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Chapter 48

Adrian

I 'd kill for a coffee.

I rubbed my eyes, cracking my neck until I heard the pop as I shook off the sleepy haze that clung to me.

It was nearing noon, a fact that had me wanting to curl back up and continue to sleep the final day away before the vote. I wasn't used to being up now, and my mind was a hazy mess of tired and jittery. Normally, I'd still be curled up with Aaliyah, watching over her while she slept, just to get a few more hours near her.

She was pale when I'd left the bed, with shadows under her eyes a constant reminder of why I was doing this. Yesterday had taken its toll on her, the return of her memories hitting harder than she was letting on.

I saw it in every move she made, in the haunted looks she thought she hid so well. If we weren't so close to First Rights, I wouldn't have even dreamed of leaving her side.

But tensions were rising. Those on both sides would be looking for allies. I'd be looking for ammunition.

Unfortunately, those that could be used would be in the grand hall by now, schmoozing it up with the other bigwigs and trying to prove who had the biggest cock. The answer would always be the Three … not that any of them would admit that.

"Headed out?" Eirik asked, nodding at me from where he stood by the island as I walked by.

The tension he held was a nasty thing, his shoulders bunched tight, his eyes shadowed. The weight of the world that had sunk so heavily on our eldest now sat with Eirik. He reached for his neck, hand finding air before he touched the scar that sliced across his throat.

"Yeah, have some allies to sway. Hold down the fort?" I asked.

Eirik just nodded absently. We hadn't heard anything yet from our eldest, after he'd descended into the Pits thanks to Darius's call for Retaliation, but his bond hadn't wavered. We could only hope he managed to find whatever it was he was looking for, and that it was enough to take down Darius the Great.

It would be a win like no other. Darius was old, pretty much evil-villain-level powerful, and his allies would be more likely to sway toward us with him out of the picture.

"Axius?" Eirik grunted, and I nodded once.

The wary Gargoyle was going to be a tough nut to crack. Axius was inflexible . From everything I'd read on him, he was staunchly protective of Hyland, no matter how terrible his brother grew to be. But something about him felt good . Stupid, and blindly loyal, sure.

But with the right push, he could be useful.

"I'll do what I can," I said, though, not really holding much hope for it.

Eirik surprised me when he spoke. "We don't want Hyland keeping the spot. Any ally we can get, we should take advantage of. Valen said the same."

The gravity of that sentiment didn't fall away, and now more than ever, that was true.

Our allies had been in shambles before this, held together by an idea that barely had enough weight to get off the ground. With the terror that had come after Sebek had exposed Aaliyah, it was a miracle there were allies left to be had. Sebek knew what he was doing.

He was crazy, bat shit and beyond the point of madness, something he'd proven when he'd outed Ali … but there was no one else that could plan like he could. It was terrifying.

"I'll get it done," I said and turned toward the door.

"I know you will, Adrian." Eirik's vote of confidence helped to settle some of the worry that held me down. "Be safe, brother."

I smirked at him over my shoulder, waving as I walked out the door and into the hallway. "Always."

The door closed, and the mask fell away.

I rubbed my hands over my face, struggling to keep myself steady as I rocked my head from side to side again. I was exhausted, shaking, and, if I were honest, barely standing.

I made a rather piss-poor Collector right now.

My vision sharpened as the walls slowly shifted around me. It was a short walk to the main hall. The Eternium took me right there, thank God, the floor beneath my feet wavering as though it were only an illusion.

Then I was turning a corner, and there I was, in a sea of deceit. I was used to dealing with the power hungry, with those that thought themselves at the top of the world, but to see so many?

It was going to be a long day.

"Trouble sleeping?" a voice asked, and I turned to smile at Fallon as he stepped up to my side.

I snorted, taking a second to look at him. He was back in one of his signature white suits, though it varied from the one he wore day to day. This one seemed to add extra flair, a bit more gold and less green. The tie weaving the colors together against his dark undershirt.

