“Now, looking back, she was the one who told Dansby to go to that club.”
“Dansby, I’ve heard of that before. You said that when I got my shell.”
Now that I was thinking about it, he’d lost control that day, just like he was doing now. Part of me wondered if he had taken on too much power over the years. Was he on the brink of insanity?
“That’s when I started to realize perhaps I was being played. The day you got your true form.” He reared back and punched the metal door frame going into the bathroom. I flinched as I heard the bones in his hand break. “She knew how this was all going to unfold, but she didn’t tell me.”
“Look at me. Austin, please,” I begged. His blue eyes met mine, and for the first time since I’d walked into the room, some of the fog clouding his vision started to clear. “Talk to me. Explain things.”
“You calm me,” he said, as he took two giant strides towards me. His startling blue eyes roamed my face, asking me for some answer I wasn’t privy to, because I didn’t know the question. I barely recognized this Austin. The one who was silently out of control. Where had the arrogant, over-confident Austin gone?
His hand reached out to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind my ear. I grabbed his wrist, holding his hand to my face. “I shouldn’t care but I do. What’s going on with you?”
He gave a laugh without any mirth. “You care?” At my nod, he said, “Well, then my fears have come true and I’m about to majorly disappoint you.” He closed his eyes before he said, “I’ve lied to you this entire time. I’ve said things. Horrible things to try and keep a distance between us when it was just a losing battle. The truth is I’m the evil one.”
I could tell by his body language he thought he told the truth, but the demon in me knew evil when I saw it, and Austin was far from it. I stood there, waiting patiently. Whatever had caused him this much stress couldn’t be good. My stomach tightened in knots. When he didn’t resume speaking, I said, “Austin, I’ve done some pretty bad things I would consider evil, but I can promise you that each time I did those despicable acts, it was because I was backed in a corner. A lot of us would do anything it took to survive. Why don’t you unload what’s on your mind?”
“You will hate me afterward.”
My lips tugged up in a smile. “Would you care if a demon hated you?”
“I’d care if you hated me, yes.”
He pulled away from me and went over to the mini-fridge to pour himself a drink. I sat on the edge of the bed and quietly scooted the box over to me while I impatiently waited for him to explain what was going on.
“In the enchanted maze I saw my friend.” His deep voice was strained. “Dansby is my best friend. He has been since second grade. His powers aren’t phenomenal—in fact they aren’t even mediocre. He can tell when someone is lying. That is his power. His only power. Because he isn’t powerful, most supernaturals can’t recognize him as one of their own, allowing him to slide under the radar. Dansby has always thought he was a lot slicker than what he really was. I’ve recently found out that Ariana had a run-in with Dansby. She gave him an idea, and within a week he had started playing in underground casinos where supernaturals were known to frequent and party. The casino is layered with heavy magic to create a safe zone. All factions from the Lux and Degenerates can play in the casino without fear of losing their life. There are two rules: no fighting and no cheating. Break either of those, and you forfeit your life to the one you accosted. Dansby would play several hands of poker, sometimes purposefully losing just to come back and win a big hand. He had an advantage. He knew when someone lied about their hand. He made a lot of money that first month. Drew a lot of attention to himself. So much in fact that he earned himself a nickname, they called him lucky. One night he was playing against a group of Degenerates. Long story short, they caught him cheating. They have him now.”
My heart dropped. “Ariana set him up?”
“I believe so, yes. I wouldn’t be shocked at this point if she tipped the other players off.”
“Why would she do that?”
He swished the whiskey around in his glass. “Exactly.”
“He’s still alive?” At his nod, I asked, “If he’s not powerful, why are they keeping him alive?”
“Because I am powerful, and these Degenerates have a need for my talent.” He nodded at the box at my fingertips. “That box you’ve very coyly tried to get close to, flip the lid.”
And I thought I was in stealth mode. I flipped the lid off the box and winced. “Is that what I think it is?” He nodded. “And it belongs to Dansby?”
