Possessed (Hades Castle Trilogy Book 3) Read online

  Possessed

  C.N. Crawford

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  Contents

  Summary of Previous Books

  1. Lila

  2. Lila

  3. Samael

  4. Lila

  5. Lila

  6. Lila

  7. Lila

  8. Lila

  9. Lila

  10. Lila

  11. Samael

  12. Lila

  13. Lila

  14. Lila

  15. Lila

  16. Samael

  17. Lila

  18. Lila

  19. Lila

  20. Lila

  21. Lila

  22. Lila

  23. Lila

  24. Lila

  25. Samael

  26. Lila

  27. Lila

  28. Lila

  29. Lila

  30. Samael

  31. Lila

  32. Lila

  33. Samael

  34. Samael

  35. Lila

  36. Samael

  37. Lila

  38. Sample from Court of Shadows—The Shadow Fae Series

  Also by C.N. Crawford

  Acknowledgments

  Summary of Previous Books

  In book one, Lila was duped by her sister to think that the angels were evil, and the Free Men were the city's saviors. She tried to kill Samael, the count, using a bomb. Then she learned she’d been set up.

  In book two, she has learned that her sister Alice is in fact a terrible person who betrayed her.

  Throughout the books, she feels a kinship to the Raven King--a former king of Albia whose head is buried beneath the Tower. She can feel his magic. For part of this book, she is kept locked in a room, haunted by a spirit. The spirit tortures her, and eventually the “ghost” turns out to be Lilith.

  Long ago, before she turned evil, Lilith was happily married to the Raven King. She was known as the Iron Queen. She was was once a demon with power over plants and spring. Her spirit started to change after witch-hunters captured her and tormented her.

  Lilith and Samael have a history, and she defeated him in a battle before he fell. Later, demons and angels formed an alliance. Lilith and Samael married to seal the alliance.

  But she was a bit evil and tried to kill him on their wedding night. In response, he ripped out her heart and threw her into the moat.

  At the end of book two, we learn that Lila wasn’t haunted by a ghost, but by her own memories from a past life. She was Lilith, and was reincarnated by the raven king as a savior of Albia. Now, Lilith lives in her like a second soul, woken by the Free Men with their magic book. She nearly kills Samael again. But when Lila learns that Samael had been collecting acorns for her—a superstition that helped her feel safe—she is able to force Lilith under the surface again.

  At the end of book two, Lila is chained to a bed, in danger of losing control to Lilith, who is hell-bent on revenge against the mortals.

  The Free Men want to control Lilith as their secret weapon. And among the Free Men is Alice—Lila’s mortal sister. She was briefly chained up in the Iron Fortress before she managed to escape. The Free Men can control Lilith through a magical book called the Mysterium Liber, and they want her to destroy the nephilim and angels.

  Meanwhile—Samael’s dark side—the Reaper—is in danger of taking over. In order to stay in control, he is supposed to marry a mortal and become king of the Fallen.

  Lila

  I crossed to the window, and the chains chafed at my ankles, my wrists. I rubbed at the raw skin under the iron manacles. Unfortunately, I had to keep the irritating things on.

  A few rays of amber sunlight escaped the clouds outside. Snow swirled, little crystals sparkling with gold.

  I looked down at the frozen moat and the barren land that spread out toward the gate. On a blanket of fresh snow, my army of beasts surrounded the castle. The wolves, the deer, the elk I’d raised from the ground were protecting me here. They prowled outside, eyes glowing. Dark wisps of magic snaked off their bodies.

  Cocking my head, I stared at them. Was my army smaller than it had been? I saw a few of the beasts running through the gates, racing along the river.

  Cold, dark anger snapped through me. The Free Men had the power to take them from me. Unless I got my hands on that magic book of theirs, they would be able to control the beasts—and me. They’d brought Lilith to life using their Mysterium Liber, and they could still control her with its magical pages.

  In the three days since my showdown with the Free Men, I’d managed to keep Lilith under tight wraps—buried in a lead coffin in the depths of my thoughts. But she was desperate to break free again, raging in her confines. And in those three days, I hadn’t seen Samael once. I was starting to wonder if he’d forgotten I was here. That made Lilith angry.

  Okay, perhaps it also made me angry.

  Even now, as I stared outside, I could feel my buried wings tingling down my shoulder blades. I wanted to be out there, under the cloudy sky, soaring above Dovren.

  I pressed my hands against the cold glass, my chest clenching as I watched an ivory butterfly flutter through the air. What was that strange creature doing out in this cold weather? Butterflies didn’t belong in the dead of winter any more than I belonged locked up in here.

  I belong in the clouds.

  The voice rang in the hollows of my mind—Lilith’s voice. I tightened my fists, and tried to bury it under the surface of my thoughts. I shoved it deep under the soil where she belonged.

  “Shut up, Lilith,” I muttered. “I’m going to have you exorcised.”

  As much as I liked having magic, I couldn’t keep it. Being a demon meant giving the Free Men control over Lilith for their evil purposes. With Lilith in my body, I’d become Samael’s enemy, an instrument of evil mortals. Lilith might crush my soul into dust, and take over my body permanently.

