Page 109 of The Fallen Fae King

I scramble back, watching him warily.

He only leans in the doorway before throwing the item at me.

It hits the stone floor in front of me with a clank, rolling to hit my burned foot.

“My crown.” I stare in shock at my warped metal crown, which is melded with Daire’s.

Has Aurelius brought it here to mock me?

I don’t fucking care.

I snatch up my crown, clutching it to my chest. Then I sniff it desperately.

It still smells of my nestmate…of an oak in winter.

I can smell the sunshine.

My bond settles.

“I’m not giving this back.” I hug the crown possessively. “You’ll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.”

“A challenge.” Aurelius’ lips twitch. “I’m not in the habit of taking back gifts.”

Confused, I drag my knees up to my chest.

Aurelius’ dominant pheromones are thick in the cell. I take deep breaths of his smoky, leather scent, and it soothes me even further.

Why? Is it the Golden Threads? Because this is my Omega’s other Alpha?

I can hear how fast Aurelius’ pulse is racing.

My gaze zeros in on his throat.

I lick over my fangs, itching to bite in my hunger. I take a deep breath.

I can’t. I swore loyalty forever to my Blood Lover.

Let me starve and turn to bones before my fangs are desecrated with another’s skin.

“Thank you.” I stroke over the crown. “You don’t know what this means to me, Relius.”

“You have no right to call me that.” He takes a step toward me. “And I have some idea.”

I cock my head. “Do you have any idea what it means that you have protected me?”

Aurelius huffs, sliding his hand to the hilt of Hadrian’s Dagger. “What if I simply want to kill you with my own dagger in your gut?”

“Then do it. I’m here. Bound. Try it.”

For a moment, by the look in his swirling eyes, I think that he will.

Then he turns away with stiff shoulders. “You’re no sport any longer.”

No sport?

Does he think that shackled, I am no longer a warrior?

Furious, I drop my crown, and wrap my shackled hands around his legs, bringing him crashing to the ground.