The prince’s lip curled in disgust. “Revolting.”

“Exactly,” I spat. “I need time.”

“Son of a bitch,” Ren grunted, pulling against his chains. His eyes opened to thin slits and his cheeks were flushed with anger. “You’re not going to touch her.” Muscles popped in his arms and shoulders. “I’m going to fucking kill you. You sick son of a bitch, I will fucking end you.”

The prince shot Ren a dismissive glance. “Three weeks and you’ll submit to me?”

My stomach soured, but I nodded.

“Say it,” he ordered.

“Three weeks and I’ll . . . submit to you,” I gritted out.

The prince smiled, flashing bright white teeth that were shockingly sharp. “Deal.” He turned, calling out in a language I didn’t understand. The door opened, and one of the short-haired ancients stepped in the room. “He is to be released.”

“Wait. Promise me that you will cause him no further harm and free him, and that you will give me three weeks,” I demanded. “Promise that.”

A muscle flexed along his jaw.

My heart was pumping. “I need to hear you promise that.”

“Ivy . . .” Ren’s hands opened and closed fitfully.

“I promise that he will be released without any further harm, and I will give you three weeks, not a day longer, to grow accustomed,” Drake stated.

The band seemed to constrict around my neck as I whispered, “Deal.”

“No,” Ren exclaimed. “Ivy, you can’t—”

“It’s okay,” I told Ren, cupping his cheek. “I got this, okay? Trust me.” Before he could respond, I pressed my lips to his. “It’ll be okay,” I said.

Ren reached for me, but Drake yanked on the chain, and I had no choice but to stand and step back. Ren caught himself with his bound hands, and the pained expression on his face broke my heart into a million little pieces.

“Don’t do this,” he said, voice gravelly. “I’m not worth it. You can’t do . . . this.”

“You are worth it,” I told him. “I couldn’t live with myself if . . .” Pressing my lips together, I held his stricken gaze as Drake started out of the room. “I love you,” I stated. Walking backward, I kept my gaze trained on Ren’s face until he blurred, until all I heard was the rattling of his chains as he struggled to his feet. “No matter what, I love you.”

The ancient obscured my vision of Ren, but I heard him shout, “Don’t you fucking touch her. I will rip you into fucking pieces. Ivy, no!”

I took a shaky breath as the door was shut, muffling Ren’s threats, and a second later, my back was against the wall and the prince was leaning into me. Beside us, a human male whimpered on a cot.

The prince was in my face. “If you think to cheat me or trick me, I will do things to you that will make you beg for death, but I will withhold it from you until your hair turns gray and your skin wrinkles,” he said, his voice low and deadly calm. “And that is a promise I will not break. Do you understand me?”

Thinking of the humans I saw hanging from the rafters of Flux, I shuddered. “I understand.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

I stared at the plate of roasted chicken, inhaling the savory herb scent. It smelled amazing. I should have been hungry. The last thing I’d eaten was a bowl of some kind of soup last night, almost twenty-four hours ago, but my stomach churned unsteadily at the idea of eating anything.

It probably had a lot to do with the chain around my neck. Every swallow was a painful reminder of my captivity. The only time it would be removed was tonight, when I finally got to shower. Bathroom breaks were periodic, and even then, the chain was only unhooked from the bed, and the bathroom door was left open.

Anger burned through me as I stared at the plate of food, half-tempted to throw it across the room. I was going to go crazy in this room, wondering and worrying about what was happening out in the world.

Was Ren truly okay? The prince had promised his safety, but that didn’t mean he was okay. Had Brighton found Merle and this supposed group of warm and fuzzy fae? Was Tink okay, or had he burned down my apartment in a panic? Did he even know what had happened to me? And what about David and the rest of the Order? They had to know that Henry was missing by now, that I’d been taken. I didn’t even know if Henry or Kyle had really believed that I was the halfling or if that had been a lie Drake had told.

So many questions and no answers. None.

I stretched out my legs as I pushed a limp, greasy curl out of my face. Drake had only visited me once since he’d taken me to see Ren. Yesterday. It had not gone well. I was trying to be on my . . . best behavior. Earning his trust was the only chance I had at escape, but the man made me crazy insane with anger.

Looking around the room, I saw the same thing I’d seen before. No avenue of escape. The only chance I had was to get this chain off my neck and somehow get outside. I had no idea where we were, but out there, I had a chance. In here, I had nothing.

The bedroom door opened and I tensed, drawing my legs up. Two female fae entered the room. I recognized one. It was the silvery-haired female who’d had that horrified look on her face when she saw me outside the room Ren had been kept in. She’d brought my food earlier and last night, along with the prince and another ancient. I believed her name was, coincidentally, Faye.

I had no idea who the dark-haired fae was, but she was beautiful and lithe like all fae. It wasn’t often that I saw a dark-haired fae, but the combination with the silver skin was stunning. Dressed in tight jeans and a slinky, nearly see-through tank top, she was the kind of woman who had perfectly shaped breasts that looked amazing when braless. I knew this, because I could see her nipples.