Chapter 23.

Skylar.

.

The dim light in the dungeon cell flickered, making my head spin and the space feel even smaller, more suffocating.

Conrad's expression had been that of concern earlier but it turned to stormy the moment I dropped the news about Alpha Griffith’s plan. His jaw tightened like he'd been hit with a bolt of lightning.

I watched him keenly, trying to untangle the knot of anger and doubt around my heart. Part of me wanted to lash out, to demand answers about my mother, but another part—the part tied to our bond—held me back, whispering that he couldn't be that monster.

"Conrad,” I drawled, “what's the ritual really about?" I pressed, my voice steadier than I felt. "You're making me nervous with the way you're acting."

He stopped pacing and gripped the bars between us, his knuckles turning white. He said nothing for a long moment, he just stared at the floor as if debating how much to reveal.

Finally, he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple moving in his neck. "It's called the Soulscour