Page 36 of Infernal Crown (Cursed Darkness (DarkHallow Academy) #3)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

LYSITHEA

The throne room of Verik’s palace stretches around us, all sharp edges and molten veins that pulse with heat. Verik sits on his throne like he was born to it.

But I can’t stop fidgeting.

The Infernal Crown weighs heavily on my head, its metal warm against my scalp. Divine power hums through it like a barely contained storm, and I know that wearing it means I can travel between realms without dying. I can leave DarkHallow. I can stay here with Verik while he builds his kingdom.

The problem is, I don’t know if I want to. Not permanently, anyway. That again is just being trapped.

“You’re thinking too loud,” Dathan observes. His silver eyes watch me with the kind of attention that means he’s reading every micro-expression on my face.

“I’m thinking at a perfectly reasonable volume,” I mutter.

“You’re broadcasting,” Evren says. His posture is casual, but his ice-blue eyes are alert. “The conflict is written all over your face.”

I crawl off Verik’s lap and pace to the massive windows that overlook his realm. The landscape spreads out below us with jagged peaks and rivers of lava, beautiful in its harsh way. This could be home. This could be my kingdom, ruling beside a man I love in a realm that bends to his will.

But it’s just another prison if I commit to being Queen here and nothing else.

“I have two more years left,” I say, the words falling into the silence like stones into still water. “Two more years at DarkHallow before I graduate.”

“So?” Verik asks, but his voice carries a tension that wasn’t there a moment ago.

I turn to face them, leaning back against the window. The heat from the glass warms my back through my dress. “So, I want to finish.”

The silence that follows tastes of surprise and something else. Disappointment, maybe. Or fear.

“You want to go back,” Evren says. Not a question.

“I want to finish what I started. I’m a third-year student at an academy for monsters. I was given this opportunity, regardless of how, it got me out of Clara’s reach. I owe it to myself and Blackgrove.”

“You do,” Verik says, nodding slowly.

“And you should finish,” Dathan adds. “You’ve worked too hard to walk away now.”

Relief floods through me at their understanding. “But I don’t want to lose this either.” I gesture between us, the weight of the Crown making the movement feel significant. “I don’t want to choose between my education and you three.”

“Then don’t choose,” Evren says simply. “The Crown lets you travel between realms. Use it.”

“It’s that easy?” I ask, though I can feel the truth in the divine power humming through the metal against my skull.

“It’s that easy,” Verik confirms. “You go to classes, you come home to us. You have assignments, you work on them here. You need to research something specific, you use DarkHallow’s resources and return when you’re done.”

The simplicity of it makes me laugh. “I’ve been overthinking this, haven’t I?”

“Spectacularly,” Dathan grins. “Though to be fair, we’ve all had a lot on our minds lately.”

“What about your kingdom?” I ask Verik. “Won’t you need me here full-time to help establish your rule?”

“This is my throne, my realm,” he points out. “I think I can manage a few hours here and there while you attend lectures.”

“Besides,” Evren says, “having a queen who’s also completing her education at the most prestigious supernatural academy sends a certain message about the kind of ruler you’ll be.”

“What kind of message?”

“That knowledge matters. That learning continues even after you’ve gained power.” His ice-blue eyes hold mine. “That this kingdom values growth over stagnation.”

The idea sends warmth through me that has nothing to do with the still-melting rock all around. “It’s not just to finish. I think I want what Blackgrove offered. Teaching or mentorship.”

“Then it’s settled,” Verik says, rising from his throne to join me at the window. “You finish your education. We support that completely.”

“What about you two?” I say, looking at Dathan and Evren. “Will you stay here?”

“That’s up to them,” Verik says quickly, “But I need a court, so it’s up to you.”

“Aww,” Dathan says, “are you inviting us to be by your side?”

“Shut up,” Verik growls. “I need strategically placed people I trust.”

“I’m staying,” Evren says. “I got my life back, I don’t want to waste it at DarkHallow. Besides, I feel the old powers returning fast. You could use a Harbinger around here.”

“As long as it’s not one of doom,” Verik snorts.

“Hey. I don’t control what the sight gives me,” Evren chides. “Do you want my services or not?”

“Want,” Verik says instantly. “You’re right. You will be invaluable. And Dathan? Head of security?”

Dathan grins. “Thought you’d never ask. I’ll whip, well, whoever the fuck into shape. Suppose you need to figure that out.”

I lean back against Verik’s chest, feeling the tension I’ve carried for days finally dissolving. “So, we’ll make it work.”

“We’ll make it work,” he confirms, pressing a kiss to my temple, just below the Crown.

“When do you want to go back?” Dathan asks.

“Now,” I say without hesitation. “I want to talk to Blackgrove about everything that’s happened. About the Crown returning, about what this means for my remaining two years, and about potential teaching or mentoring opportunities.”

“Blackgrove will definitely want to discuss that,” Evren says. “You are connected to DarkHallow, he will want to keep you close.”

I turn in Verik’s arms to face the room, taking in the three men who’ve become my entire world. “Are you sure about this? About me dividing my time between here and DarkHallow?”

“We’re sure,” Verik says firmly. “You matter. Your growth matters. Your freedom matters. We’re not going to be the kind of men who hold you back from becoming everything you’re meant to be.”

“You are the most understanding king,” I say, rising on my toes to kiss him. “Thank you. For supporting this, for not making me choose.”

