Page 81 of Daman

“You can’t have me or my army. We’ve already chosen a side in this war.”

“I’m well aware of that fact.” He pushed away from me. “Once again, those goddamn Nephilim foiled my plans by getting to you first. The water dragons allying with them? Whatever. They’re weak anyway. But you? Your army is strong.” Asa walked around me to Daman, and I fought against my invisible binding again, to no avail. He grabbed Daman by the throat and smirked at me. “How easy it would be to kill him right here and now. Maybe I will after all.”

“Take your hands off him!”

Please, I begged to any god who listened.Don’t let him be hurt.

Asa released Daman and returned to me. “See? The bond between you is only so strong because of fate’s plan. I can free you from that prison. Reject him.”

Memories of Daman cuddling against me entered my mind. The smell of his hair, the softness of his skin, even the furrowing of his brow when he was grouchy. Fate might have brought us together, but I’d freely chosen him. My heart wept at the thought of leaving him… of being with anyone else.

“Being with him is not a prison. He’s my home.”

Asa snarled. “I hate sentimental shit. Look. You allied with the angels because you were convinced I would set my sights on the dragons once the humans were under my feet, yes?” He gripped my chin. “Well, they lied. I value my allies, you see. So, I have a proposition for you. Change allegiances, fight by my side, and I’ll forget this little mishap ever happened.” He ran his fingers through my hair, and my skin crawled. “I know. You’re already married. Blah, blah. But it’s not too late to change that. You haven’t completed the mated bond with Envy, so you’re still free to walk away from him and make the right choice.”

“And you’re the right choice?”

“Of course.” A sinister grin stretched his lips. “On their side, you’ll die. All of you will. Your brother. That precious little niece of yours. Even the crippled boy you care so much for. As each day passes, I only get stronger. This is a war you can’t win. I’ve seen it.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I? Well, can’t blame you for thinking so. My father was the king of lies, or so the stories say. One way or another, you’ll see that I’m right. And you’ll either be at my feet, breathing your last breath when you realize it. Or you’ll be standing by my side victorious. The choice is yours.”

“If you’ve already seen your victory, why are you so desperate for my army?”

Got him.

Asa’s smirk fell. “You’re trying my patience.”

“You’re afraid. No matter how powerful you think you are, you can’t brainwash an entire army to follow you. That’s why you’re doing this. You need me to choose you so my army will choose you too. True devotion can’t be forced.”

His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened, turning to a deep crimson. “I’m close to finding something that will guarantee my victory in this war. A key that will open the heavens. You’re a fool to refuse me.”

A snowflake landed on my arm. The pocket of time he’d created was beginning to chip away.

I spit at him. It was the only thing I could do.

Asa surprised me by laughing—though it lacked any humor. He wiped the spit off his cheek before grabbing my jaw in a tight grip, his features distorting. Black swirled in his red eyes. “Think on what I said. I’ll give you time to decide.”

“I don’t need time. I have an answer for you now. Go fuck yourself.”

“You may feel differently later.” Asa took a step back, his gaze locked onto mine. He stepped farther into the wall of trees, shadows swallowing his body. All that remained was the eerie glowing of his red eyes. “Until we meet again.”

Time returned to normal.

Ivan and Efrem roared as they unfroze and dealt the final blow to the shades. Lev came down on one demon, slicing it in two. Snow continued to fall. Daman sliced the head off the shade in front of him before turning to me, a puzzled expression on his face.

“War? You good?”

Faintly, I heard Asa laugh. Was it real or only in my head?

“Y-Yes.”

No one seemed to have noticed that they’d been frozen at all.

***

“Tell me again.” Daman scrubbed his hands over his face. “What did Asa say? Exactly?”