  And as much as I wanted to get out of here, where exactly would I go?

  Alice was gone. Mum—if she could break out of her gin-soaked haze—probably wouldn’t love a demon daughter with black eyes. I had no idea what Zahra would say, but I’d probably scare the shit out of her.

  I felt as if thorns were twisting through my heart when I thought of Samael. With Lilith possessing me, Samael might try to kill me. He and Lilith had a long history of killing each other, it seemed.

  A gust of cold wind stung my cheeks, sharpening my senses. Only then did I realize I’d cranked the handle below the window, and that the wintry wind was kissing my face. The diamond-paned windows opened outwards, and I’d stretched the chains as far as they would go.

  I had nowhere to go, but the sky did seem inviting.

  Fast as lightning, I leapt up onto the cold, stone windowsill. I had just enough leeway to crouch here like a bird of prey.

  Since I’d been chained up in this room, I kept finding myself here on the windowsill.

  As the wind rushed over me, I stared out across the Dark River. Mist spilled through the twisted, broken gate that once protected the Iron Fortress. Magic tingled along my shoulder blades.

  We belong out there …

  Behind me, the door creaked open. I whipped my head around to see Oswald standing with a tray of cocktails, his dark eyes wide.

  I cocked my head. From my perch, I smiled at him. “Oh, good. You brought gifts. Bit early for drinks, though, isn’t it?”

  His features paled. “Do you have to keep crouching on the windowsill like that? It’s unnerving. Not that I feel fear, or anything. I’m far too manly for emotions.”

  I bared my teeth, making my han
ds into claws. “Oswald, are you scared of a little demon?”

  “Yes!” He cleared his throat. “I mean no. Not scared, just … cautious. Of Lilith. Not of you.”

  I jumped down, my chains rattling. “Sure, Oswald.”

  “It’s just that the pose doesn’t look human.” Oswald slid the tray of cocktails onto the bureau. “I can't tell if you are Lilith or not when you crouch there.”

  “Lilith isn’t here. She’s under the surface. But just barely. She still haunts my nightmares, and I can sense her yearning for freedom. And yes, perhaps she is the reason I like crouching in the window.”

  With my chains jangling over the stone floor, I crossed to the tray of drinks, and I plucked one off. Taking a sip, I let the flavor of gin, limes, and champagne roll over my tongue. “Is there an occasion for this visit with cocktails? Good news about the exorcism? Because I’m not sure how much longer I can stay in control. Lilith is getting restless.”

  What I really wanted to ask him was Where the fuck is Samael, but I didn’t want to seem desperate. Letting anyone know I cared about a man who was currently ignoring me seemed a bit sad.

  Oswald picked up his own cocktail, then took a few steps backward, away from me. Tilting back his head, he started draining his drink.

  I tightened my grip on mine, frowning at him. “Okay. Why are you so nervous, Oswald? You’re making me nervous.”

  Finishing his drink, he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “I am not nervous. A real man has a backbone of steel, and I think you’ll find that describes me.”

  “Of course. Backbone of steel. But you came here to deliver a message, didn’t you? I want to know what it is.”

  He flashed me an uncertain smile. “All right. I have good news and I have bad news.”

  “Start with the good news. It’s gloomy enough here. Let’s delay the misery.”

  “Samael has a soothsayer he sometimes consults when his dreams are confusing to him. Her name is Serena.”

  “So what did Serena say? Can the demon be exorcised?”

  “Yes.”

  I smiled, hope bubbling in my chest. Lilith needed to go. I needed to be regular, mortal Lila again. “Good! Well that’s a huge weight off.”

  Samael and I would marry, and we’d go back to fighting the Free Men together. Most importantly, they’d lose their most dangerous weapon—me.

  “So what is the bad news?”

  He shrugged, lowering his gaze. “If Lilith is exorcised, you will die.”

  I stared at him. “What?”

  “That is what Serena said.”

  My jaw tightened. “What does Serena know? Why do we trust this person? A soothsayer? What the fuck is a soothsayer?”

  “You trusted her a minute ago when you liked what she had to say.”

  I glared at him. “I’m just saying, maybe we shouldn’t drop this exorcism line of investigation. I’m not ready to give up and live possessed by a demon for the rest of my life. It is basically the end of my life, the death of Lila either way, isn’t it?”

  He took a deep breath. “It’s what Samael has seen in his dreams, also. Serena merely confirmed it.”

  I glanced down at the chains around my wrists, and grief twisted my chest. If that was true … where did that leave me? I could either die—or turn into a monster.

  I shook my head. “I’m not giving up, Oswald. Not because of dreams and soothsayers. This is my life.”

  He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid that was only part of the bad news.”

  My stomach dropped. “Oswald. What are you talking about?”

  Lila

  His gaze darted to the window. “I was going to delay telling you. But it’s a bit too late now, so …”

  Dread slid through my bones.

