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This misery was different.

Then a man appeared out of nothing—just like Wrath.

Dressed in the dark-blue uniform that Wrath himself wore, he looked like a king, the two-handed blade across his back. But this man was different in appearance, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was handsome like Wrath, but just from a single look, I could tell he was vile. “What have you decided?”

My father gave no distinct reaction at his appearance, like he’d expected this. “How will it happen…if I don’t choose her?”

Choose who?

“I’ll take your soul, here where you stand, and they’ll find your body at dawn. But you can avoid that, Talon Rothschild. Your dragon has agreed to serve you in this task.”

“How do you know that…?”

“Because I see everything—even when you don’t see me.”

I didn’t know my father was a necromancer, and I didn’t know that he’d made a deal with the God of the Underworld. And I didn’t know what they spoke of now. My father’s shoulders wereheavy from an invisible burden, and all the fire he had during the battle had burned to ash.

“Queen Eldinar occupies a tent with her husband to the south of the city. Slit his throat. Knock her out. Carry her from the camp to the outskirts where Khazmuda can meet you. He can carry her to my lands while you remain behind. No one will suspect you, and no one will notice that Khazmuda is gone.”

“She’s the one you want, isn’t she?”

Aunt Eldinar?

“Don’t be jealous, Talon Rothschild. You may be a king to men, but she’s a queen to something far greater. If you fail to choose her, you’ll devastate the two that love you unconditionally. Imagine Calista’s face at the sight of your body. She’s lost so much—and now she’ll lose you. And your dragon, your closest friend and confidant, the one who will grieve for you the most. While your service in the underworld will be agonizing, it will pale to the hurt they must carry for the rest of their lives.” He cocked his head slightly. “Can you really betray those you love most?” He was different from Wrath in every distinguishable way. Whenever he spoke, it was with barely contained mirth, like the suffering of others was truly addictive.

My father was quiet for a long time. He seemed to be soaking in his surroundings, even if most of it was scorched to nothing. “I’m the one who made this deal. I’m the one who must suffer the consequences.” His voice shook as he spoke, an invisible doom cast directly over him. My father had never sounded so wounded, like his entire body was pierced with little daggers. It was hard to watch. “I can’t let her take my place.”

“So be it.” Within the blink of an eye, Bahamut changed, shedding his human form for the monster underneath. His skin was gray, the muscles exposed without skin, his dead heart visibly beating on the surface of his chest. He was suddenly two feet taller, with his eyes a solid black color. He pressed a palm to my father’s chest and broke through the armor.

Tears burst into my eyes, and I looked away, unable to watch what came next. “Stop. Make it stop.”

It suddenly went silent.

All I could hear was the sound of the torches and braziers.

But my eyes were still clenched shut, and I was afraid to breathe.

Wrath moved in front of me and gently grabbed the tops of my arms. “It’s gone.”

It took several breaths before I had the courage to open my eyes. They were wet, wet enough that tears dripped.

“You know how this story ends. It’s okay,Xivin.” His hands went to my cheeks, and both of his thumbs caught the tears as they streaked to my lips. He was Bahamut’s replacement, but he was so gentle and tender.

“So…what happened?”

“After your father lost his family, he sought out Bahamut on the seas. When he found him, he made a deal. He would forfeit his eternal soul in exchange for the power to reclaim his kingdom and avenge his loved ones.” His hands slid down to my neck and cradled my face. “That’s what gave him the power to command the dead.”

“So Bahamut…took him to the underworld?”

He nodded.

“How—how did he escape?”

“Queen Eldinar and your mother petitioned Riviana, the God of Caelum. Your father had previously saved the Great Tree in Riviana Star, the gateway to the Realm of Caelum, so Riviana opened the portal that separated the realms and freed him from his imprisonment. But when she did so, the portal remained open, and Bahamut became mortal and led his army to the Great Tree to take the Realm of Caelum for himself. A great battle took place, and your father prevailed with the aid of the dragons he saved.”

“I didn’t know any of this.” I felt like an immense piece of my family history had been kept from me.

“It was a victorious time—and also a painful one,” he said. “I was appointed as Bahamut’s successor shortly afterward. Your father made a deal and didn’t uphold his end of the bargain, and that has angered me for these last decades.”