A gift from the Eternium, no doubt.

"Something like that. You?" I asked, still warily searching the Eternals who had started to take notice of us.

"Something like that," he repeated, the extra weight to his words almost too slight to discern.

But I wouldn't have expected him to just come out and say anything, not directly, so I picked apart his words, his stance.

The Call still fought him, like it did me.

"Need any help?" I asked nonchalantly as I could when I smiled widely at Adathan as he passed, the Angel Eternal tipping his head in my direction, long blond hair bound in a tight bun. His white wings spawned out behind him, flexing before pulling close to his back.

"No, just wanted to check in before I lost you in the crowd," Fallon said. "You?"

Oh, I would take all the help I could get. I was practically shaking, sick to my stomach. But this was my problem, and Fallon had his own to deal with.

"No, I think I've got this," I said, shoving my hands into my pockets.

Fallon watched me for a moment before he nodded. "See you back safe, brother."

He walked away from my side, disappearing into the mass of people. I took a deep breath and let a smile slide onto my face.

Game time.

I moved my way through the crowd, as well, stopping to chat with those that Drakon had mentioned, and those that I knew were wavering on the edge of a decision. Most kept tight lips, and the more I tallied, the more dread set in. The vote for a passing Exilium was three-fourths, and the more I spoke to, the fewer we seemed to have on our side, even assuming all Challenges passed. Worse than that, even the allies we'd gained seemed to keep their distance. Faces turned up in disgust and in fear, but there was one I knew would always look my way.

Even if he rolled his eyes while doing so.

Amadeus, the Alderi Hordes Demon of Lust.

He saw me coming; he always did, his head tipping back as though he were praying. He was sitting at a large circular table with several empty chairs and I was more than happy to take one off his hands as I slid in beside him.

His hair was brushed back, exposing the gold to his eyes and the runes that traced his skin. He wore a suit, a simple one with no flashy accents, black and dull. He was still in his human body, at least the one that appeared human, anyway, beyond his slightly pointed ears. But there was an air about him, one that made sure no one would be getting too close, even as liquid lust dusted off him in gold puffs. Outwardly, he seemed like the type of man others would flock to, but damn, he put the prick in prickly personality.

It made sure the people realized who he was, as a Horde member of the new Demon Eternal, Vidius.

"Adrian," Amadeus said, not even bothering to look my way before tipping his drink toward me with a grumble.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Amadeus, don't look so happy to see me, old friend."

He rolled his eyes, pulling the olive out of his drink before popping it into his mouth. "Maybe I would be, if you weren't so worn down. Troubled isn't a good look on you."

"And boorish isn't a good look on you. I expected you'd be more inclined to enjoy the festivities?"

"If you're asking why I'm not off fucking someone in a spare room, then you'd be pleased to know no one here meets my standards." He looked me up and down before grimacing like he was holding back a gag. I almost laughed. "No offense."

Oh, that was one hundred percent meant with full offense. It was one of the many things I loved about Amadeus; he was an asshole.

But he was a terrible liar.

"I wish I could help to settle that mind of yours. I see it racing, but unfortunately, I don't imagine any news I have will help you much," he said after, keeping his voice low as he inched a bit closer.

"Tell me, what are our odds? What do you think?" I pressed, and he scratched his jaw.

One of his runes glowed at the touch, faintly for just a moment, before settling back to a soft gold, and he waited a bit longer before responding. "If you want the honest answer? Exilium isn't going to pass, Adrian. At best, the Butcher might only kill some of you when this is over."

He shivered, glancing over his shoulder like even saying that might summon Sebek. He took another sip of his drink. "Word of your girl has gone around. The Eternals are terrified by what she represents. True death . Some that had been allied with Drakon before have pulled back, and the ones that stayed are in shambles. Then there's the issue with Kali and Osiris. Killing one Eternal, sure, but two? That's not a good look."

I nodded, but didn't really share that sentiment. Our odds without Kali seemed almost better than with her. It was one less monster on Osiris's back, one less chance for him to crack like Sebek had.

