Sewn & Scarred (The Fated Creations Trilogy #3)

Chapter Twenty-SixMaddox

Chapter Twenty-Six

Maddox

T he sound of Evaline’s screams filled my ears while the sweet taste of her blood filled my mouth.

“Maddox, stop!” she shrieked. I tried, but I couldn’t. My clenched eyes flashed open and I saw her there, down that long hallway.

No! I screamed, launching myself down it. Not again!

“Please!” she yelled as she swung her fists at me, and her legs kicked. But there was nothing she could do, I was too strong and she didn’t have any of her weapons on.

I realized we were in bed, I could feel the sheets tangled up below me. Felt the silk of her pajamas slide over my chest as I covered her body with mine, pressing her into the mattress to trap her.

We’d been sleeping, and the Vasi took over.

Her heart raced and her blood continued to flow no matter how hard I fought the Vasi for control.

When her blood slowed past my lips, I screamed and cried, and begged the Gods to save her.

She shook below me—no I shook above her—no someone shook me.

“Maddox!”

My eyes flashed open and I saw Dean standing above me, shaking my shoulders. His eyes were wide and it took me a second to realize I’d swung my hand up to clench around his throat.

“I’m sorry,” I rushed out, pulling back.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” He breathed. “You were having a nightmare.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to forget the image of Evaline dying below me, at my hands, but couldn’t help but thank the Gods that it was a dream. That she was okay.

But that thought, the realization that I didn’t know at all if Evaline was okay, tore me out of bed.

I jerked my head back up at Dean.

“What is it?”

We moved to sit at the dining table in the sitting room as he filled me in on what had happened with Sage.

He handed me the jar of Evaline’s blood as he spoke.

“She’s safe. Sage confirmed it. And she confirmed that Lauden killed Ankin,” he said and I tried to swallow the mouthful of Evaline’s blood that I had, past the rage.

Dean swallowed. “She said she tried to stop it though, and Maddox, I believe her. I believe that she was sent here to do harm, but along the way realized that she didn’t want to hurt us. That she wanted to be on our side.”

I stayed silent as he spoke. Gods, I hoped Sage wasn’t always being dishonest. Because that hurt too much, to know that someone you thought cared for you, that you cared for, would willingly hurt you in such a vile way.

“But…” he began before taking a deep breath. “There is something I have to tell you. It’s not right to keep it from you any longer, especially given what Sage has done.”

My brows furrowed as I set the jar back onto the table. “What is it, Dean?”

He raised his eyes to mine, and I could see the pain. “Sage is my mate.”

I gave him a sad smile. “I know,” I said softly.

He shook his head. “What do you mean, you know?”

I clasped my hands together on top of the table. “I saw it in your eyes. When you saw how Vasier treated her in Mortithev. I understood in that moment.”

He winced at the memory.

“I’m afraid that it wasn’t really an act for him at all, I’m afraid that’s how he really treats her—” his voice broke. “His own daughter.”

I reached my hand across the table and closed it over the fist he balled there.

“I’m so sorry, Dean. For all of it. That we put her in danger, even if we didn’t realize at the time that she truly wasn’t in any. I’m sorry that she was working with Vasier the entire time. And I’m sorry that she’s gone, too.”

He shook his head. “I should be the one apologizing to you. My mate has taken yours away. And whether I believe Sage or not, that she tried to save Evaline and stop this, the truth is that none of it matters. Because they’re both gone. And now, all we have is a weekly drop-by from Sage, with blood to keep you fed.”

My spine straightened at that.

“You didn’t tell her that I was back, did you?”

He shook his head. “No. I wasn’t sure if you’d want me to.”

I nodded. “Good, let’s keep it to ourselves for now. We might be able to use the element of surprise on Vasier at some point, and I don’t want to lose it. But—” I tilted my head down to the bottle. “You said she was having second thoughts about helping Vasier, that she tried to save Evaline?”

He nodded. “She said she saved Alannah, and then tried to save Evaline, but she fell into the portal.”

I chewed on my lip as I thought.

I was angry with her. She betrayed us, in the worst way, but that didn’t mean we should cast her aside. If she was having doubts about her father’s cause, if there was a fracture in their relationship, then we needed to widen it. We could get her on our side so she could portal us into Mortithev to save Evaline if this ward ever came down.

“If there ever comes a time that you think Sage will come back to our side, that she’ll betray her father and help us, you need to let us know right away.”

