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DIANA

“Are you ready?” Odious asks as he slips his gloves on.

We’re sitting at the end of my bed as we finish getting ready. The only downside to being in Daqet is that I am not allowed to leave my room. Odious has been the sole reason I have not gone insane being locked in here. He has the guard’s rotation down to the dot so he can sneak in during shift change, and I’m not sure what I would do without him.

I anxiously nod and don my gloves. I cannot believe things have come to this, but he knew. Rein knew what would happen and he’d never protected me, not like Odious.

After learning Rein was reading our letters a little less than a year ago, Odious and I had decided to meet in person at the stables in Eza. He explained to me that the night Lars had gotten his gift, he’d received a vision of a man who he thought was Lars would take part in the kidnapping of a princess. Odious had told his twin brother, Nasir, what he’d seen, and they’d both planned to kill him that night. When they’d made their move, his father had interfered before they could finish.

Their father had killed Nasir and beat Odious to a pulp, leading Lars to believe them both dead. That’s when Erebus had came into the picture, murdered their father, taken Viktoria, and then killed his own wife. Erebus and Viktoria had been having an affair, and had decided to end their marriage in the most savage way possible. A shiver runs down my spine just thinking about how truly sick a person must be to do such a horrid thing.

I truly did love Rein, but once Odious told me he had continued to read my mail every time the courier delivered it, my heart had shoved him out of the small space he took up. He’d betrayed my trust and failed to warn me when my life was in danger. No true lover would do such a thing.

Tonight, he will repent for his sins. Tonight, I pay him his penance.

When Odious had first told me about his vision, I had wanted to slit Lars’s throat the most, for obvious reasons. But then Odious had confided that Lars was blameless. Erebus had been holding the threat of killing their mother above his head for years if Lars did not do what he was told. That had included kidnapping and bringing me here.

But it doesn’t mean I can’t be bitter about it.

Odious also told me Lars was blessed by the God Zothos, the God of Deception and Tricks. He could manipulate anyone’s emotions or memories without a second thought, as well as change appearances and conjure objects from in-between worlds. This made me frightened for Silia, because I could tell she was growing fond of him before I’d left. I prayed to the Gods that she didn’t trust him.

I wonder if he has told Silia any of this.

“If you don’t want to do it yourself, I can always help.” Odious pulls me from my thoughts, and I reach over to grab his hand.

“I’m a big girl, Odious. I can handle myself.”

He laughs and kisses my knuckles. “You most certainly are.”

He pulls me onto his lap and plants kisses on every square inch of my face. I playfully slap his arm and giggle. “Odi! It’s time to be serious. We need to go before the guard comes back from his shift change.”

Odious pulls away, tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, then leans down to whisper, “As you wish, angel. Let’s go shed some blood.”

We make it through the hallways and into the below without being seen and find Rein’s cell with ease, as he’s the only person being held prisoner. I tell Odious to wait at the entrance to the prison to keep watch for any guards.

Surprisingly, Erebus has no guards stationed in or around the prison. He’s either confident that the cuffs he has on Rein will hold, or he’s just a fucking idiot.

Two things can be true at once, however.

I walk down the long, narrow hallway, trying to quiet my steps as I approach the traitor.

I lightly step in front of his cell door to find him sleeping on the floor. He’s still wearing those infernal cuffs, but it looks like the guards have shifted his hands in front of him instead of behind his back and latched him to a chain connected to the wall.

Odious had told me Erebus just had the manacles made, and they were used to funnel one’s gift into another person or object. Erebus doesn’t have him hooked up to anything, so it seems to just be hindering his gift and rendering him useless.

I kick the iron bar door to his cell, and he startles awake. I pretend I didn’t just slam my foot into the door and fall to my knees. I lower the hood to my cloak and muster up the fakest voice of concern I can.

“Rein! Are you all right?”

He sits up on his knees and shuffles to the door, gripping the bars separating us. “Diana, what are you doing here?” I place one of my hands on top of his, and his skin feels like ice compared to mine.

A shiver runs down my spine as I answer him. “I had to see you and make sure you were still alive. I snagged the keys off one of the guards!” I stand up and unlock the cell door, then step inside.

Rein stands, our chests almost touching. “Diana, it’s not safe for you here. You need to leave.”

Now he’s worried about my safety? What a joke.

“Rein, I was kidnapped. I did not come here of my own free will. I think Erebus is planning something terrible.” I cover my face with my hands and sob as hard as I can, earning a few fake tears in the process.

“I know, I know, Di.”

I hear the chains from his cuffs strain like he’s trying to reach out to me. “Diana, look at me.”

I remove my hands from my face and take a step closer to him. Pain and anxiety swirl in his chocolate brown eyes, and I almost reach out and cup his face in my hands. Almost.

“I need to tell you something.” Rein reaches out and takes my hands in his.

Here it comes. A year’s worth of secrets are about to spill from his lips.

“I love you. You have to know that I do. All these years, I have fallen deeper and deeper in love with you. When I close my eyes, all I see is your face and your beautiful blue eyes. I’m haunted by the fact I could not protect you.”

I’m stunned. This was not the confession I was expecting. I am at a loss for words.

“Please tell me you feel the same. Ease my aching heart and tell me I’m yours.” Rein’s breath begins to shake as tears well up in his eyes.

This time, I do reach out to him. His face finds its way between my hands, and he leans into my touch. Memories of us spending time together dance in my mind for a moment, before I remember the reason I’m here.

I have to kill him.

“Oh, Rein, if only you had told me sooner.” My own voice wavers as I release his face and reach behind my back.

“We need to leave, Diana. I believe Erebus means to hurt you.”

I take a deep breath and suck up the tears threatening to spill. “I know, Rein.”