One less chance for the numb to live in his eyes forever.

"We planned for this," I said simply, and Amadeus nodded.

"Right, the Challenge," he whispered, tipping his head back, letting his hair fall loosely over his shoulders. "It may not be much, but you have the Alderi Horde on your side, even if I think it's stupid to get in the middle of this."

Probably right, but I appreciated the show of support, regardless. We needed it, and it was nice knowing that at least some people were on our side.

"You're Demons. You're always in the middle of the dark and dirty. Or did you forget how we grew acquainted already?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Amadeus blushed, covering his face with his hands. It had been quite the sight, finding the Lust of the Alderi Horde in a human prison. Getting him out hadn't been hard, but it had been a way to gain some leverage over him, even if it had long since been repaid.

Now we could be called acquaintances, maybe even friends, in the right light. One that had ample amounts of booze and music to drown out the sound of his whining.

"Yeah, yeah, go on, continue your scheming, Collector," Amadeus grumbled, shaking his head again as he finished off his drink.

"With pleasure," I said, scanning the room for the ones I needed to talk to tonight. "Any eyes on Axius?"

I'd caught a few already, ones that slid to the shadows, trying to stay hidden. They hadn't been that lucky.

"The Sentinel? Yeah, he's been on the fringes all night, watching over his brother. Hyland seems like quite the piece of work." He pointed to a table on the far side of the room, to a man who looked like he was somehow having less fun than him.

"So I've heard," I said, humming. I'd already thought of how I was going to handle Axius. It was just a matter of getting him alone. Really, he was just a way to bridge the conversation and to hide my true intentions as I whispered the next bit. "And what of Sadi?"

It took Amadeus a second to register my words, like he hadn't been expecting me to ask that. Archon was a small fry in the big picture, and while he was a nuisance, he was one that could be taken care of later. I didn't want later, couldn't last through later.

I itched my arm, gritting my teeth when I felt nothing from it. I had to stop before I drew blood.

"The Djinn?" he asked, his mouth opening slightly when I nodded my head. "I'm surprised you're even asking. She's only here because of her mating to a distant relation to the new Fae Eternal. She's not on our list."

I shook my head. "Call it curiosity."

Amadeus's eyes grew dark, a hint of his horns peeking through the illusion of his human flesh. "You don't get curious, Collector. What are you playing at?"

I couldn't risk saying it out loud, and I flagged down the nearest waiter, snagging a drink off his plate before taking a slow sip. Amadeus watched, unnerved.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out when the fireworks start," I said, grinning as he leaned back in his chair.

"She's kind, Adrian, kinder than any here deserves, especially after the loss of her sister," he said cautiously, his eyes lingering on where she was in the crowd.

No wonder he hadn't taken anyone to bed yet, and now I knew he wouldn't.

"Loliana, right? She'd been training under Archon last I heard, before her unfortunate passing," I asked, steering away from Sadi. Amadeus's shoulders dropped, and he was all too happy to move on.

"That's right. She'd been a promising candidate for the next Djinn Eternal." His words were forced, and I knew nothing else of use would come from him.

"You seem to know Sadi. Would you mind letting her know that I'd like to talk? I think we have a lot in common, her and I." I said it as I stood, and Amadeus didn't look at me beyond a sharp nod, passing me a look of regret that soured the feeling in my stomach. I brushed it off, for the sake of what I needed to do. The who had been decided. This wouldn't work without Sadi; Archon wouldn't fall without her. I just hoped he wouldn't take her down with him, or I might end up losing my connection to the Horde. "Have a good night, Amadeus. Axius seems rather lonely. I think I need to go make a new friend."

I walked away as Amadeus laughed behind me, the sound rotten in his chest. "May the devil help him."

It didn't take long to get to Axius. I'd seen him already, picked him out of the crowd, and knew now would be the best time to strike. He was large, Eirik's size from the look of it, with rich black hair and steely gray eyes that looked like freshly wet stone, muddled by his irritation as he glanced at me.