“Thank you for trusting us enough to tell us what you really wanted instead of trying to sacrifice it for our sake,” he says against my lips. “And let’s not go around telling my demons how understanding I am, yeah?”

I snicker. “Your secret is safe with me.” I pull away from Verik and glance around the throne room one more time, taking in the sharp architecture and the heat that never quite dissipates. It’s already starting to feel familiar, which is both comforting and slightly terrifying.

“Right then,” I say, straightening the Crown on my head. “Let’s get this done. The sooner I talk to Blackgrove, the sooner we can establish a proper routine.”

“Do you want one of us to come?” Evren asks.

I consider it for a moment, then shake my head. “No. This is something I need to do myself. Besides, you have a lot of work to do here. Verik needs to start organising his court, and that means figuring out who’s loyal and who needs to have their head removed.”

“Ideally, without creating more rebellions,” Verik mutters. “Though I suppose a few strategic examples wouldn’t go amiss.”

“See? You’re already thinking like a proper tyrant,” I tease.

He grins.

The Crown’s power responds to my intention immediately, divine energy flowing through me in a way that’s mine. Whatever will happen with the grimoire, whether it’s back or not, I will find out eventually. I’m sure it will make itself known if it hasn’t been truly erased.

Verik’s fingers work through the air, and a portal appears in the corner, a doorway straight back to DarkHallow. With a soft smile, I slip through the portal back to the academy with the Crown still warm against my scalp, its power humming through my veins like liquid starlight.

The academy feels more normal now. Whatever that is. The oppressive weight of the grimoire’s influence is gone completely. I can feel it through my connection to this place, the way the magic flows more freely, less constrained by cosmic interference.

I make my way through the familiar hallways, past classrooms where lectures continue as if the universe wasn’t nearly unmade. Not that they know that, but still.

Blackgrove’s office looms ahead, the gargoyles flanking his door watching me with their usual malevolent interest. Before I can knock, the door swings open.

“Miss Lysithea,” Blackgrove says from behind his desk, not bothering to look up from whatever he’s writing. “Care to explain why there is not one portal but two to Mr Verik’s realm open on my grounds?”

Ah shit. Verik didn’t close the one in the far east corner yet. “Verik will close one of them. The other needs to stay open.”

“Why?”

“Look at me.”

He pauses, annoyed at my demand, but he raises his eyes to mine. Then they keep going up as he takes in the Crown.

“Oh my,” he murmurs.

“You don’t say. It returned earlier after a dream I had where Tenny spoke to me.”

“It’s back?”

“You tell me.”

“I can’t,” he admits, setting down his pen with deliberate care. “The grimoire’s presence has vanished entirely from my awareness. Whether it’s truly destroyed or simply dormant, I cannot say with certainty.”

My stomach drops. “That’s not reassuring.”

“Absolute truth rarely is.” He stands, moving around his desk to study the Crown more closely. He doesn’t touch it, but his eyes trace the metal with the kind of attention that makes my scalp prickle. “The Crown returned to you. This proves what I knew all along.”

“Which is?”

“That you are a rare and magnificent creature, Miss Lysithea. A goddess.”

“Yeah, about that. Goddess of what? Absolute Truth?”

He smiles, a genuinely amused smile that looks weird and creepy on his face. “Well, I don’t know. Can you lie?”

I frown. “You are such a kind creature, Professor Blackgrove. So thoughtful and magnanimous.”

His bark of laughter is abrupt. “Oh, I do like you, Miss Lysithea. I will miss your wit when you’re gone.”

“Who says I’m going anywhere?” I ask, not wanting to push the goddess of what question. Clearly not the Absolute Truth, seeing as I just lied my arse off. Maybe time will tell.

He gestures to the chair across from his desk. “Sit. Tell me what you’ve decided.”

I settle into the leather chair. “I want to finish my education here. Two more years.”

“And?”

“And I’d like to discuss the teaching position you mentioned. Or mentorship. Whatever you think would work best.”

Blackgrove returns to his seat, steepling his fingers. “You wish to divide your time between DarkHallow and a hell realm.”

“Yes.”

“While wearing an artefact of divine power that may or may not be connected to a cosmic force we cannot confirm is destroyed.”

“When you put it like that, it sounds irresponsible.”

“It sounds fascinating,” he corrects.

“Is that a problem?”

“On the contrary. It’s an opportunity.”

Relief floods through me. “So you’ll allow it?”

“Allow it? Miss Lysithea, I’m going to require it.

” His eyes meet mine, sharp and calculating.

“Having a goddess-in- residence who also rules a hell dimension sends a very particular message about DarkHallow’s reach.

But I suggest you don’t prance about with that ridiculous thing on your head.

Students will think you’ve lost your mind. ”

I snort and pull it off, my cheeks warming slightly at the rebuke. “Fair point. Though I’m pretty sure half the students already think I’ve lost my mind.”

“Only half?” He arches an eyebrow. “You’re slipping. You’ll continue your regular coursework, but I’ll add a mentorship component. You’ll work with first and second-year students who need additional support with their abilities.”

“Which students?”

“The dangerous ones.”

“That doesn’t narrow it down.”

“Lower-level of the residence dangerous.”

I nod, now we’re getting somewhere. “This is going to be interesting. Thank you for entertaining it.”

“It will be a mutually beneficial relationship, Miss Lysithea.”

I nod and rise out of the chair. “I’ll be going back at the end of classes and returning for classes in the morning.”

He nods and picks up his pen again before he goes back to whatever he was doing when I arrived.

That was easier than I thought.