A lump formed in my throat. “Unless they are being seduced by a wolf charmer…” My voice was just above a whisper. It suddenly dawned on me that there could be more than one traitor. An entire family of them.
A collective gasp rang out in the room. The weight of my words spread through the room like wildfire.
The Keeper nodded. “I have been trying to look for the best in Arcadia, but it seems it has been futile. I doubt she knows you suspect her. We can use that to our advantage.”
I sprang to my feet. “We will lock up Pythia tonight and let her think that we believe she is acting alone. When Arcadia makes her move, it will be public. The Lupi will have no choice but to abandon her.”
Valentina clapped her hands in delight. “I have been waiting for the day to take her down for a long time. The Lupi are my pack.”
I snickered. “And the Rougarou will be too once I’m through with her.”
She flashed a wicked smile. “Pythia is in her room. Want me to drag her out here?”
I paused. “Not just yet. I need a few words with Aldric. Alone.” Something had been gnawing at me since we left London.
Dragos started to protest but took one look at my face and stopped. He gave me a curt nod and waltzed out of the study. The Keeper and Valentina followed.
Aldric drew in a shaky breath. “What’s on your mind, darlin’?”
My stomach turned. “You don’t get to call me that anymore.”
He dropped his head, nodding in defeat. “I know. Force of habit.”
I folded my arms to my chest. “I just wanted to say that I understand what you are going through. I get why you pushed me away. It doesn’t make it right, but I know why you did it.”
He lifted his head, eyes wide. “But you’re still angry…”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “Aldric, you and I were supposed to be married. We were linked. You flew off the handle and destroyed all of that. I’m going to be angry for a very long time. But…I know what it’s like to not know who you are. To feel suffocated by your own demons. I’ve been pushing people away for centuries. I’m an expert at it.”
He nodded, his eyes brimming with tears. “I never stopped loving you, Gray. I just can’t be what you need me to be. Not right now. I understand that making that choice has ruined my chances for a life with you in the future.”
My heart ached. “Your love for me was never in question. It’s your methods that have caused me pain. I will forgive you someday, but I’ll never forget. There’s no going back this time. I know I haven’t been an angel, but I never deserted you. Not ever. I’ve made my mistakes and I regret them deeply, but I always chose you. Now, I have to choose myself.”
He ran a trembling hand through his pale blond hair. “Well, Dragos was wrong about one thing. I guess I’m not the safe bet after all. I’m sorry, Gray. I wish I had centuries under my belt. I wish you didn’t. I wish for a lot of things these days.”
I whispered, “Me too.”
We stood motionless for what seemed like an eternity. The only sound came from our irregular heartbeats, thumping in our chests. We hadn’t known each other that long, but it felt like we had lived three lifetimes together. And other times, it was just a blur, gone within a blink of an eye.
A bittersweet smile spread across my face. “I’d do it again, though. All of it.”
He nodded. “Maybe someday we will.”
The sound of Dragos clearing his throat in the doorway pulled me back into the present. He leaned casually against the frame, a blank expression on his face. Aldric gave him a nod and brushed past him.
I let out a deep sigh. “Before you get upset, let me—”
“I’m not upset. You were saying farewell to that part of your life. I understand.” His smile was genuine.
I chuckled. “When did you get to be so diplomatic? Are you sure you don’t want to break something?” My tone was playful but hinted at a nugget of truth.
Dragos smirked. “Oh, I want to, but I won’t.” He chuckled but then his eyes softened. “I was wrong about another thing. Aldric isn’t weak. It takes a strong man to walk away from you. He might be a bit stupid, but not everyone can have brains and a pretty face.” He gave me a wink.
I laughed. “I love how humble you are.”
The ease between us, the playful banter, was a nice reprieve from the impending doom we were about to face.
As if reading my mind, his eyes darkened. “The Keeper has Pythia’s cell ready for her. I’m going to sit this excursion out. I don’t trust myself to not kill her.”