“Unfortunately.”
I looked at the bloody pinky finger resting in the box. Someone was sending Austin a message. “Okay, well,” I said, reclining on my elbows. This was a super easy fix. I didn’t know why he was wigging out so bad. “Why are we sitting here? Let’s go get him back.”
He laughed without humor. “An evil queen would never say that but I’m not surprised. See, here lies the problem. Demons have him.” Dread pooled in my stomach. Of course they did if he found the box earlier in my chambers. I was slowly connecting the dots. “They have offered him to me for an exchange.”
I sat up and eyed the door, ready to flee. I had a sinking feeling I knew what the exchange was. “Let me guess. These Degenerates are under lords?” When he wouldn’t meet my eyes, I said, “You’ve offered me up on a platter, huh? Let me take another stab in the dark here. The under lords were also the ones who made you take the vow of stripping my powers.”
Everything was quiet. We both just stared at each other. He knocked back the whiskey and then slammed his empty glass down on the bar.
“How long have you known about this little exchange?”
“From the beginning. As soon as Dansby went missing four weeks ago, I got a phone call. Ariana told me I would need to find the key in order to rescue my friend. She said just by looking for the key, it would bring the Demon Queen into my life, and you were the only thing the under lords were willing to barter Dansby for.”
“Let me guess, the demons didn’t tell you this, but the soothsayer relayed the info?”
He nodded. That dang soothsayer probably told the demons to kidnap Dansby, and how they could use him as a pawn.
“Yeah, she set me up,” he said, as he drained his glass again. “It gets worse. You see, I didn’t need the key to track you down. Without your shell, I could have easily found you and handed you over to the under lords. I was told that when I crossed paths with you, you would ask something of me, and if I didn’t find what you were looking for, I would forfeit my friend’s life. Also, I could not make the exchange until after I had the key in my hands.”
He took out the small black ball and sat it on the counter. We both stared at the object.
“But you don’t believe any of that to be true?” I asked.
“No, I don’t. I also don’t believe we needed to go into a portal to rescue that overgrown fish. And yet Ariana said if I didn’t rescue Malakian, I would never know the location of Dansby. That day at the bar when she called me, it was as if she kept adding on and changing the rules. Every time I’d get close to the key, something would change. She told me I wasn’t to attempt his rescue until her or her protégée contacted me. She played me, and I let her because Dansby is like a brother to me.”
My voice tight, I said, “Yeah, that part I wouldn’t understand. After all, my only sibling tried to kill me. Here’s another thing I don’t understand. You belittled me from the beginning. You even reprimanded me for not caring about the key, and you were never truly interested in it. You also acted like you had to be talked into working with me.”
“If I would have immediately taken your help, wouldn’t it have been suspicious?”
I frowned. I’d give him that.
“And don’t get me wrong. I think it’s important that someone retrieves the key from the Degenerates. I just never thought I was that guy.”
I was so freak
ing hurt, but I wouldn’t show him that. I tilted my chin up. “When you didn’t leave me on the plane or when you saved my life, it wasn’t because you cared. It was because I was your bargaining chip, and you couldn’t ruin that.” He made a motion to reach for me. “Don’t you dare touch me. Ever again.”
“Carmen, that wasn’t the reason.”
“Yeah?” I snarled. “Well, enlighten me. What was the reason then?”
“I figured out why she gave me—us—the runaround.” He reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me off the bed. My whole body stiffened. Was this where he stripped me of my powers? “Because I needed the time to fall in love with you.”
“What?” I gasped.
“Because you see, you’re my mate.”
Everything in me shifted. I felt sucker-punched. Air was no longer circulating through my lungs. I could hear the ancient clock on the bedside table ticking. I had a fleeting moment where I felt hope … the thought of being someone’s mate. It was the rarest form of love; could I possibly have that? Then sanity came crashing back Not only could I not have that, but this man was willing for his mate to be the sacrificial lamb. Talk about shitty luck.
