Kain grabbed at the very root of his essence, forcing his magic to burst out through his marred hands in a sudden blast that covered his leap toward the queen.

The room exploded in movement and shrieks as the hidden females sprang to aid their ruler, but they were too late to stop him.

He grabbed her shoulder, her bones snapping with a satisfying crunch when he closed his fist. The chain holding his father captive fell from her grasp.

The queen shrieked and twisted, throwing him over her hip and to the ground faster than he could anticipate.

He rolled to get back on his feet, but it was too late. Black power closed around his windpipe, and when he looked up, he saw the Queen bent over him, her features pulled into a fierce snarl. The Stone of Power shone at him, keeping him down.

“For that I will kill you,” she hissed. “I have two other Lords I can breed now.”

Kain tensed, trying his best to free even an ounce of his power, but the magic from the stone kept him completely pacified. He had failed.

“Kain! No!”

Selma’s scream, shrill with anguish and fear, cut through to his very soul.

His mate. He would leave her behind to endure unspeakable horrors and a future as a breeding slave for a demon who would never treat her with the respect she deserved—and there was nothing he could do to change it.

Nothing he could do but die.

“Now, child!”

Faster than his eyes could follow, a dark chain wrapped around the Queen’s throat and pulled her back. Kirigan’s head appeared above her shoulder, grimacing at the strain of holding her back with his own chain.

With a grunt he spun her around before she could activate the Stone of Power, as if using her body as a shield for both himself and Kain.

Bright white light exploded through the room.

Kain gasped and tried to roll over to escape its destructive power, but there was no need. Before he could move, it was gone, leaving stunned silence in its wake. Silence, and ashes.

It took him a moment to realize that the fine, white powder drizzling over him like snowflakes on a quiet December night was what was left of the queen.

“Such beauty.”

The reverent mumble came from his father. Kirigan smiled with uncharacteristic softness in the direction the light had come from before turning his attention to Kain.

“Get up, son. Your Breeder is about to pass out, and I’m not entirely sure the females will honor her claim to the title once they come out of their shock.”

Selma!

Kain’s head snapped in her direction. She was swaying on her feet and her face was ashen.

He was up and by her side in a second, lifting her into his arms just as her knees buckled and consciousness left her still eerily glowing chocolate eyes.