Extraits

CHAPTER ONE

DROCCO

“How do you intend to find her now?” Torin asked, as they marched out of the dungeon where the hacked and mutilated bodies of the Lox Talent-crafters lay strewn on the blood-pooled floor. “I know you don’t want to have anything to do with the Talent now, Drocco, but they were our best chance of understanding how she could be hiding or traveling.”

Drocco gripped the handle of his dripping axe tighter, glaring unseeingly down the corridor and ignoring the pain still aching in his shoulder. It had been the only thing that had stopped him from personally executing the Talent-crafters earlier. His shoulder had needed to be treated, patched up, and given time to heal. Over those days, the Talent-crafters had deduced that Malloron’s spell destroyed all of the Talent-disabling charms in the Palace. But that information did not save them. “They were not our best chance for anything,” Drocco said, his voice hard. “They were not as skilled as Malloron, and I have no use for Talent-crafters who are lesser skilled than my enemies.”

“You gave them three hours to examine that spell, Drocco,” Torin said, evenly. “They asked for at least a week.”

“That is of no consequence!” Drocco bellowed, his anger spiking. “They were simply not skilled enough. We need crafters who can protect us from him.”

“Agreed,” Torin said, his voice low. “But now we have no protection at all.”

Drocco halted abruptly and turned to him. “That spell could have killed my Omega, Torin. It could have killed me. It could have done unimaginable things to everyone in this Palace. It could have disabled the entire Lox army and left the Empire defenseless.”

“Then you should have waited for their assessment,” Torin replied, his gray eyes boring into Drocco’s. “I know you don’t want to hear it, Drocco, but your eagerness for answers is what caused this.”

Drocco stepped closer to him, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “The Talent-crafters admitted that they wouldn’t have been able to deduce the effects of the spell before it was cast. They couldn’t even recreate it in the five days it took to treat my shoulder. No matter when I used it, it would have had the same result, except my Omega may have been pregnant or bonded to me instead, which would have been worse!” The thought drove his anger to a hot peak. “They failed in their duty to the Lox Empire and they suffered the consequences. Do you disagree?”

Torin was quiet. “No.”

Drocco turned and continued to march down the corridor, determined to do whatever necessary to find Cailyn.

He knew his fury could be felt across the entire Empire. Households were searched, carriages were stopped, buildings and factories were destroyed, citizens were questioned fiercely and some imprisoned. The Lox descended upon every territory within the Eastern Lands intent on watching everyone and everything, and citizens did not respond well to it, particularly those still loyal to the late King of Ashens. Protests began, and although they were stamped out almost immediately, deaths occurred.

Drocco didn't give a fuck. He wanted Cailyn back. If every single person in the Eastern Lands had to die for that to happen, so be it.