“So fucking creepy,” Cyprien whispers, shaking his head slowly. “This is bullshit. How could he possibly know that would happen?”

“I’m not sure I want to know,” Roark grumbles, taking the first step toward freedom. “Come on. I need to find Dagny.”

My chest pangs at the mention of our mate, my veins filling with the same desperation in Roark's voice. “She can’t be far. The explosion came from the other wing of the dungeon.”

“How do you know she caused it?” Cyprien asks.

“No other being in this world could turn Slaine’s castle to rubble in one blow. It has to be her.”

I stumble after Roark into the darkened corridor, pressing a palm to the wall to remain upright as we move in the direction of the explosion. As we prepare to walk straight through the four-way split in the tunnels, a faint green light draws my attention to the hallway on my right. I grip Roark’s forearm, pulling him to a stop as the twin emerald orbs draw nearer, bobbing lightly with each step and accompanied by a low, warning growl.

It can’t be…

“Fenryr?”

The demon halts, eyes narrowing to slits as the growl turns to a snarl. The light in his eyes is snuffed out in a blink, eclipsed by the shadows swirling over his tensed shoulders, consuming the familiar green as his canines elongate, piercing his lower lip.

I blink past the shadows, taking in the hollow cheekbones and tattered rags hanging limply over his battered, malnourished frame. “Fenryr… is that truly you?” I whisper, my voice shaking with awe and disbelief.

I would advise against touching or talking to him. He’s… consumed by other things at the moment.

My gaze widens as I look past Fenryr’s shoulder, finding Kaebl’s golden eyes staring back. “You… how did you get out of your cell?”

I could ask you the same thing. He takes a step forward, careful not to brush against Fenryr. But we don’t have time to explain. We have to get Dagny out of here before⁠—

Another explosion breaks out, weaker than the last but originating from the same area as all the others. An ear-shattering, demonic shriek pierces the air at the same time a blast of wind rushes through the western tunnel, powerful enough to send the group of us flying sideways through the air.