I nodded. “This shouldn’t take long. I’ll let you know when it’s done.” Truth be told, I didn’t exactly trust myself around her either. Just the thought of that wretched woman sent my Narcissus magic into overdrive. I could feel it scratching at the back of my throat as I climbed the stairs to her chambers. This time, her imprisonment would not be comfortable.
Pythia’s door was open when I approached. The look on her face told me she wasn’t expecting me. I lingered in the doorway for a moment, shaking my head and chuckling.
Her hands trembled. “To what do I owe this visit from our great Imperator?” Even in fear, she couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her voice.
I snickered. “I know it was you, Pythia. This whole time you’ve been under my roof, you’ve been feeding information to our enemies. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
She stammered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She winced as I breached the gap between us.
I flashed her a grin. “You were never a good liar. Now, I’m going to give you one chance to come clean. Tell me who has been helping you, and I’ll show you mercy.”
I could see the wheels in her head spinning, weighing her options. The notion of running flashed in her eyes.
Her lip quivered. She raised her chin and forced herself to look me in the eye. “It was just me. Arcadia and Tobias have nothing to do with this.”
I let out a sigh. “Well, that’s good to hear. When are you going to learn that your hatred for me doesn’t end well for you?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “You don’t deserve to be Imperator. That position belongs to Arcadia. You didn’t even want it. You took it just to spite me and her.”
My eyes shifted to black. “You have no idea what I want. Like it or not, I am the Imperator and you have committed treason against me. I’m here to escort you back to the catacombs, where you belong. The accommodations will not be as luxurious as the last.” It took all of my strength to not squeeze the life out of her.
Her lip quivered. “I understand. May I see Tobias first?”
I shook my head. “No. There will be no ceremonious goodbyes, no visitors, and no more velvet pillows. You tried to have me killed. More than once. You better pray that my mood doesn’t turn. I might decide to return the favor.”
She swallowed hard and lowered her head in submission. In one swift motion, I slapped her wrists in shackles and shoved her out the door, not that I needed them to restrain her, but more so she would feel humiliated.
I marched her through the Hall as the others gathered. Tobias was conveniently sent on an errand to Diana’s Forest. Valentina’s eyes flashed red at the sight of her. She let out a low growl and spat at Pythia’s feet. Aldric’s eyes were full of venom but he said nothing. The Keeper was the only one who showed concern. His eyes filled with tears and disappointment. I couldn’t say for sure, but I suspected he loved her once.
Pythia held her head high, proud and defiant with every step. We passed the armory, the war room, and her previous cell, still holding her furs and trinkets. I could feel her fighting to sneak a peek. To have one last look at her old comforts. But she kept her eyes straight ahead.
Her pulse quickened as I led her further down into the catacombs. The air thinned, and if it hadn’t been for the wall torches, we would have been in complete darkness.
We finally came to a stop at the end of the tunnel in front of a large steel door.
I put my hand on it and whispered, “Resigno.” The door made a clicking sound and drifted open.
Pythia’s eyes widened as she peered in. “You want me to go in there? You can’t be serious. Surely we can come to some sort of agreement.” Panic was creeping into her voice.
I pursed my lips. “You will get one blood bag every two days, so drink them sparingly. There is a chair in the corner. The only light you will have is from your Dhampir sight, so I suggest getting your bearings as soon as possible. Welcome to your new home.”
Her face twisted in horror. “How long will you keep me in here?”
I cocked my head to the side. “Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe forever. It’s a good thing we’re immortal. You never know, I might have a change of heart in a few hundred years. That is, if you don’t go mad before then.”
She let out a loud guttural scream as I shoved her into the cell and slammed the door. I placed my hand on it and whispered again—this time locking the door with a spell that only I could break.
A smile of satisfaction spread across my face as I heard her screams echo through the tunnels the whole way back. One down, two more to go. War or no war, there was going to be a reckoning.