I stole one of the seats without asking, already preparing the start of my amazing speech when he grunted. "Not interested."

I hadn't gotten the warmest welcome here, being who I was, but I expected more than what he'd given me. There was a dance that those in the Eternium played, but it didn't seem that Axius was intent on joining in.

I leaned forward, chin on my palm. His entire body tensed, his tail slashing behind him loud enough to hear it split the air.

"While you're adorable, that's not why I'm here," I said with a wink.

There was an art to information collection, one I'd painstakingly learned over the years. Axius's agitation had been easy to see, even a mile away, but now the smaller ticks were coming to the surface.

Irritation bred contempt, contempt bred loose lips. Even if that wasn't what he wanted.

"You think I don't know why you're here, Collector? " he practically spit.

My, seems I was quite popular today.

My fangs ached, my vision flashing red for the briefest moment as I forced a steady smile while the Call fought tooth and nail in the back of my skull. I had to bite my tongue to stop my smile from shifting to a sneer.

" I already talked to Challe Osiris, and you can have the same answer as him. Whatever you want, whatever you have to say, I'm not interested. I'm not going to take the title from Hyland."

My mouth watered, my eyes blurring, but even when I lost some of the fight, and my body jerked, I didn't go for him. Bloodlust ravaged the Call , the Eternium keeping me locked down. I was thankful for it, even as it destroyed me.

The only relief came from the lack of pain that should have been there, eating at my stomach.

"Then why are you here?" I pressed.

"Because I'm required." Was his standard, shitty answer.

He picked up his drink, then sipped the sweet-smelling liquid. His eyes darted around the room, and I knew without looking they'd landed on Hyland. I'd done my research about the Gargoyle Eternal, Zercara, after I'd heard about his death. His sons, twins, had been joined at the hip. The familial bond still burned in Axius, even if Hyland's blood had been tainted by years of power and greed.

Axius still cared for him, and that was his weak point, the part I could dig into.

"No, I'm required. From the sour looks Hyland has been shooting you, I'd say he doesn't want you here at all . You're watching out for him," I said, tipping my head but not bothering to look over my shoulder.

Axius tensed, his eyes narrowing into silver slits. "Hyland doesn't need anyone to watch him."

"Yet you do anyway. A good brother. A good twin," I praised, almost mockingly. "You don't want to have to fight him. Even though you know what he's siding with isn't right."

The push was enough to cause a fissure in his expression, a flash of doubt. He swallowed, and it was masked in the next second. But it had been there, the seed of doubt, the worry.

"Leave," he growled, the tone an ominous thunder.

His face shifted, his skin pulling tight as stone replaced it. It rippled before it hardened. It might have intimidated a weaker man, but I'd lived with Eirik.

No amount of growling would get Axius his way.

"He plans to push for human enslavement. I've heard whispers, you know, that he intends to go even further. Genocide?—"

Axius faltered, his jaw clenching as he stood abruptly. "What part of leave do you not understand, Vivas?"

I hummed, taking in my handiwork, and the riled state he was in now. The doubt I'd sowed would spread, would stick in his mind like sludge. I just needed one more push, one more hint to drive him over.

He wouldn't fight his brother without it. Wouldn't consider it.

"Seems I struck a nerve. Your Sentinel is showing," I said, and Axius's face molted into shame.

His shift back was slow, like he fought to dial it back in.

"I won't fight him, not like this," he whispered, his eyes again on Hyland. "He's the only family I have left."

I scoffed, shaking my head. Sometimes, this was too easy.

"Valen would be disappointed to hear you say that. He was the one who told us to come looking, after all. A worried brother . " Axius flinched, as though struck. Valen was a well-kept secret, one so buried it had nearly slipped by even me. The bastard child spawned between a Sorceri and the Gargoyle Eternal. Hidden in the cracks where no one would go looking. I wasn't no one. "Fine, you've made your point, but keep that in mind if Hyland prevails, and Sebek lives …"

I stood, brushing off my suit, straightening it. "Well, you won't have to worry about being the one to take down your brother. Sebek will do it for you."

