Hours after being sentenced to death, Alex’s men, Ralf and Eden, came into my cell and played piñata with me. They hit me until I bruised and bled. Alex knew I wouldn’t dare retaliate now since it would make my situation worse, so he sent his goons to do his dirty work.

Piece of shit.

Later, servants came into my cell, accompanied by guards, and undressed me. They cleaned me with a big, dirty sponge. The quick bath cleaned most of the blood, but it did nothing to close or heal the open wound. After, they dressed me in all black—shirt, suit, tie, and shoes. They combed my hair and styled the longer strands back with what looked like hair gel. I was ready to attend my own funeral.

When the door opened again over an hour later, I thought it would be Alex to either gloat or take me to my death.

Instead, Sarki strolled in. As usual, she wore a long dark red gown, as if she were going to a party, not the courtroom where I would be killed.

She offered me a warm smile. “Ah, dear Drake.”

A thin streak of hope surged up in my chest. “Sarki. You’re the oracle. You have influence over the princes. You can help me. Please, make them see I’m innocent. That … or you have to help me escape.”

Her smiled faded, and a new dark shine fell over her eyes. “I can’t do that, Drake.”

“But I thought you wanted me to take Lord Reynard’s place.”

“I did, but things have gone sideways. You see, when I killed Reynard—” My breath caught. “—I was hoping to incriminate that insufferable Alex, but unfortunately, things spun out of my control and you’re taking his place.”

“W-what? You killed Lord Reynard?” It didn’t make sense. She had loved him. “But why?”

“Because I’m tired of just sitting on the sidelines and only be useful when visions come to me. For centuries, I’ve been standing here and looking pretty, when in fact I’m more powerful than you all!”

I shook my head. “This is crazy, Sarki, please, tell me you’re joking.”

Her brows slammed down, and I felt a ripple of her power rushed over me like an electric wave. I shuddered. “Reynard was a monster. A monster I had to pretend to love and look up too. I would have killed him long ago, if I had had the chance.”

“He wasn’t a monster …”

“He was! He killed your family! He killed my mother! He abducted me and raised me against my will! He kept me as a prisoner until I learned to behave! He didn’t care about anyone, only power.” She snorted. “Where’s his power now?”

Usually, I was quiet because that was me. I was a quiet man. But right now? Right now, I was speechless. I wanted to rage, to yell, to yank those chains and tie them around this half-witch’s neck and make her pay for having killed Lord Reynard and starting this huge mess.

My breath caught as I realized something. “What about me? Did you try to kill me?”

“No,” she said, sounding less crazy, less enraged. “I really like you, Drake. More than you’ll ever know. I wouldn’t have killed you. I think that was Alex, for once, trying to take advantage of the situation.”

“And Albert?”

“That was me, though you weren’t supposed to go back to Reynard’s office. I knew Alex was close by, and I wanted to draw him there and frame him instead.” She sighed as if annoyed with how I messed up her plans. She was insane. “But now there’s nothing I can do to save you. Unless …”

“What?” I asked. I would accept almost anything that could save right now. Almost. “Unless what?”

She approached me, strolling like a cat on the prowl. “Take me as your mate. If you do, then I’ll help you kill Alex and any other prince who opposes us, and we can rule Castle DuMoir together.”

I stared at her in horror and shock that she would suggest something like that. Or worse, that she thought I would accept her offer. “Never.”

She put her hand on her hips. “Is that because of your little pet? Are you in love with her?” I pressed my mouth tight, but my silence was answer enough. She gasped. “You are! You love her.”

“That’s none of your business,” I said with a bite.

“Oh, but it is.” She tilted her head. “One last chance to change your mind. Forget Thea and be my mate.”

“Never,” I snarled the word this time.

She tsked. “Then I have no choice but to kill Thea.” My blood became ice. “I’ll see you again before your execution to let you know your pet is dead.”

With a flip of her hair, Sarki spun around and sashayed out of my cell. The door closed with a loud thud, followed by the clicks of the locks falling into place.

I roared, jerking against the chains and breaking them once more.

I punched the walls and the doors, but with the magic imbued in them, they didn’t even budge, didn’t even make a sound.

With bloody fists, I knelt on the floor and screamed my rage and my frustration away.