I was looking for Dragos when I turned the corner to the study and froze. A warm tingling sensation spread through my limbs. The air around me sparked and vibrated. The sound of hushed voices radiated from inside. It hummed in my ears.
I darted through the door and my stomach flipped. Black jeans, black T-shirt, lopsided grin. The sweet taste of honey, a faint scent of ivy, and black feathers at my feet. Chaos had come. And he had brought a friend. I should have been relieved, but I was terrified. He had kept his word, but by the way he drank in the sight of me, I knew he had a few more tricks up his sleeve.
“Hello, little one. Did you miss me?” His eyes flickered with amusement.
I struggled to catch my breath. I tried to will my pulse to slow, but it only beat faster. And like being caught somewhere in between a dream and a nightmare, all I could muster was a whisper. “Yes.”
Seventeen
The room seemed to spin around me and then still. Either I managed to shake it off or Chaos was done toying with me for the moment. As the feeling began to return to my legs, I managed to tear my eyes away from him to address his companion—an equally attractive specimen with golden hair that hung down just below his ears. He had a similar twinkle of mischief in his green eyes. His white shirt was like a second skin, highlighting every curve of his chiseled chest.
The sound of clicking heels broke me out of my trance. Valentina sauntered into the room and let out a gasp.
Her eyes lit up. “Who hired the strippers?”
I shot her a look. “Val, this is Chaos and his friend… I’m sorry who are you?”
They glanced at each other and both erupted into laughter. The golden-haired Adonis gave a slight bow. “I am Dionysus, god of wine and merriment, and well…all the fun indulgences.” An ivy-covered wand poked out of his back pocket.
Valentina batted her eyelashes. “I love wine.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved her to the side. “Thank you for coming. I will call for the others. We can begin planning our attack.” If I could have made myself sound any more formal, I would have.
Chaos smirked. “Of course, but tonight we will feast. Dion and I will show ourselves to the dining hall. It’s not every day you get a visit from the gods.”
My stomach was in knots. Demons had left the Underworld, but he wanted to have a party. I flashed him a tight smile. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He lingered at the door to give me another wink.
As soon they were out of earshot, I let out a deep breath. “He is such a pain in the ass.”
Valentina giggled. “But handsome. Dragos is not going to like the way he looks at you. Neither will Aldric for that matter. This is going to be entertaining.”
I rolled my eyes. “We just need to keep them focused on the battle. I can’t handle any more distractions.”
She twirled a lock of her hair. “So, you admit he’s a distraction?”
I groaned and shook my head. “You’re insufferable,” I called out as I stomped down the hall.
Valentina loved a pretty face and she loved to taunt me even more, but if she really understood what Chaos was capable of, she would not be taking his presence so lightly. He was a god. A powerful and seductive one. He was also a trickster and could burn this whole world to the ground with a snap of his fingers. I had to tread carefully from here on out.
The presence of two gods in the Hall was creating quite a commotion. The Keeper insisted on giving them a tour of the entire property. By the time they reached the catacombs, Chaos’s eyes were practically glazed over.
As we entered the war room, to my surprise Aldric and Dragos were sharpening their weapons and not using them on each other. I almost fell over from shock.
The both of them looked up in alarm at the sight of Chaos and Dionysus. They stared each other down, sizing each other up. Valentina giggled as I let out an exasperated groan.
The Keeper was oblivious. He leaned in to Chaos. “This is where we train and where we will forge our new weapons.”
Chaos nodded toward Aldric and Dragos. “So, these two are your blacksmiths?” A hint of amusement twinkled in his eyes.
Dragos stiffened. “We are nothing of the sort. And who might you be?”
The Keeper paled. “I’ve forgotten my manners. Allow me to introduce to you Chaos and Dionysus. They have traveled all the way here from Elysium.”
Aldric raised an eyebrow. “You don’t look like gods.”
