I only hope my plan is sound enough to save her. Because everything is meaningless if it’s not.

10. Kaebl

10

Kaebl

“Would you get him to stop that? It’s so distracting.”

I turn my gaze toward the iron bars of the cell I’m sharing with Fenryr, unsurprised to find Malice’s grinning face staring back. His long fingers curl around the cool gray rods one by one, his hooked nails extending past the flesh and clicking rhythmically against the metal.

It’s only been two sun flips since Malice dragged Fenryr in here—freshy bonded to Dagny and out of his mind—and he’s already back to rub salt in the wound.

What do you want, Malice? I’m in no mood to be taunted. Neither is Fenryr.

His smile turns feline as he shifts his gaze to the space just over my shoulder. “Taunt? You? I would never. Why, I’m merely concerned about our dear friend. He’s useless to me if he tears his heart out, after all.”

I turn my attention to the blood-covered creature yowling in the corner of the room, frowning at the dismal sight. With the way Fenryr’s fingertips are slashing into the center of his chest, it does appear that the green-eyed demon is attempting to cut his very own heart out. My chains will not allow me to go to him, and though I’ve tried hundreds of times since we’ve been together, my thoughts can’t get through to him. If they are, he’s refusing to listen—too consumed with thoughts of his mate to do anything else—the same as Roark when he was unable to touch Dagny after bonding.

I still can’t quite believe Fenryr’s alive, that he’s here and drawing breath, looking at the same four stone walls as me. Where Malice hid him away and what happened in these months we’ve been apart, I’m not sure. But if his physical deterioration is any indication, it must have been terrible.

A powerful sigh blows past my lips as I pull my gaze from Fenryr to the hateful creature on the other side of the bars, still waiting for a response. Go away, Malice.

“Now you’re making me feel unwanted.”

My eyes narrow. You are unwanted.

Instead of anger, Malice’s smile widens with amusement. “I bet you won’t be saying that in the next sixty seconds.”

What do you m⁠—

Before I have the chance to finish my thought, Malice unlocks the cell door and storms inside, blowing past me without so much as a glance as he heads to the far back corner where Fenryr is sitting.

Malice! If you hurt him, I’ll⁠—

“Rip my head off? Claw my eyes out and feed them to an antethorpe?” He turns his head to give me a mocking wink. “You had your chance, dear Kaebl. Such a shame you squandered it.”