I didn’t dare tell Dean to try to bring Sage to our side because I didn’t want to put him in the middle of this or ask him to try to manipulate her.

I just hoped to the Gods that she was able to see reason and that she’d realize that a life here would be far better than any life she could have there, with her father or Lauden, and that she did what was required to bring Evaline home.

He nodded. “Of course,” he said, turning to leave. “There’s one more thing.” His hand dug in his pocket and he pulled out a scroll. My face paled as I realized what it was. “Sage said Evaline wrote it for Wyott, but I’m sure she would’ve addressed it to you if she knew you were back.”

I took it, thanking him before he left.

After the door closed behind him, I swallowed as I unrolled the parchment.

Wyott,

Sage and Lauden have betrayed us. Sage is Vasier’s daughter, and she has brought me to him, in Mortithev.

I’m so, so sorry. I was so naive, and I’ll be paying for it the rest of my life.

They’ve taken my weapons, locked me inside the castle, maybe the entire island, with a ward.

The accommodations are nice, and Vasier promises I’m not in danger, but I don’t know what will happen to me.

I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I’m sorry I broke my promise and deviated from the plan.

I can only be thankful that I didn’t drag Dean into my mess, too.

Please take care of Maddox. Please take care of everyone.

I left a sword behind. My father had it made for my birthday, which is today. It matches his.

Give it to yours and Cora’s child someday.

I’ve negotiated with Vasier to allow Sage to bring my blood once a week for Maddox.

If you tell him what has happened, give him a message for me: Until the end of my days.

I’m so sorry,

Evaline

Tears flowed down my cheeks as I read the letter because the more I read, the more I understood that this was a goodbye letter. She never expected to come home.

In one move I stood and launched the chair I was sitting on across the room until it splintered against the stone wall. I flipped the table, sending the empty blood jar fracturing on the ground. I threw the other chairs and ripped books from the shelves.

I didn’t stop until my chest was heaving. Until my roars of rage had become sobs of sorrow. Until I realized that I’d lost control, and froze in place.

I surged through my mind, looking for any sign of the Vasi, and there wasn’t any more than that pulse of presence that hovered in the back of my mind when he was quiet.

I tried to calm after that. I cracked the windows to cool my heated skin and stayed silent as I slowly cleaned the room up around me. Finally, I bent to pick up the parchment from Evaline and went to the bedside table. I slept on her side of the bed, now, so I slid open the drawer there to place it inside and instead saw another scroll.

I picked it up and after I saw Lady Margot’s seal, read it.

Aurora and Jacqueline were safe in Neomaeros, but it made no mention of Priscilla and Megin.

They were still stuck in Kembertus.

My hands shook from where I gripped the parchment between them, and I had to force myself not to ball my fingers into fists, or to tear at the paper.

Slowly, I lowered the scroll until it was nestled back in the drawer where I’d found it, and added Evaline’s note on top.

I didn’t know what the fuck I could do. I’d never felt so trapped in my life. For Gods’ sake, I’d just been an actual prisoner of my own mind, for weeks, and now, I was a prisoner in my own kingdom. And Evaline was out there, in danger. Vasier could say whatever he damn well pleased, anyone who knew him would understand that Evaline was most definitely not safe with him. I didn’t know what his plan was, didn’t know how he intended to use her or her magic, but I knew that she would never be safe with him.

A scream filtered in through the open windows and tore my attention away from the spiraling thoughts of my mate. My stomach sank as I slid the drawer to Evaline’s nightstand shut.

But I did not get up to close the open window that allowed in the screams of the humans. There had to be a dozen or so. I did not try to plug my ears or dull the sound in any way.

Instead, I laid back in bed. Rested my head on Evaline’s pillow, smelled her scent as it filled the space around me, and listened.

I listened to the cries of those dying. I heard their garbled prayers and the last breaths they’d ever take.

I forced myself to listen.

It was a punishment, a consequence that I forced myself to bear for what I’d done to Gabriehl. Of course, I’d wanted him dead. And I would’ve gladly tortured him.

But not like that.

Not like the Vasi.

But I had, and now I listened to the screams of others—innocents—who were befalling the same grisly death.

That thought of Gabriehl, at what I’d done, caused a stir in my mind. Woke the Vasi up.

And deep inside, slow, and steady, I heard the pounding of the Vasi inside his cell.