I didn't bother waiting for a response, just turned away and left Axius at the table. His likelihood of Challenge was higher now. I'd say at least fifty percent, but still, our chances of Exilium passing weren't good.

Abysmal, really.

Even if everyone Drakon had scrounged up somehow did Challenge, and won, we'd still be a few votes short. Even if I managed to wangle a few extra spots, Archon's included. We needed Osiris, needed him to put Darius in his place once and for all. Needed a Challenge against the myth that was Sebek Ra.

If not … well, odds had never been our strong suit.

* * *

Socializing was a literal nightmare.

It drained me, sucked the soul right out of my body in the worst possible way. Especially with the type of people that could be found lounging about in a place like the Eternium. The ones that were looking for the weak and the exploitable. The ones with thousand-watt smiles hiding rows and rows of dagger-like teeth.

God, they were insufferable.

I lugged my way through the halls, thankful that the Eternium's magic made the walk back short. My legs were heavy, something I could tell only by how often I found myself stumbling over my own feet. It distracted me, made me a damned good target if anyone wanted to try something. Lucky for me, that wasn't the case.

But the door I came upon, after my amble through the halls, wasn't our room. It was made of cloudy pane glass that fogged up slightly from whatever was behind it. A hint of steam seeped from the crack at the bottom.

Curiosity was a curse of mine, always had been, which meant I couldn't stop myself from opening it. If the Eternium brought me here, then it had a reason to. I just had to hope that the reason wasn't something I'd regret sticking my nose into.

A brush of air blew past me, and I breathed in deeply on instinct when I saw what was on the inside.

"Oh, Eternium, you sweet, beautiful thing," I whispered, stepping into what had to be the most indulgent pool room I'd ever seen. It was large, I'd assume Olympic-sized, with a slight misting coming off the surface. A small fountain sat to the side, flowing over several rocks and into the pool, creating just enough sound to be soothing. The water was perfectly still beyond that, like a sheet of glass on the side that I was on, just begging me to jump in. I was already shrugging my shirt off when the door slid closed behind me. "Praise the Hallowed Three. I am forever in your debt."

I managed to strip down to my underwear—almost taking them off in my haste—all but giddy to hit the water. I needed a good swim, more than anything else. The freeness; the ease.

The distraction.

I broke the surface with a splash, the feeling distinctly odd as my brain tried to tell me that I should be feeling it. The wet, and the slight chill, or the glossy film that coated your skin and made your hair soft and flowy. Even the slight burn of chlorine in my eyes.

Guess I should have realized I wouldn't be that lucky.

I sighed, dunking my head, flipping it back so my hair wasn't in my face. It killed my mood, making my stomach sink as I floated in the blissful water. Leave it to Archon to take even this from me.

Just another nightmare to add to the list. A bubbling rage settled in my heart, leaving a bitterness that I couldn't outrun, and I hated the loathing that came on like wildfire. More than that, I hated the person it made me, like I was filled to the brim with tar that only a death could wash away.

I was the Collector; I found secrets. I hid them … because I'd never been the fighter. I didn't like to see people hurt, didn't like to see them bleed. Archon changed that, changed me.

"Fuck it," I growled, an impressive impersonation of Eirik as I slapped my cheeks, likely a bit harder than I should have. I flipped, treading water as I gauged the length of the pool again. Sensation or not, swimming was my escape, one of the few ways I truly felt free, and I wasn't going to let a rat bastard like Archon take that from me. "I'm going to enjoy this."

How often was it that we'd have time to play here, anyway? I could spare a few minutes to at least try to enjoy it. I moved, grabbing the wall. My legs bent, feet against the slick tile, and I took a breath on instinct, holding it in before I pushed off, sliding through the water in a familiar stroke. My breathing steadied, my eyes closing as instinct drove me forward, one move after another, until I reached the opposing wall.

