It snarls angrily and charges.

  With a scream that’s half-battle cry and half-terror, I take off down the road. The bear follows, and I know immediately that I am not nearly fast enough to give Kendall the time she needs to get to safety.

  The only thing I can do is take this asshole down.

  While I run, I shed my gloves and jacket, dropping them as I go.

  Behind me, the bear closes in, its massive claws scratching the dirt as it eats up the distance. I can feel its breath on my heels. Feel its madness in my bones.

  Now or never.

  Veering off the road, I grab hold of the first tree I come to and use my momentum to swing myself around to meet the creature head-on. It snarls and snaps its teeth as it whizzes past. I manage to brush my hand against its hind leg then stumble as I nearly face plant.

  The beast careens to a stop and rounds on me, already coming again.

  I straighten, eyes widening as raw fear pours through me. There’s nowhere left to go. My touch should have⁠—

  From above, an enormous scaled wing crashes through the treetops. It slams into the bear, sending it flying sideways where it hits the ground, sliding to a stop.

  The roar above me is deafening as the black dragon lands in the center of the road. Its glowing yellow eyes are narrowed in rage as it stalks closer to the bear.

  For a moment, fear squeezes my chest, and I want to warn Legion to be careful. But the scent of rot hits me, and I take a step toward the bear, needing to see, to know that I wasn’t wrong. Two steps are all I need to watch as the poison spreads and the bear succumbs.

  It falls onto its side, breaths shallow, as the rot spreads from its leg to its hindquarters.

  I glance into the trees, gaze sweeping for Kendall. She’s not in sight, which means she must be hiding. But I need to know she’s safe. I’m just about to skirt past Legion to look for her when a ball of fire shoots from his mouth, consuming the bear.

  The heat burns my cheeks, and I retreat as lava and ash rain down over the whole area. When I look back at where the bear lay before, there’s only bone and embers now.

  My stomach lurches at the smell.

  I turn and hurry into the trees, ignoring Legion, which isn’t easy when he’s the size of a house. I can feel his anger pricking at me right between the shoulder blades. But I focus on finding Kendall, making sure she’s okay.

  “Kendall,” I call out.

  A second later, she emerges, unharmed. Her eyes widen at the sight behind me, but I’m still doing my best to ignore the showdown I know is inevitable.

  “Are you—?” Before I can ask if she’s okay, a hand closes over my shoulder, and I whirl, jumping away from the touch out of reflex. My arms and face are completely exposed, but Legion, back in human form, glares at me without a care that he came so close to being poisoned.

  “What the hell are you doing?” he snarls.

  I force my gaze to remain on his face despite the fact that he’s gloriously naked—and clearly unaffected by the cold weather. A fact I notice out of the corner of my eye and only serves to make it harder to focus on his words.

  “Kendall and I were walking to the village,” I say.

  “Are you insane? Do you have any idea the danger you put yourselves in?”

  I cross my arms, refusing to let him make me feel bad. “I had it handled.”

  “That bear is the least dangerous thing out here. You should consider yourself lucky that’s the only thing that found you before I got here.”

  “Before you got here?” My eyes narrow. “You mean when I took care of the thing myself?”

  “That bear would have taken you down long before it succumbed to your poison.”

  “I guess we’ll never know,” I snap, irritated that he might be right.

  “You and I agree on that at least. Let’s go.”

  “No, thanks,” I tell him. “Kendall and I are going to finish our outing.”

  “Um, actually,” Kendall says. “Just curious but what else is out there, exactly? And how is it worse than the bear?”

  I turn to see her standing several yards back, her hand held up at an awkward angle in front of her. It takes me a moment to realize she’s blocking Legion’s body from her view. It might have been funny if I wasn’t so furious.

  “Demons, hellhounds, vampires,” Legion tells her. “And those are just my closest neighbors.”

  “Are you saying everything in this world is going to try to kill us?”

