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“My dear?” he called, causing the muscles of my back to bunch. “Why don’t you come closer?”

I hesitated, and that odd smile of his faltered. Knowing I’d pushed my luck by engaging not once but twice with those who’d entered the chamber, I reminded myself of who was at stake. I took a breath, clearing my mind so I could become nothing again.

Empty.

Unaffected.

Then, I rose.

Too aware of their stares, where they lingered, and knowing I’d been able to see through Dametria’s gown in the light, I slowly walked toward the bars. I knew why Kolis had summoned me closer.

He wanted Kyn to look.

Just as he’d wanted Uros to do.

My heart started pounding. I couldn’t remember in the moment if this was something he’d done with his favorites—showing them off. Enjoying the knowledge that others wanted what he’d claimed as his. It had to be, considering he’d been well aware of how many of the gods had looked upon me. And he hadn’t said a word to them.

Well, except the one he’d killed.

But Kolis looked more pleased than murderous as Kyn lowered his glass and his gaze.

“What do you think now?” Kolis asked politely as if speaking about a painting.

Kyn’s jaw tightened as his perusal swept over me.

Holding myself still, I wanted to feel absolutely nothing, but that wasn’t the case. There was still too much of me present, which meant I hadn’t become a blank canvas. In truth, Kyn was ogling my chest to the point where I wouldn’t be all that dismayed if my breasts withered and fell off.

“She does draw the eye,” Kyn muttered.

“I know,” Kolis said. “You don’t want to think that, but you do.”

My gaze darted back to the false King. A glow of eather pulsed around him, and as it had with Uros, his attention was fixed on the other Primal.

But he seemed different this time. The tension was gone. He appeared relaxed.

“What would happen if she wasn’t in that cage?” Kolis let that question linger in the silence between them. “If she weren’t mine?”

The Primal’s chest rose with a deep breath, and his lips parted. Clearly, he could imagine it.

And I was imagining slitting his throat to the bone.

Kolis watched the other Primal, a sort of feverish look settling into the flesh of his cheeks and the gleam of his eyes. “You’d be between those lovely thighs or in that equally lovely ass of hers.”

Kyn smirked as I inhaled sharply. Like hell, he would. If I weren’t in this cage, I would have both their cocks lying bloody on the floor.

Holding that image in mind, I returned Kyn’s smirk.

The Primal’s eyes went bright as he stiffened. “If she’s not who you believe her to be? Your graeca?”

My nostrils flared. So, Kyn was aware of who Kolis believed me to be. Exactly how many knew about Kolis’s obsession? Everyone?

“If she’s not?” Kolis’s fingers tap, tap, tapped… “You can have her when I’m done with her.”

A wave of prickly heat swept over me as I stared at the Primal of Peace and Vengeance. The nothingness in me swelled. It wasn’t embarrassment over them discussing me as if I were nothing more than cattle, nor was it fear.

It was rage.

“Yeah.” Kyn’s smile widened, showing his fangs as the embers thrummed. “Yeah, I’ll take her.”