I couldn't feel it, but I knew when to flip, ducking my head and rotating, using my legs to kick me off, and I was soaring.

Then again.

Even without the ability to feel, I lost myself in the movements, the swift way that I cut through the water. For a second, I wasn't broken.

For a second I forgot that I ever was.

My next lap went slower as I dragged it out, still searching for the comfort that swimming had always given me. I opened my eyes, just in time to see a pair of legs sticking in about knee deep, waving gently back and forth.

I shot up, half choking as I sucked in a panicked breath, and I raised my hands for a very bad attempt at a counterattack if whoever it was planned to … well, attack .

"Aaliyah!" I gasped, dropping my hands with an audible splash.

Ali was grinning at me, an indulgently pleased look on her face. She swished her legs in the water, her pants pulled up so they wouldn't get wet. Even though she was this close, I could still see the hesitation in her movements, like she didn't want to risk falling in.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she whispered, that easy tone settling me immediately.

I swam the rest of the way to her, perching on the side of the pool so I could peek up at her a bit easier through the steam. It reminded me of home, when I'd dragged her in with me and showed her there was nothing to be afraid of in the water.

Especially if I was there.

I reached for my lips, smiling at the memory of the way she'd breathed against me, the softness of a first kiss I'd remember forever. I dropped my hands, letting a goofy grin come to my face.

"Scare me? Please, I'll have you know I watched the Exorcist when it first came out and only cried once , " I joked, smiling wider when she laughed. She swished her legs again, looking at the water with the same contemplative expression I had.

She gnawed at her lower lip, a spark of fear in her eyes.

"Care for a swim?" I asked, a distraction, offering her my hand.

There had been hesitation when I'd asked before, but that wasn't there now. Her shoulders dipped, tension leaving her hands as she reached for the hem of her shirt. It came over her head in a flash, her pants quickly following until she was only in a bra and her underwear. I swallowed once, then twice, my head growing light at the sight, the primal part of my brain all but demanding I throw her over my shoulder and run off into the night so we might have a different kind of fun.

Another part of my body wasn't as excited at all. Fucker.

"I'd love to," she said, interrupting my brooding as she took my hand, sliding into the water with a graceful dip. I let out a breath, pulling her arms to my shoulders so she was wrapped loosely around me. "Don't let me go?"

I waded easily, comforted by the steady beat of her heart. Her breath got lost in the steam in front of her, her cheeks flushing at the warm water. "Never, love."

Never again.

I held her gently against my chest, squeezing as tightly as I could without worrying I might hurt her. We floated like that, the water steaming slightly around us. Aaliyah's face flushed contentedly.

"How did you get here? Not that I'm complaining," I whispered against the top of her head, not wanting to break the moment.

She was quiet for a few seconds, humming softly under her breath. "I wanted to see you."

And the Eternium had brought her here, like a gift wrapped in lavender.

I groaned, curling into her, tucking my face into the curve of her neck, putting a kiss there. "You're going to make me blush, love."

She trailed a hand over my chest, lingering on the fluttering skin over my abdomen, before she traveled to my arm, touching the black marks like she had so many times.

"I know, not my best look," I said.

They were better than they were a few days ago, but by no means faded. They traveled up my arms, across my chest and even to my neck and face. I looked, for lack of a better word, shitty.

"I'm just glad they don't hurt. Though, I know that can't be easy either," she said, stopping her trail, glancing up at me with that all-knowing gaze.

It was like she could see right through me. She looked at me like she wanted to offer a hand if I needed it. Like she just wanted to stand by my side, to help not mock, even if that meant just standing in silence.

Or floating in a pool while I worked through an existential crisis.

I wanted her so badly in this moment. My heart thundered in my chest, eyes dilating until I could see every detail on her face. Every laugh line and perfect feature.

