Page 187

Between us, the Thief’s progress slows.

He looks over his shoulder at me. “You will pay for this later,” he says, his voice laced with venom.

The room around us darkens with Des’s vengeance.

People like us are someone’s nightmare.

I narrow my eyes on the Thief, and smile a little. “I don’t think so.”

The King of Night comes to the edge of the pool and crouches down, studying our foe. The Thief jerks against the incessant pull driving him downwards.

“You might have power, Euribios,” Des eventually says, “but there is one thing you never considered.”

My heart beats faster. Somehow, Des orchestrated this.

“Loyalty.”

Euribios’s back is to me; what I would give to see this conniving monster’s expression.

“For centuries, the shadows and I have been the closest of confidants.”

The shadows speak to me, Des admitted back on earth. It was how he learned so many secrets.

“Do you think that means anything to them? To me?” the Thief says. “I existed before the dawn of day.”

The shadows around us begin to shiver and grow.

“Do you know what they told me?” Des says.

Euribios falls silent.

Des’s face hardens. “Even shadows can deceive and gods can die.”

Des looks atme then, and like a thunderclap, I feel that look down to my bones.

Love, love as endless as the night. That’s all I see in his eyes.

“Now, my queen,” the Night King says to me, “where were you?”

He’s handing off the torch, letting me resume the insidious task I’d begun.

Slowly, a smile creeps along my face.

Vengeance, at last.

I lift my chin. “Des, you are to ignore every command I give from this point forward.”

His eyes flash with devilish delight. “As you wish, my sweet siren.”

With that parting line, he vanishes, melting into the darkness as he has so many other times since I first met him. Our bond sings, and I can feel him down the other end of it, sure and steady.

My gaze moves to the Thief, and my whole persona changes. For a minute, I set aside the knowledge that Des appears to be alive and well.

Right now, an entity needs to pay.

“Face me, Euribios.”

Slowly, the god rotates around, his expression incredulous.