Chapter 34 · Drop into the Abyss

The boots hit the top of the stairs, and I knew we were dead.

Not maybe. Dead.

Garrick was on his knees by the ossuary wall, one hand clamped on his torn throat. Blood leaked between his fingers. The silver horn still hung from his neck, and he was smiling around it like a man who'd already won.

"Take the Alpha alive," he rasped. "Net him. Silver on the chains. The girl doesn't matter."

The girl. Nice. Two years ago I was his Alpha's Luna, and now I was "the girl."

Vane stood in front of me, breathing hard. Steam rolled off his shoulders into the freezing hall. His back was a map of silver burns, and every one of them was weeping black.

He didn't lunge at the stairs. He didn't lunge at anything.

He just stood there, huge and shaking, with his gold eyes locked on Garrick.

And his left hand was held out behind him, flat against my hip. Like a wall. Like he was keeping me back without letting himself touch me.

"Vane," I whispered.

His fingers twitched on my hip. That was all.