Lukas lowers our hands, and the applause and cheers die down.
Vogel smiles at me, then at Lukas, seeming charmed by us. He holds out his hand for mine, and I let him take it as I struggle to suppress a slight tremble, his long fingers oddly warm as they close around mine, and I hold tight to Lukas with my other hand.
I don’t attempt to hide how upset I feel, my lips trembling along with my hand. I know they’ll all read this as proper maidenly anguish—the secrets of the Sealing chamber laid bare and foisted upon innocent me. But, suddenly, I’m boiling with a bottomless fury as Vogel studies my Sealinglines with leering focus.
This man killed Diana’s family. And standing nearby, watching me coldly, is the aunt who killed my beloved uncle Edwin. These are the people responsible for driving everyone I love East, to a fate unknown to me. These are the people forcing me into an escape I don’t even know if I’ll survive.
Fire whips up in my lines and rears against Lukas’s compact shield, one violent tendril of flame breaking clear through it.
Vogel’s lips pull back over his teeth, as if he’s sensed my sudden rush of fire. His eyes flick toward Lukas with approval as he keeps hold of me. “So, you’ve made her yours?”
Anger continues to lash into a conflagration through my lines, even as I struggle to rein myself in.
“I have,” Lukas calmly returns.
“Her fireline,” Vogel says, fondling my hand. “It’s strong. Can you feel her grandmother’s power in her?”
Lukas smiles. “I can.”
Vogel’s penetrating gaze falls back on me as he abruptly tightens his grip, his nails digging into the skin of my wand hand.
I shiver and pull in a shocked breath as dark branches snake through me, relentlessly flowing through my escaped fire and over Lukas’s shield as I’m suddenly pinned in place and unable to push Vogel out. Vogel’s Shadow power contracts around Lukas’s shield, sending a slash of pain through my lines.
Vogel narrows his chilling gaze on me, then gives me a disturbingly knowing look as he withdraws his probe. Seeming satisfied, he releases my hand, and I pull in a breath of air, my lungs freed from the suffocating press of his power.
Vogel suddenly presses his Shadow Wand against my hand, and I recoil in fear.
Lukas’s reaction is immediate—his invisible affinity branches make a quick, lethal orientation toward Vogel, and I tighten my grip on Lukas’s hand to caution him to hold back his power.
“It is written,” Vogel tells me, as the wood of his Wand digs into my skin. “‘To be disciplined by an honest Mage is a blessing for his fastmate.’”
Lukas’s fire gives another savage flare, looping around me with protective ferocity. I glance at him only to find his gaze pinned on Vogel with startlingly open fury.
Shock cuts through my terror. I’ve rarely seen Lukas’s calm breached like it is right now.
Ignoring Lukas, Vogel studies me intently. And then presses his Wand harder into my hand. His magic slams into me like a bolt of angry fire to collide with bone-heating force against Lukas’s shield.
Lukas’s shield sags violently inward, and I clutch harder to his hand, nearly buckling in half as Vogel’s Shadow fire roars over the surface of Lukas’s tightly woven shield. Bombarding it. As if Vogel is attempting to slaughter it into