  “What are you looking at out there?” My skin went cold as I crossed to the window, chains scraping over the stone floor. I stared out into the fog billowing off the serpentine river. Cold air rushed in, raising goosebumps on my skin. “Is it about my beast army? Running to the Free Men?”

  Oswald cleared his throat again. “No. Samael has found a way to achieve his goal of becoming King of the Fallen."

  “Why is that a bad thing?” I asked quietly. Then, wild jealousy bloomed in my chest as I understood what this meant.

  He had to marry a mortal.

  My throat tightened as I saw three silhouettes walking through the mist—two women, and a man. Ice-cold dread descended and settled in my stomach. “He’s finding a new wife.”

  “It’s the only way that the other Fallen will allow him to become king,” Oswald said behind me. “And he thinks it will subdue his violent reaper side.”

  “Really.” I felt something dark rising in my blood. Lilith was clawing at the surface of my mind, ready to take over.

  I glanced down at the little gold ring on my finger, the one Samael had given to me when he proposed. I am yours, and you are mine.

  That was what it said. But what had I expected? I’d always been a means to an end. He’d wanted to marry me because he needed a mortal wife. I’d been mortal before. Now? I was part monster.

  I didn’t belong here anymore.

  The three figures crossed through the iron gate. Now, I could see that Sourial walked at the front, and two women behind. In the next breath, I leapt up onto the cold stone windowsill, crouching in the open window to take a closer look.

  Oswald took a deep breath. “He will be choosing between the two mortals. His dreams have—”

  “Fuck his dreams,” I said in a voice that wasn’t quite my own. An angry, bitter voice.

  Lilith’s voice.

  From my perch, I cocked my head, watching as they walked even closer.

  I knew these women. Harlow—a little blonde who hung out on the top floor of the music hall in pristine white dresses. Rich, glamorous, always created a stir when she came in, surrounded by guards to keep the riff-raff away from her.

  And someone I knew much better was walking just to her right. Zahra wore a glittering blue dress, and she stared up at my window. Was she the person Samael was meant to marry? I’d been impersonating her the night we met.

  Now, one of these two women would be Samael’s wife.

  I felt the chains straining at my ankles.

  A sharp pain spilt open my chest. I didn’t belong here anymore. I wanted to get the hell out of here—and so did Lilith.

  The Iron Queen—Queen of Rejection.

  Now, Lilith was clawing her way out from under the earth. But she wasn’t taking over. No—we needed each other. We needed to share this body.

  Because without each other, we’d be all alone.

  I tilted my chin down, staring at Harlow, the adorable little mortal woman.

  Dimly, I could hear Oswald shouting at me from behind. His panicked yelps were echoing off the walls.

  But I wasn’t listening to him anymore. I was using my foot to smash the window off its hinge.

  “Fuck Samael’s dreams.”

  The chains strained as I pulled on them—until one by one, they snapped off from the manacles. With only the iron cuffs circling my wrists and ankles, I leapt from the window.

  For one heart-stopping moment, I fell. Then my wings burst from my back.

  It was an exhilarating relief to feel the wind against my feathers.

  Beneath me, my beast army raised their heads, howling, snarling. I swooped over them, circling.

  As loneliness cut through me, part of me desperately wanted to see my old friend.

  But when I swept over Zahra, I caught her gaze for a moment—and the look of horror on her face. To her, I looked like a monster.

  I wanted her to understand. I was still in here. Still the same Lila who’d danced with her on the music hall bar. I circled back again, the loneliness eating at me.

  In the fairy tales, we were meant to hate the evil queens—the women whose hearts had turned bitter, the sorceresses with dark magic at their fingertips. We were supposed to loathe the re
jected, the spurned. We were supposed to worship youth and innocence, purity of heart.

  But you know what? I never liked those stories.

  I landed hard on the stone. I wasn’t sure who looked more horrified—Sourial or Zahra.

  Only Harlow managed to retain some composure, pulling her white fluffy coat tight around her.

  Sourial pointed his sword at me, his green eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Lilith, I take it.”

  My demon horde began to snarl, surrounding him. I snarled along with them, and I flicked my wrist, my body humming with dark magic.

  A leafy vine sprouted from the ground and snaked around his blade, yanking it from his hand. Two more shot from between the stones and wrapped around his wrists, then his mouth—rooting him completely in place. “Don’t get in my way, angel.”

  Lilith’s voice—deep, angry.

  Her thoughts were mingling with my own now, and there was somewhere she wanted me to go. But I wanted to stay here for a moment, to see my old friend Zahra. Except when I turned to look at her, I could see the terror etched on her features.

  She staggered back from me, shaking, her dark eyes wide open. She was one of the few people in this world I actually still trusted, and she wanted to run away from me.

  Mum’s voice whispered in my mind—I knew you weren’t normal. When you were a baby, your eyes were black as the night …

  “It’s me, you fool!” I shouted. Except it came out sounding angry, harsh. The fragments of chains rattled against the manacles around my wrists. “It’s Lila. I’m Lila. Can’t you see that?”