When The Last Ember Falls

Thirty-Five

Eris:

Bronwynn raised his serrated blade to Nesta's throat, staring me down, he grumbled, "tell her Eris."

I shook my head, not understanding what there was possibly left to say at this point. He won. He will be given the throne, everything that comes with it. My life.

What more could he possibly want?

"Tell her or she dies."

Fuming, I pulled against the chains, "what is there to tell?" I swore as the chains burned farther into my skin. Fucking faebane.

Bronwynn's voice lowered, his eyes darting from me to her, "that she is your mate and he is yours."

"That's not true," Nesta argued, her icy glare struck his chest.

I could have sworn he flinched.

"But it is, beautiful, Nesta," Bronwynn rubbed his nose against her sickly pale skin, drifting towards her hair, "she smells like cinnamon and vanilla, doesn't she brother?"

Snarling, I attempted to charge for him again but unable to break through. My nails dug into my palms, blood dripping to the floor.

Bronwynn looked at his reflection in the silver blade, "Eris, now when was the first time you thought so?" he picked out the annoyance in his teeth as he waited.

"Cassian is her mate," I replied with venom—if only it would kill him.

"Liar, liar," he chimed, pushing his blade back into Nesta's neck.

Grinding my teeth, I felt my insides liquify. He would kill her, he would do it. "When I split her soul on the battlefield," I answered.

Bronwynn pushed the tip of the blade into her artery, daring me to test him, "it was before that and you know it."

"In the woods."

"Before that."

"Hybern's war."

Bronwynn's cat-like smile stretched, "yes, the war that gave you the knee injury." Nesta's body froze as she looked from him to me in disbelief. He continued, "faes can be so distracted when they pick up the scent of their mate for the first time."

I couldn't stare at her any longer, seeing her shattered reflection made it hurt even more. I had never truly admitted this to myself, I thought...I thought maybe there was a possibility. No, no. She had a mate—this was impossible.

A shatter of glass, shards strewing towards us. The jewels on the ceiling threatened to fall, one by one, as the bastard landed on his feet. Raising to his full height, his fiery wings expanded. Cassian glowered at me then Bronwynn, his hazel eyes didn't even shift to Nesta, only to the threats that lie in front of him.

"Ah, just in time Lord Commander," Bronwynn released a sinister expression as he clapped his hands, "I see you received my message."

Cassian charged forward, his siphons flaring, his sword unsheathed and at the ready. For once, I was relieved to see the bastard. He would save, Nesta—as he always did. Bronwynn stepped away from her, giving Cassian a full shot of his chest. Not saying a word, he stabbed his blade into Bronwynn's stomach.

Only to receive a laugh.

Confusion and absolute rage flourished across Cassian's face. He pulled out his blade, aiming higher towards my brother's heart. Over and over, Cassian stabbed into him but to no avail. Shaken with disbelief, Nesta and I glanced to each other then Bronwynn. The sick fuck who enjoyed pain so much.