I jerked my wrist out of his grasp. “That makes it worse, doesn’t it? So tell me, why did you share this info with me? Why not just let it all be a surprise?” At his silence, I tilted my head sideways. “So what now? Is this the part where you drag me kicking and screaming to wherever the tradeoff place is?”
Without waiting for an answer, I went on the offense. With all the power I owned, I threw a combination of punches to his face while sending terrifying images to his brain. I hoped he wouldn’t be able to discern what was real or not and allow me the time I needed to kill him. After I spun around, the heel of my foot careened into his throat. A split second before it connected, I realized I had pulled the hit to soften the blow. I could have easily broken his windpipe but I didn’t. He deflected my next hits, but it was clear he wasn’t trying to spar with me. He was trying to lessen the damage I was doing to him. He had betrayed me, and yet I didn’t want to kill this man because I cared for him. I wasn’t fit to be a queen. Just as I had decided to retreat, teleport myself far away from him, he grabbed me around the waist, and we both toppled over on the floor. Ropes of smoke flew out of me, wrapping around him and squeezing.
He gritted his teeth in pain, but he didn’t let me go. “I told you because I needed you to understand. Remember when you were willing to do anything including breaking a vow to save Tally? I made vows before I even knew you. I have to honor them but I vow to you I will fix this.” There was such finality in those words. I wasn’t shocked when I felt the power being drained from my body. Betrayed, hurt, pissed, but shocked? No.
He climbed to his feet as I lay there on the carpet embarrassed as a lone tear trailed down my face. I quickly dashed it away. I watched him as he ambled over to the bar and poured another drink. He drained it in less than a second then threw the empty glass at the wall. I winced as it shattered into a million pieces.
I could hear the pounding of footsteps outside of my door. Before my uncle and the other under lords busted into the room, I heard the man that I had fallen in love with whisper, “I’m sorry.”
As I came face to face with my uncle and reality sunk in, I knew what utter betrayal felt like.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Twenty hours later, I sat chained to a wall completely powerless. The chains were overkill, but I guess they made a statement to every demon who decided to come to the dungeon area. I was like a freak show act. The demons would come point at me, make jokes, and then walk away. I gave another vicious tug on my chain. If I could get loose even powerless, I’d make them pay. Somehow, I’d make them pay.
A demon shuffled toward my cell. I knew who it was before I even looked up. “So what’s the plan, uncle? Keep me chained up for eternity?”
His black eyes leered at me. “Don’t be silly, niece. I’m only keeping you chained up long enough for every demon here to realize you aren’t as powerful as what was foretold.”
I blew a piece of hair out of my eye. “Foretold?”
“Ah, yes. The reason you were tortured so violently. We couldn’t kill you outright, but you deserved punishment for the false prophecy. The records have been destroyed, but there are still a few that are loyal to the crown who remember that night. You see, niece, a long time ago a soothsayer predicted you would come along, and you would make the demon nation more powerful than it ever has been before by changing us for the better. Then you would bring us to our knees in submission. I have a problem with that. Several, actually. We don’t need change. We don’t accept change, and we don’t bow before anyone. So you are chained for those who remember the old telling. I want them to see how wrong that soothsayer was. When I rule, no one will doubt I am the true intended ruler.”
I refused to act interested in anything he had to say. I faked yawn. “Sorry, I might have taken a power nap. When’s lunch?”
His fist hit the bars that separated us. “Your death will be a public one. It’s within the hour. Prepare for it.”
“Prepare for it? How does one prepare for a public execution? Like should I meditate or do some yoga and shirt?” I rolled my eyes. It would be nice to be able to cuss on my death bed. “You’re a joke, and that’s what you’ll still be when you’re officially named King of the Demons. A joke. Just like your sorry ash brother.”
He bared his teeth at me and I just laughed. He could kill me, but he would never have my respect or my fear again.
