Novels by Diamond 💎

Chapter Twenty-SixThe cold snow crunched under heavy boots as Evander closed the remaining distance in a single stride. Before I could find my footing on the slick ice, his heavy hand caught the back of my tunic, yanking me backward with enough force to throw me off balance completely.A choked gasp ripped from my chest as I slammed hard against his solid frame. The impact knocked the wind straight out of my lungs, leaving me wheezing and dizzy against the frozen stone wall of the ravine."Going somewhere, little Fox," Evander murmured softly right beside my ear. His voice was low and smooth, completely calm.His free hand slid down to grip my arm, twisting my wrist hard enough to make me cry out. I thrashed wildly, kicking my boots back into the snow to find leverage, but he was heavier, stronger, and entirely immovable. The memory of the northern dungeons flashed behind my eyes, bringing back the cold iron chains and endless dark cells with sickening clarity."Let me go," I snarled

Every drop of blood in my body turned to ice. Evander stood less than ten paces away, his broad shoulders blocking the only viable path deeper into the ridge, his dark eyes locked onto mine with a predatory stillness that terrified me far more than any howling hound.My fingers twitched against the coarse fabric of my tunic, searching frantically for a weapon, a rock, anything to defend myself with, but my hands were entirely empty. The days I had spent enduring his cold, calculated interrogations in the deep northern cells flashed behind my eyelids with blinding clarity. The metallic taste of fear flooded my mouth, making my throat tighten until breathing felt like swallowing shards of glass.Evander tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over my bruised face, the thin slave tunic clinging to my shivering frame, and the mud caked thick across my boots. A slow, dark smirk touched the corners of his mouth, devoid of any warmth or genuine amusement."You look remarkably foolish

Chapter Twenty-FourThe screech of steel tearing against leather filled the narrow, stone-walled corridor.Four guards lunged forward in unison, their heavy iron armor clanking loudly as they closed the distance. Vane stood back near the torchlight, a sickening, triumphant grin plastered across his scarred face. He thought he had caught us red-handed.Adrian did not hesitate. He pivoted sharply on his heel, his broadsword flashing a deadly arc of silver in the dim light.Clang.The heavy force of his strike slammed directly into the leading guard, sending the man staggering backward into his comrades and completely disrupting their advance."Run, Fox," Adrian roared over the chaos, parrying a savage overhead slash from another approaching guard.My body screamed in protest, my bruised ribs burning with every breath, but pure survival instinct took over. I hurled my iron bucket straight into the legs of the guard lunging toward me. The man cursed loudly as the dirty water splashed acro

Chapter Twenty-ThreeThe seconds dragged like molten lead, heavy and suffocating in the drafty stone corridor.Vane’s cold, reptilian gaze flicked from Adrian’s rigid, white-knuckled fist back down to where I knelt in the dirty puddle. The smug, sadistic satisfaction stretching across Vane’s scarred face made my stomach churn with a sickening panic. He knew something was deeply wrong. He could smell the raw desperation clinging to the charged air between us, and worse, he was looking for any excuse to sink his claws into the Commander."I asked you a question, Commander," Vane pressed, taking a slow, deliberate step forward until his heavy boots were dangerously close to my bucket. "Or have you forgotten your place since the King took his new pet? You seem awfully concerned about a lowly slave's posture today."Adrian didn’t flinch. He let out a slow, measured breath, his expression smoothing back into an unreadable mask of absolute indifference before he turned to face Vane head-on.

Chapter Twenty two The heavy oak doors of the east corridor scraped against the cold stone floor as I pushed them open, my arms aching from the sheer weight of the iron bucket.The water inside sloshed over the rim, splashing sharply against my bare ankles. Each step sent a dull, throbbing pain radiating from my lower back down through my thighs. The bruises Alaric had left on my wrists throbbed beneath the coarse fabric of my new slave tunic—a thin, gray shift that offered zero warmth against the drafty stone hallways of the fortress."Move faster, Fox."The harsh voice belonged to Korvyn, one of the senior hound-shifter guards. He stood near the archway, leaning lazily against a stone pillar with his arms crossed over his thick chest, a cruel grin stretching across his scarred mouth.I didn't look up. I dropped to my knees on the freezing flags, set the heavy bucket down with a dull clank, and plunged the gray rag into the murky water."The King has been in a foul mood since he ret

Chapter Twenty-OneThe pale morning light filtered through the high slit windows, casting cold, sharp grey shadows across the expansive stone bedchamber.My body felt battered, sore, and impossibly heavy. The dark silk sheets were wrapped tightly around my legs, trapping me in the lingering scent of smoke, ash, and bitter wine. Alaric was gone from the bed, though the deep impression of his broad frame still dented the heavy mattress beside me as a silent reminder of his presence.I sat up slowly, pulling the cold silk sheet tight against my chest to cover my bare skin. Every breath brought a sharp, dull ache to my ribs. Dark red and purple bruises marked my collarbone and my wrists—unmistakable signs of the King's possessive, unyielding claim from the long night before.The heavy iron door swung open with a slow, grinding screech that echoed off the high vaulted ceiling.I flinched, pulling the silk higher against my neck, fully expecting Alaric to step back inside to finish whatev