  “Today? Yes.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  But one look at Kendall and I can see she does. “He lives here, Tor. He would know what the dangers are.”

  “He’s just trying to scare us so we won’t leave that prison he calls a castle. I refuse to be intimidated by his fear tactics. We can⁠—”

  Pain slices through me, radiating out from the center of my chest. I suck in a sharp breath, doubling over. Legion is there instantly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know,” I manage through clenched teeth.

  Kendall hurries over, but I wave her back. “Don’t. I need my gloves.”

  “Where?” Kendall asks.

  “Near the road.”

  “I’m on it.” She hurries off.

  Legion hasn’t moved away. I take a step back, needing distance, but he only follows.

  “Back up before I accidentally kill you,” I hiss through another bout of stabbing pain.

  “Tell me what’s happening to you,” he says in a strained voice.

  I glance up at him, but the expression he wears is unreadable. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I pissed him off. But I’ve seen him angry, and this isn’t it.

  “I don’t know. I…” Another wave of pain comes, and my knees buckle under the weight of it.

  Legion leans in and sniffs. “You smell like blood.”

  I glance at my left side where the bear’s claws got me. “It’s not that deep. I’ll heal.”

  He growls.

  “That’s not what hurts,” I add.

  Kendall returns, breathless. She holds out my gloves, and I manage to yank them on. The scarf and jacket are harder because every move causes more pain. Eventually, I manage to get my face wrapped up as much as possible.

  The moment I’m covered, Legion stalks forward and scoops me into his arms. I gasp then struggle, panicked I’m going to accidentally brush him with my skin.

  “What are you doing?” I demand.

  “Taking you home.”

  “Put me down,” I insist. “You’ll get yourself killed.”

  “Only if you keep wiggling,” he says, tightening his grip against my struggles.

  He starts up the road the same way Kendall and I came down. She falls into step beside him, clearly fine with the way he’s manhandling me. When I realize I’m trapped, I give up struggling. Partly because I don’t want to accidentally murder him and partly because everything hurts and fighting only makes it worse.

  “I’m going to pay you back for this,” I say quietly.

  “I expect nothing less,” he returns, a dark smile flashing down at me.

  Resigned, I let myself be carried back to my fancy prison by the warden himself.

  Chapter 16

  Legion

  Tori is limp in my arms as I hurry toward the castle. I can’t tell if she’s sleeping or succumbing to the pain. Urgency drives me, leaving me to wonder if shifting and flying wouldn’t be faster, but I don’t want to cause her more pain by wrapping my claws around her for a flight.

  All I can think about is the moment when I landed and saw her being attacked by that bear. The only reason I made it in time was the mate bond screaming her fear so intensely that I felt it all the way up into the clouds as I flew. In that moment, the moon fever was nothing compared to the fear I felt at losing her. Even now, possessing her is far less important than saving her. But the pain she’s in now is a threat I can’t see or kill.

  I am helpless.

  The castle is quiet and empty when we push through the doors. The entire staff takes Februlune off at my request. It’s always been a precaution, but today, it’s an inconvenience that has me gritting my teeth all the way through the halls.

  “Kendall, there’s a first aid kit in that closet,” I say as we pass it. “Can you grab it and bring it along?”

  “Sure.” She falls back while I hurry onward.

  When we reach her bedroom, I settle Tori in the bed then reach for her blood-soaked shirt so I can inspect her wound. She yanks away from me, her expression tight. “You can’t touch me,” she reminds me just as Kendall appears in the doorway with a box of medical supplies.

  “Kendall, check the medical kit for gloves,” I say.

  Kendall opens it and comes away with a pair that are clearly too small for me. When she realizes it, she slips the gloves on herself. I move aside to give her access, snagging a robe and wrapping it around my still-naked body.

  Tori tries to pull away from her sister, but Kendall’s expression hardens.

  “Stop moving,” Kendall says firmly.

