ckthorn wa

ut they were not men. Not anymore. Their eyes were black, completely black, with no white and no iris. Their skin was gray, stretched tight

hem. Alaric's mother had bound her son to the darkness,

his soldiers

id not h

s the throat, and for a moment, I thought he had won. But the creature did not fall. It did not even flinch. It simply turned

he blood. The creature's grip had left deep gouges in

os with an almost casual ease. "You still have fight in you, c

ave not known peace since th

rrible, the laugh of a man who found joy in other people's pain. "Murdered your fami

re the

ned. "And I have always be

und him like water around a stone. His eyes found me, and some

My beautiful bride. Did you thi

ground, my magic pulsing beneath my skin,

"The King has annulled our

he air around him seemed to grow colder,

his decrees will mean nothing. I will tear up his scrol

e what does not

se, each movement bringing him closer. "You have always belonged to me. From the moment I

lled my

as in the way. But you, my love. You were

. But Alaric held up a hand, and the shadow touched

Alaric said. "I did not come here to fi

t ch

. The same vial he had given me in the cathedral. The sa

it away. Impressive, but not unexpected. I always knew you were strong." His smile turned cruel. "But t

st, remembering Seraphine's

And I will not release the second seed. You will keep your mind. Your will.

f I re

e my slave in every sense of the word. Your body will obey me. Your m

t me like a

did not even look at him. He simply gestured, and two shadow touched soldiers

Alaric said mildly. "This

ounds, and I saw the way his face had gone pale, the way his breathing had

ed. "Do not liste

uck Dorian across the face. I heard the crack of bone, saw

ng me in place. I struggled against its grip, but its strength

snarled. "Your f

expression that was almost fond. "I am gla

m. I looked at the shadow touched soldiers, their black eyes empty and terrible.

ade my

sting like poison on my tongue. "But you m

Of course. I have no quar

him, my heart pounding, my magic screaming in protest. Every i

had seen the shadow touched, the monsters Alar

ld play

surrender. When I reached him, he reached out and tou

ed. "Now come. We have

d, and I

past Dorian, I d

given me. The ri

ed across the floor, coming to rest near his unconscious

ould com

o belie

of the castle and

rnage. Bodies lay everywhere. Guards. Servants. People who had been sleeping peacefully just hours

ese had been men. Women. People with families and dreams and

hing left of

d at me. "Wha

s there nothing left o

es. Personality. Soul. What remains is what you see.

loyalty. That

at cruel, bright smile. "You have been a sla

He was not wor

im was black. The horses were black. The driver was shadow touched, his

om me. The carriage lurched forward, and the cas

ric said, his voice soft,

ou just told me you

way. Everything I have done has been necessary. Eve

greate

d intense. "You and I are the same, Danika. We are both survivors. We

thing li

father killed my mother. My father killed your family. And now we are both orphans, b

t touc

now. But soon, you will want me to touch you. The

co

ge and the fear, something was stirring. Something warm and dark and

It will be easier

fighting the pull. My magic surged, bright and cold, b

ull moon

e, the second s