I waited until I could no longer hear his footsteps before I let out a sigh. So, this is how I would go out? I imagined something a little more dramatic. Instead, I would be led like a goat to be slaughtered in front of a bunch of morons.
I heard a giggle and then a deep southern accent. I banged my head against the wall. What had I ever done to deserve to be tortured like this? Seeing her again? Ugh. The next hour couldn’t pass soon enough.
“Why hello. So we meet again.”
“What’s up, buttercup? Heard about what cuddle bear did to you. So unfortunate. Men, right?”
Her eyes narrowed as she licked her pink lips. She started to grab the filthy bars between us but then thought better of it. She probably didn’t want to ruin her manicure. Sarah tossed her brown hair behind her in an exaggerated motion.
“I hear he was the one to actually put you here.” I gave her my most bored expression. “Oh dear, did you think he wouldn’t betray you?” She laughed like a dolphin.
“I guess the real question is, why are you here?”
“Oh hon, I never left.”
What? Austin had said he took her far away. “Is that right, Mary?”
She glared at me. “You know my name. But what you don’t know is that I overheard some of the conversation Ariana had with Austin. I’m not as stupid as I seem.”
“That’s terrific news because there for a while even I felt sorry for you.”
“Funny. So after I threatened Austin that I would tell you everything.”
“Why didn’t he just kill you and save us all the trouble of ever having to listen to your voice again?”
“He thought I was vindictive but harmless. Plus, I had a fail-safe plan. I had contacted my friends and let them know that if I didn’t check in once a day they were to contact you with what I had learned.”
“You have friends?”
She glared at me. “I’ve been trying to escape this stupid place but it’s impossible with all of its mazes. Good news is I found your uncle. He’s taking me right now to meet the other under lords. He is going to let me be a part of a ceremony. It will make me a more powerful witch. Then he is personally going to escort me out of this horrible place.”
I shook my head. “Nope. He’s going to kill you. The under lords have a thing for witches. Especially ones that are found where they don’t belong. You need to run and hide. You need to—”
“Stop your lies. I just wanted you
to know Austin never loved you, just like he never loved me. The only difference between our stories is that I will walk away one of the most powerful witches to ever have lived, and you will die here tonight in this sad place.”
She’d be dead before I would. There was no reasoning with her, though. I would actually be one of the last faces she saw before the under lords killed her.
“I just wanted to come down here,” she said, “to tell you why he betrayed you so easily.”
I knew why. For his friend. “I’m not interested in conversing with you.”
“But surely you want to know the reason he hates you so much is because your father killed his mother when he was a toddler.”
My throat was dry. “What?” She knew she had me. She smirked. I had so many questions, but it bugged me she felt so great about bringing me so much pain. “Tell me, Mary, how did your sister end up with the key? I mean, that was a real shirt show if I’ve ever seen one. There wasn’t one witch there even remotely powerful.”
She was so taken aback by my question she answered honestly. “A soothsayer gave them the key.” Dang Ariana. “But … but Austin, he—”
“Meh. I’m done talking about him. I’m over it.”
That was not the answer she wanted. She wanted to break me, but you couldn’t break something that already felt broken. I might die tonight, but I wouldn’t let her try to hurt me for her enjoyment. She stormed off and to her retreating back, I yelled, “They really will hurt you. You should run.”
I could hear her dolphin laugh as she walked past the cells and up the stairs. It was a shame she wouldn’t listen to me.
Twenty minutes later, I heard drums. They would beat for the next thirty minutes letting everyone know to meet on level twelve. There would be a very important execution. Mine. I gave my chains another tug. This was not how I wanted to go out, being betrayed by the man I had fallen in love with. He had used me from day one. My father had killed his mother. No wonder he hated demons so much. The only reason he didn’t open up to me and tell me about his past was because he had planned all along to end my future. I felt my eyes fill. I clutched my teeth and willed the tears away. I would not cry.
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