  Tori goes still, and Kendall peels back the bloodied shirt. It’s already sticking a bit where the blood has begun to dry, and Tori winces as the fabric pulls at her wound. The blood that coats it makes it hard to see the depth of the gashes, but from what I can tell, the cuts have already begun to close.

  It’s her blackened veins that steal my attention and leave my insides hollowed from fear.

  “Shit, Tor, it’s happening again,” Kendall says.

  Tori looks down and then grimaces before falling back again. Her expression is pinched like she’s in pain, and a thin sheen of sweat lines her brow.

  “What is that?” I ask.

  Tori doesn’t answer.

  “We don’t know,” Kendall tells me, “But it happened last time she touched someone.”

  “How do we heal it?” I ask.

  “I’m not sure,” Kendall says.

  Tori doesn’t offer anything else. The mate bond is full of her pain—driving me mad with helplessness.

  In the silence, a bleakness settles inside me that I can’t allow.

  “Gods, I was so scared that bear was immune,” Kendall says to no one in particular.

  “Not immune,” Tori says, too pale between the darkened veins now creeping up her face. “His size and insulation slowed the poison.”

  Kendall doesn’t answer. Her concern for her sister is evident as she gently cleans the bloodied wound.

  “I’m going to get the witch,” I say roughly.

  “She’s not here?” Kendall asks.

  “She insisted on transporting herself.” I frown, thinking of how Tori’s scent had hit me the moment I landed earlier. How her trail led me straight down the back stairs and out of the safety of the Keep. I leash my temper and say, “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll start patching this up,” Kendall says, pulling up a chair.

  I slip out, wondering if the witch will be enough to help or if I should go for a healer instead. That will take time, but I don’t know what else to do. Every step I take away from her increases my worry, but I shove it aside. She’ll be fine. She has to be.

  Stopping off at my room, I trade the robe for fresh clothes. My boots take long enough to lace that I spew curses until I’m finished. But I needn’t have bothered with shoes, apparently.

  A figure is already waiting in the foyer downstairs when I arrive. Half-woman, half-goat, the glaistig stands with hunched shoulders, leaning heavily on her wooden walking stick. From beneath thick, silver hair, she peers at me with bright green eyes as I approach.

  “Broca,” I greet. “You made it.”

  “I told you I would transport myself,” she says in a gnarled voice.

  “Yes, I didn’t think…” I have no idea how she got through the locked gate much less the front doors, but I stopped questioning the creature and her methods years ago. The image of her as an old crone is one of several I’ve seen her take—none of which, I suspect, are her true form.

  “Well, are you going to stand around all night or take me to the girl?”

  “There was an incident on the road earlier that left her injured. She needs a healer.”

  She perks up at my words, her eyes alight with morbid curiosity and no trace of true concern. “What kind of incident?”

  “A bear attack on the road.”

  She puts up a gnarled hand. “I’m not a healer, dragon.”

  “I know what you are,” I say, all too familiar with Broca’s cryptic prophecies. She talks in riddles, but she’s not been wrong—or at least, not that anyone can decipher. And she’s older than Tartarus itself. I need her kind of knowledge.

  “She has another ailment that I’d like you to examine. Something with dark magic. Something I’ve never seen before.”

  “If magic has tainted her, a healer will be useless anyway. Your payment has been received. Take me to her.”

  I hesitate, considering the wisdom of this. But Broca is right. If magic has done this, only magic can undo it. And I won’t risk Tori’s life to protect my secret. “This way.”

  Broca is silent as I lead her through the house and into Tori’s bedroom. She doesn’t comment on the fact that this is her first invitation to my home or remind me that few of Tartarus’ royal inner circle have ever been invited to the Keep, including her. Knowing Broca, I’m sure every creature this side of the portal will hear about her visit here soon enough. We both know the general of Caius’ army, the dragon of death, allowing visitors in his home will be the gossip of the century. And Broca’s not the most discreet.

  I can only hope she doesn’t sense that I’ve severed the blood vow to Caius. That’s one piece of gossip I can’t allow to get out.