Dragos chuckled. “My sentiments exactly.” The tension in the air was thick.
I rolled my eyes. “Why don’t we all head to the dining hall. We can continue this exchange of ego-fueled antics there.” I turned on my heel and stomped out.
Dragos rushed to catch up with me as I charged down the hall. “Are you sure we can trust them?”
I let out a deep sigh. “What choice do we have? And when did you and Aldric get so chummy?”
He smirked. “When we realized we were both on the same side. Don’t get too used to it. I’m sure we will be at each other’s throats again when this is all over.”
I snorted. “How comforting.”
He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. “I’m serious, Gray. These gods could have their own agenda. They might try to manipulate the situation.”
I furrowed my brow. “I know that, but they are our only hope against fighting Cerberus and his army.”
He nodded. “Just promise me you’ll be careful around them.”
These days I had to be careful around everyone. The lines between allies and enemies were blurring and bleeding into each other. But I was no fool. I knew that Chaos would destroy all of us in a heartbeat if he thought that the tide was turning in Cerberus’s favor. If we didn’t stand a chance against him, Chaos would be the one to hammer in the last nail to our coffins.
The feast in the dining hall was reminiscent of the spread we had for my coronation ceremony. Without servants, everything had been created from magic. The only difference was this time there weren’t any mandolins or war drums to fill up the awkward silence as we all took a seat at the main table.
The Keeper raised a glass of sweet plum wine. “A toast. To new alliances and new friends. May we continue to receive Diana and Apollo’s blessings.”
We clanked our glasses together and eyed each other curiously. Would this be a blessing? Or just a quicker path to our ultimate demise?
Sensing my apprehension, Chaos flashed a warm smile. “I’d also like to raise a glass to Gray. Without her skills of persuasion, we would not be here.” He winked, and a wave of uneasiness passed through me. The notion that he was insinuating something more might have happened between us was making me uncomfortable.
My cheeks flushed under the heat of their stares. “Nonsense. I’m just happy that you were kind enough to come to our aid.�
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Dragos muttered under his breath, and Aldric’s mouth gaped open. The Keeper, either completely clueless or foolishly altruistic, pushed the subject in a different direction. He hammered the gods with questions about Elysium—the foliage, its people, and its laws. They were forthcoming and eager to answer his questions. They both seemed to enjoy being the center of attention. I, on the other hand, was relieved to not have it on me for once.
After drinking more wine and exchanging more pleasantries, Chaos’s eyes suddenly darkened. “Cerberus is strong. He will be hard to defeat. The other gods have given up on this world. They implored us to destroy it.”
My chest tightened. “But you aren’t going to do that, right?” A quiet hush fell over the room.
Chaos regarded me thoughtfully before speaking. “I gave you my word, little one, but I also warned you what would happen if things don’t go according to plan.”
The Keeper interjected. “They will.” His voice was soft, but firm.
I glanced around the table and locked eyes with Dragos. His jaw clenched. Aldric and Valentina sat there dumbfounded. “We have faced incredible odds before and succeeded. The Keeper is right. Our plan will work. We just have to stick to it.”
Dionysus smirked. “You immortals have so much heart. So much fight in you. It reminds me of how you used to be human.”
I drew in a sharp breath. “We live a very long time, but we can still be killed. You two are the only ones in this room who are truly immortal. You risk nothing by entering this battle. Keep that in mind when you are weighing the scales of our outcome.”
Chaos’s mouth tightened. “The Fates will decide. My offer still stands, Gray. We could leave tonight.”
Dragos sprang up from the table, his eyes flashing red. “Gray isn’t going anywhere with you. Get that through your head.”
Valentina’s heart beat fast. She placed a gentle hand over Dragos’s. “Brother, sit down. Now.”
The gods chuckled as they watched Dragos go from unhinged to crazed and then back to a semblance of calm as he lowered himself down into his chair.
Gods and Demons (Blood and Darkness Book 3) Page 11