I reached up, brushing my hand against her cheek, mourning now more than ever the spark that I'd lost at the touch of her skin. Still, she stayed, easily accepting the contact that I'd feared she'd never not flinch away from.

She stayed by me, like a rock in a storm, and I knew in that moment I wanted her, all of her. Which meant she deserved all of me.

Every broken piece, even the ones that still lay on Archon's table.

"Ali …" I started, choking on the words.

"I know, Adrian," she whispered, leaning back into my arms, her head against my chest.

But she didn't. I couldn't be anything more than this for her, not until I fixed what Archon broke. And that was assuming I fixed it at all.

I might not ever have the chance to make love to her, and that hurt worse than any pain. It made the understanding of my deal that much sourer.

"Archon took everything from me. I can't … I can't— " I held her close, one hand on her neck, searching for her pulse. The other trailing a shaking path along her side, begging for the warmth to be there. "I can't feel you, Ali. Not in here, and not like this."

It hurt to say, but I realized as the words came out, it had hurt so much more to keep them in. Aaliyah was my other half, the piece of me I hadn't known I was missing, and I wanted to share it with her.

My pain. My joy. My laughter. The days when I didn't want to wake up and the days when all I could think about was getting to see her again. The triumphs and the burned risottos.

"I know, Adrian," she whispered, holding me so close, so gently.

She never stopped her trailing hand, always touching me, keeping it obvious so I could see it even when I couldn't feel it.

"You know?" I asked.

She nodded her head, looking me in the eye. "I could tell something else was wrong, that something was eating you. I just didn't want to make it worse by asking."

I shouldn't have been surprised. Ali had shown this talent before, had proven just how well she could read people.

"There's a chance I can never fix it, that I'll just be stuck like this," I said, grabbing her chin to keep her eyes on mine. I wanted to make it clear what she was getting into. That I would do everything in my power to be whole again, but there was always a chance I wouldn't be. "I understand if you'd rather shave off the dead weight."

I said it as a joke, masking the insecurity with a laugh that she caught immediately. Her hands reached up, cupping my cheeks as she pulled me down. Her eyes were lit like fire, a rare show of anger as she shook her head.

"You're not dead weight." She'd said it so vehemently I had no choice but to nod dumbly. She waited until she was sure I'd understood her, searching my soul with those violet eyes I loved so much.

She hauled me the rest of the way, giving me plenty of time to pull back if I didn't want her. Like I would ever deny a chance to taste her lips, even if I couldn't really savor it. She kissed me softly, and I kept my eyes open, taking in every expression she made as she moved against me. It was a kiss I'd dreaded, yet something about it made it the most important one we'd ever shared.

It made me feel loved.

She pulled away, panting, and I wasn't much better as my hands tightened on her hips.

"I'm in love with you, Adrian," she said, ripping away my breath so quickly I almost choked. "I'm in love with easy days in a kitchen covered in flour. With dance lessons and midnight cupcakes. I'm in love with the way you look at me, like I'll always be enough. Every broken piece of me."

I went to protest, when her hand cupped my cheek again. "That's why you'll always be enough, Adrian. Even if you never get it back."

Tears bubbled in my eyes, the weight of my failure heavy on my shoulders … but for the first time since Archon's lamp, I wasn't drowning in it.

"I've never known a love like you, Aaliyah. You're my world, and there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not in awe of you," I whispered, setting my forehead on hers. "I will fix this," I said, resolve somehow even stronger. There was nothing I wouldn't do to get the chance to feel her touch again.

"I know," she said, nodding. "And I'm with you. No matter what."

" I love you ." The room seemed to brighten as I said it, the lavender in Aaliyah's eyes vivid and passionate.

She laughed softly, curling into my arms again. "I love you, too, Adrian."

Even with my lack of pleasure, lack of pain, there was no doubt that this was real. No question if Archon was playing the long game, and I was still stuck in that fucking lamp. Aaliyah's voice would live forever in my head.

She loved me … and I would fix this.

It was time to beat Archon at his own goddamned game.