His Moonsilver Mate (Abby and Kade) novel Chapter 68

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10:58 Mon, Nov 2 A

Sloane

Chapter 68

Malachi came back after dark.

I heard the door open but didn’t look up.

I was sitting near the fire with one leg tucked beneath me, staring at a book I hadn’t turned a page

of in almost an hour.

The mark on my neck still hurt.

Not constantly anymore. Mostly when I moved wrong, when fabric brushed against it, or when I remembered exactly how it got there.

Rhea had spent most of the day alternating between furious silence and restless awareness of Malachi somewhere beyond the room.

I wasn’t sure which was worse.

The door shut behind him. He crossed the room without speaking and poured himself a drink.

I kept my eyes on the book.

“You’ve been quiet.”

I almost laughed.

Apparently that bothered him now.

“I didn’t realize you preferred me difficult.”

“I prefer knowing what you’re thinking.”

“That sounds inconvenient.”

He looked at me.

I turned another page without reading it.

Malachi took a drink. “Cressida says the girl is refusing to cooperate.”

That got my attention.

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“It’s the one you’re getting.”

closed the book. “If Cressida is frightening her, hurting her, and then demanding that she perform on command, you’re probably making everything worse.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “You suddenly care?”

I stared at him. “I brought her here. Of course I care.”

“You cared enough to bring her.”

I looked away.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then Malachi set the glass down.

“What were you going to say?”

I glanced back at him. “What?”

“You had something else.”

I nearly told him it didn’t matter.

That seemed to be the rule here.

I was useful when he needed something. Decorative when he didn’t. A mate when someone else touched me. A prisoner whenever I wanted something of my own.

The mark beneath my hair throbbed.

“Forget it.”

“Sloane.”

I hated the way my name sounded in his voice.

“You don’t care what I think.”

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be asking.”

I let out a short breath. “That’s generous.”

His expression hardened.

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“Cressida doesn’t know Abby.”

“And you do?”

“I’ve known her most of her life.”

Malachi said nothing.

That was enough to make me continue.

“She’ll fight you harder if she thinks someone else is going to get hurt because of her. She also keep pushing herself long after she should stop if she thinks it will protect someone.”

His gaze sharpened.

I realized too late that I might have just given him something useful.

I hated that too.

“She responds to people,” I added. “Not orders.”

Malachi watched me for another moment. Then he picked up his glass again.

“Talk to her.”

I blinked. “What?”

“You think you know how to handle her. Prove it.”

My stomach tightened. “You want me to convince her to cooperate?”

“I want results.”

Of course he did.

“And if I refuse?”

His eyes moved briefly to the mark on my neck. He didn’t need to answer.

I stood. “Fine.”

Malachi looked almost surprised. “Now?”

“You asked for results.”

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For the first time since Jax had attacked me, I left Malachi’s room without the collar around my

throat.

wo guards fell into step behind us.

Rhea immediately became more alert.

We could run.

Where?

She didn’t answer.

The corridors twisted through the old stone complex until we reached a section I hadn’t seen before.

The air grew colder.

Then I heard the growl. Low. Constant. Angry enough that both guards slowed.

Malachi didn’t.

We entered the circular chamber.

And I saw her.

For one second, I forgot what I had planned to say.

Diana was bigger than I remembered.

I had seen Abby shift before, but never like this. Not under moonlight. Her coat looked almost white where the light touched it, silver moving beneath the fur with every breath.

Heavy chains ran from cuffs around her legs to iron rings set into the floor. The silver had rubbed the fur raw in places.

Diana lifted her head. Her eyes found mine. Then her lips pulled back from her teeth.

I stopped. “Fair.”

Malachi looked at me.

I ignored him.

Cressida stood near the stone table with two assistants. “She hasn’t done anything useful since the

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“She hasn’t spoken to her yet.”

ressida’s mouth tightened.

I looked at Malachi. “I need everyone out.”

He stared at me. “No.”

“If you want her to listen to me, she can’t have six people standing around waiting to punish her.”

Cressida scoffed. “She is an animal.”

Diana snapped toward her. The chains pulled tight.

I looked at Cressida. “Keep calling her that. I’m sure it’s helping.”

Malachi’s mouth moved slightly. Almost a smile.

Cressida saw it too. Her expression cooled.

I turned back to him. “Five minutes.”

He didn’t answer.

“Please.”

His eyes narrowed. Then he looked toward the guards. “Out.”

Cressida stepped forward. “You cannot be serious.”

“I said out.”

The assistants moved first. The guards followed.

Cressida stayed where she was.

Malachi looked at her. That was enough.

She left.

He remained.

I folded my arms. “You too.”

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His gaze shifted toward Diana. Then back to me. Finally, he walked toward the door. “I’ll be outside.”

“Wonderful.”

He stopped beside me. “If she attacks you, I’m coming back in.

Diana growled again.

I looked at her. “I think she heard you.”

Malachi gave me one last look and left.

The door closed.

For the first time, Diana and I were alone.

***

Abby

Sloane stayed near the door.

I watched her.

Diana’s growl rumbled through the chamber.

Sloane looked at the chains around our legs. Something changed in her face. She looked angry.

“At least you still hate me.” Sloane gave a humorless laugh. “I was starting to think I’d lost my

touch.”

She took one careful step closer.

Diana’s growl deepened.

She stopped immediately. “Okay.”

For a few seconds, neither of us moved. Then Sloane sat down on the stone floor. Far enough away that Diana couldn’t reach her even if the chains allowed it.

“I’m not going to pretend you should trust me. I know what I did.”

Diana stared at her.

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“I know.” She rubbed one hand over her face. “That came out badly.”

Very badly.

Despite everything, I almost smiled.

Sloane looked back at us. “I’m not asking you to help them because I think they deserve it

Diana lowered her head slightly.

“The witch is going to keep pushing until she gets what she wants.”

Tell me something I don’t know.

Sloane moved a little closer. Diana growled, but less this time.

“I need you to listen to me. They’re not going to stop because you refuse.”

I knew that.

“They’ll hurt you. They’ll hurt someone else in front of you if they think that works better.”

The girl from the night before flashed through my mind. Thin arms. Hollow face. Hope when she managed to stand.

Diana whined softly.

Sloane saw that too. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed. “For all of it.”

Diana’s ears flattened.

Sorry doesn’t fix this.

Sloane looked down at her hands. “But you must do what they ask.”

Anger surged through me. Diana pulled against the chains.

Sloane held up both hands. “I know.”

The silver burned harder. I forced Diana still.

Sloane waited until our breathing slowed. “I know how that sounds. But no matter what they force you to do, do it.” Her eyes met Diana’s. “Not because they win. Because you survive.”

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Kade.