  At Tori’s bedroom door, Broca stops and takes in the sisters, the younger one perched in her chair worriedly chewing her nails and the older one looking far too small and helpless in the large bed. The dark veins have spread to her face now, their spiderweb lines a tangled map beneath her skin.

  At the sight of us, Tori sits up, eyeing the glaistig warily. “Who are you?”

  “I’m Broca, the ancient one.”

  I roll my eyes at the old hag’s dramatics. She likes hyping herself up, which isn’t going to win her any points here.

  “I don’t like witches,” Tori says.

  “Good thing I’m not a witch then,” Broca tosses back, which only makes Tori look more nervous. She glances at me, but I don’t bother trying to explain Broca. No one can.

  “Besides,” Broca goes on, studying the map of veins across Tori’s face and throat, “I don’t like anyone with darker magic than me, so I guess that makes us even.”

  “You can sense dark magic on me?” Tori asks.

  “In you,” Broca corrects. “I sensed it from a mile out. In here, it’s practically choking me.” She moves toward the bed, and Kendall stands, blocking Broca’s access.

  “Get out of my way, halfling,” Broca says.

  “Not until I know you’re here to help,” Kendall says.

  “If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already,” Broca tells her, a sharp edge lacing her words. The air around her crackles with power, but Kendall doesn’t back down.

  “Give me your hand.”

  Broca rolls her eyes. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Give me your hand, or leave.”

  Broca casts me a glance, but I remain silent. The girl has a right to protect her own.

  To my surprise, Broca merely scowls and places her hand in Kendall’s. Almost immediately, the crone’s face morphs into that of a woodland spirit followed quickly by a young woman with cascading red hair and smooth, youthful skin.

  Kendall’s eyes narrow.

  Tori gasps.

  Broca rips her hand away, but her latest form remains. A young woman with unmarred skin and bright green eyes glares at Kendall accusingly. “What are you?” Broca demands.

  “A halfling,” Kendall says with a smirk. “You said it yourself.”

  “You have the sight. A powerful⁠—”

  “She’s not going to hurt you,” Kendall tells Tori.

  “You’re sure,” Tori says.

  Kendall shrugs and steps back. “There’s a one in fifty chance but…” Kendall’s gaze flicks to me. “She won’t get far.”

  I consider her meaning as Kendall steps back and Broca approaches Tori. The glaistig perches on the edge of the bed and reaches for Tori’s gloved arm.

  Tori recoils. “You can’t.”

  I expect the glaistig to ask why, but she only says, “Will your gloves protect me?”

  “Yes, but…”

  Broca takes Tori’s gloved hand in her own. “Hmm. What happens when you touch someone?”

  “They die,” Tori says.

  Broca pulls away, frowning. “How?”

  “Their veins blacken beneath their skin, the infection spreading over them until their heart stops.”

  “And your veins?”

  Tori sighs. “I don’t know why, but both times I’ve touched someone, this is how I end up.”

  “How long did it last the first time?”

  Tori doesn’t answer.

  “About twenty-four hours,” Kendall chimes in. “I noticed it was gone after that.”

  Broca starts to respond, but Tori interrupts. “That’s not true.”

  Broca’s eyes flash. “What is true?”

  “I… drank something. Poison.”

  “Tor, what the fuck,” Kendall says.

  “You what?” I echo.

  Tori averts her gaze from us and looks only at Broca. “I drank a lethal dose of Ricin. It fixed my skin immediately.”

  Kendall mutters something about stupidity, but I can only stare at my mate, who has apparently decided to play with her own life.

  Broca looks unconcerned by all this. She reaches into the folds of her clothing and produces a vial of dark liquid. “Here.”

  “What is that?” Kendall asks anxiously.

  Tori takes it with her gloved hand and sniffs lightly. Her gaze never leaves Broca’s. “Poison hemlock.”

  Kendall’s eyes widen. “What are you⁠—”