by the Knights—was his number-one priority. But now?
Now this dark-haired sprite with a deep belly laugh and a wicked sense of humor made him want to reevaluate that position. If he had to choose between Ivy and the Brotherhood tonight, he feared he would make a decision that would seal his fate in a bad way. It was only a matter of time until the Knights resorted to pain to make her talk or reveal whatever secrets she possessed. Could he stand back and watch her suffer to protect all dragons? Or would he urge her to shame the devil and spill it all to save herself?
A slight tug on the chains tore him away from that uncomfortable quandary. Ivy followed the lead Knight down the hallway. Boxed in by the rest of their escort team, Mad kept close to her. He had seen quite a bit of the prison on the night he had been taken captive. Now, he mentally sketched in the details he had missed that first time.
The historic fortress had been renovated and retrofitted by the Knights for their nefarious purposes. From what he could tell, they were only using one wing of the building. At present, there were no other prisoners inside the complex, but he had no doubt the cells had been occupied recently. The stink of despair and death clung to the very stones of the place.
They were led into a space that resembled the locker room at the gym he owned with Griff. The white tiled walls were lined with shower heads on one side of the room and toilet stalls on the other. A long bench sat in front of a row of lockers. Someone had dragged a table into the locker room and placed it near the bench. The delicious scents wafting from the covered dishes sitting on that table tempted him.
Ivy’s stomach growled noisily. The rumbling emptiness of it made him feel lower than mud. Thinking of how hungry she must be, he decided he wouldn’t ask her to refuse the food offered to them. It was very obviously a bribe but she needed the nourishment. As tiny as she was, she couldn’t stand to lose even one more pound.
“We’re not hungry.” Ivy turned away from the food, but he spotted the tightness around her mouth that told him she was absolutely ravenous. “You can take it away.”
“No.” Mad overrode her with a gentle hand to her shoulder. “We’ll take it.”
She frowned at him. “But—”
He silenced her by placing his fingertip to her lips. He didn’t think he could muster the focus to send her another message so he hoped she could read his face. “We’ll eat.”
She didn’t argue with him but she tugged his hand away from her face. He had a distinct feeling that he would be hearing an earful about that mistake once they were alone in their cell again.
Taking her hand, he led her over to the bench and sat. Because their arms were joined together with long chains, Mad pulled her down onto his lap. He picked up a spoon and took a taste of each of the dishes. When he was assured there were no traces of chemicals, poisons, or potions, he allowed Ivy to dig into the meal. She took her time eating, chewing each bite deliberately and picking the highest-calorie foods on the table.
Impressed with her strategy, he kissed her temple. Since being thrown in her cell, he had fought the overwhelming need to touch and nuzzle her, but right now he couldn’t help himself. She responded so sweetly to his tender kiss and pressed closer. He hoped she found his body heat comforting and reassuring.
After their meal, they were handed travel-sized toiletries and towels and pointed in the direction of the showers and sinks. “She can remove the collar for now.” The head guard waved the cattle prod. “Don’t do anything stupid. Water. Electricity. It’s not a good combination.”
Mad glared at the Knight and steered Ivy toward the nearest sink. He carefully removed the collar and tossed it aside. She rose on tiptoes to see her reflection in the mirror. He gently tilted her head to the side to examine the burn marks on her neck and the raw line
Now this dark-haired sprite with a deep belly laugh and a wicked sense of humor made him want to reevaluate that position. If he had to choose between Ivy and the Brotherhood tonight, he feared he would make a decision that would seal his fate in a bad way. It was only a matter of time until the Knights resorted to pain to make her talk or reveal whatever secrets she possessed. Could he stand back and watch her suffer to protect all dragons? Or would he urge her to shame the devil and spill it all to save herself?
A slight tug on the chains tore him away from that uncomfortable quandary. Ivy followed the lead Knight down the hallway. Boxed in by the rest of their escort team, Mad kept close to her. He had seen quite a bit of the prison on the night he had been taken captive. Now, he mentally sketched in the details he had missed that first time.
The historic fortress had been renovated and retrofitted by the Knights for their nefarious purposes. From what he could tell, they were only using one wing of the building. At present, there were no other prisoners inside the complex, but he had no doubt the cells had been occupied recently. The stink of despair and death clung to the very stones of the place.
They were led into a space that resembled the locker room at the gym he owned with Griff. The white tiled walls were lined with shower heads on one side of the room and toilet stalls on the other. A long bench sat in front of a row of lockers. Someone had dragged a table into the locker room and placed it near the bench. The delicious scents wafting from the covered dishes sitting on that table tempted him.
Ivy’s stomach growled noisily. The rumbling emptiness of it made him feel lower than mud. Thinking of how hungry she must be, he decided he wouldn’t ask her to refuse the food offered to them. It was very obviously a bribe but she needed the nourishment. As tiny as she was, she couldn’t stand to lose even one more pound.
“We’re not hungry.” Ivy turned away from the food, but he spotted the tightness around her mouth that told him she was absolutely ravenous. “You can take it away.”
“No.” Mad overrode her with a gentle hand to her shoulder. “We’ll take it.”
She frowned at him. “But—”
He silenced her by placing his fingertip to her lips. He didn’t think he could muster the focus to send her another message so he hoped she could read his face. “We’ll eat.”
She didn’t argue with him but she tugged his hand away from her face. He had a distinct feeling that he would be hearing an earful about that mistake once they were alone in their cell again.
Taking her hand, he led her over to the bench and sat. Because their arms were joined together with long chains, Mad pulled her down onto his lap. He picked up a spoon and took a taste of each of the dishes. When he was assured there were no traces of chemicals, poisons, or potions, he allowed Ivy to dig into the meal. She took her time eating, chewing each bite deliberately and picking the highest-calorie foods on the table.
Impressed with her strategy, he kissed her temple. Since being thrown in her cell, he had fought the overwhelming need to touch and nuzzle her, but right now he couldn’t help himself. She responded so sweetly to his tender kiss and pressed closer. He hoped she found his body heat comforting and reassuring.
After their meal, they were handed travel-sized toiletries and towels and pointed in the direction of the showers and sinks. “She can remove the collar for now.” The head guard waved the cattle prod. “Don’t do anything stupid. Water. Electricity. It’s not a good combination.”
Mad glared at the Knight and steered Ivy toward the nearest sink. He carefully removed the collar and tossed it aside. She rose on tiptoes to see her reflection in the mirror. He gently tilted her head to the side to examine the burn marks on her neck and the raw line
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