Page 55

ERYX

I pace along Orthani’s alleyways under the low-hanging moon, mind pulsing with the memory of Selene’s scorching dominance from the night before.

My body still tingles from that spiraling heat, the way we all converged around her, surrendering to her magnetism.

Even hours later, I can’t shake the echo of her voice, her unflinching gaze that pinned me in place as she claimed Vaelith, Zareth, and me in one triumphant moment.

She turned what should have been a chaotic clash of jealous men into a single tapestry of twisted desire. And, damn me, I reveled in it.

But tonight, I’m drifting through the city for a grimmer reason.

My contact from the Red Purna has demanded a face-to-face exchange, a sign they’re planning something big.

Perhaps the sabotage of Orthani’s supply lines wasn’t enough bloodshed for them.

Though I initially allied with them for revenge—Orthani purged my family, left me broken in the seedy underbelly—I’m growing uneasy.

Their methods reek of reckless cruelty, as though victory justifies any cost. The memory of how they used Selene as bait still chafes my conscience.

I slip into a disused wine cellar behind a boarded-up storefront.

Dust coats the barrels, the faint stench of rot clinging to the damp stone walls.

My contact stands in a corner, lantern set on a crate.

She’s a tall purna woman with cropped raven hair, lips pressed tight in a perpetually grim expression.

I know her only as Ravana, a low-tier Red Purna operative who passes me updates.

She glances up, posture coiled with tension.

“You’re late,” she mutters, eyes flicking to the dagger at my belt.

I shrug, stepping closer to the lantern’s meager light.

“Orthani’s wards are thicker near the palace.

I had to circle around.” A partial lie—I lingered outside Selene’s wing, hesitating to watch her window.

The memory of her voice, telling me I belonged to her for the night, left me hungry for more. But that’s not for Ravana’s ears.

She offers no courtesy, simply hands me a folded parchment. “Read it. Orders from the Red Purna’s inner circle.”

My pulse hitches. “Orders? Did they forget I’m not a mindless soldier?

” I tear open the parchment, scanning the spidery script.

Each line deepens the knot in my gut. They talk of a mass infiltration, a coordinated strike on Orthani from multiple angles.

They plan to unleash Ai’s power—use the young purna as a living bomb, or harness her magic to tear down Orthani’s wards.

They haven’t pinned down the method, but they’re set on capturing Ai at any cost.

My jaw clenches. “They want to invade Orthani with full force? That’s insane.” My voice echoes in the cramped cellar, stirring dust motes.

Ravana’s eyes narrow. “You should be pleased. Isn’t that what you wanted? Orthani in ruins, the nobles kneeling?”

I bark a mirthless laugh. “I want revenge, yes, but not mindless slaughter. And Ai… she’s a kid with raw power. Using her as a weapon is reckless.”

She crosses her arms. “We do what we must. The Red Purna sees Ai as the key to our victory. If we let Orthani keep her, we lose any advantage. You know that.”

My temples pound. I recall Selene’s determination to save Ai from being a pawn.

If the Red Purna storms the city, Ai could be the center of a bloodbath.

My chest tightens with conflicting loyalties.

“I joined you to topple Orthani,” I say, voice thick.

“But we never discussed turning a child into a living weapon.”

Ravana sneers. “You’re growing sentimental. Have you forgotten Orthani’s crimes? If Ai is the key to ensuring their downfall, so be it. Our matriarchs authorized it. We converge in three days. The infiltration you started on the supply lines was just the prelude.”

I grit my teeth, scanning more details. The plan references covert squads creeping through old catacombs, a coordinated assault timed with the moment Ai’s power can be triggered.

They even mention sacrificing her if the power overloads.

“Sacrifice,” I hiss, reading the word. My hand clenches around the parchment, crumpling its corner.

The Red Purna truly means to toss Ai aside if they can’t control her?

Ravana shrugs. “Sometimes sacrifices are necessary. You know that.” She snaps the lantern shut, plunging the cellar into near-darkness. “Your part is to guide them inside, sabotage any final wards. Then deliver Ai. Simple.”

Rage simmers in my gut. My initial plan was always to cause Orthani’s downfall from within.

But Selene changed the calculus. She isn’t merely another weapon or tool; she’s a fierce, unstoppable force shaping her own destiny.

And Ai… Selene devotes herself to protecting that child.

The thought of the Red Purna forcing Ai to explode in some cataclysmic surge churns my stomach.

“How many innocents will die?” I murmur bitterly. “You realize Orthani houses humans, slaves, random laborers who had no say in the city’s cruelty, right?”

Ravana’s gaze turns hard. “Collateral damage. They side with Orthani by existing under its roof. Don’t lose your spine now, Eryx. We kept you alive when you were left broken and wandering. You owe us.”

Her reminder stings. Indeed, the Red Purna found me after Orthani’s purges, gave me resources to hone my assassin skills.

But do I truly owe them my soul? My mind flickers with an image of Selene’s triumphant face last night, how she orchestrated that swirling unity of bodies.

She stands for more than aimless destruction.

She craves freedom, yes, but not in exchange for Ai’s life or wanton slaughter.

I swallow, forcing composure. “Fine,” I say, lying through my teeth. “I’ll relay your orders. Orthani will burn.” My voice sounds hollow even to me.

Ravana offers a curt nod, stepping back. “Three days. Meet us in the catacombs near the ruined temple district. We strike at dusk.” She disappears through a back passage, leaving me alone with the flickering gloom.

I remain rooted, the parchment in my grip, shame and fury warring in my chest. The Red Purna unleashed me to carve vengeance, but now they plan to kill Ai if her power can’t be harnessed.

Selene would never stand for that. Nor can I, if I’m honest with myself.

She’s somehow changed me, or maybe just reminded me that my hatred for Orthani doesn’t justify trampling an innocent child. A snarl tears from my throat.

Clutching the parchment, I exit the cellar, stepping into Orthani’s damp midnight air.

Overhead, the moon slides behind a bank of clouds, plunging the alley into gloom.

My footsteps echo as I hurry toward Vaelith’s estate.

Despite my reluctance, I have to warn Selene.

She must know the Red Purna’s plan. Without the full picture, she might walk into a war that ends with Ai’s destruction.

My heart drums a frantic beat. I recall the recent memory of sharing Selene with Vaelith and Zareth, how the four of us tangled in that sultry chaos.

In the afterglow, I saw her forging new alliances, stepping from captive to queen.

We might be on the brink of Orthani’s downfall, but not like this.

Not by feeding Ai to the Red Purna’s ambition. Selene must be told.

Slipping past the guards with practiced stealth, I infiltrate Vaelith’s estate for what feels like the hundredth time.

The wards remain partially adjusted from my earlier escapades, letting me slip by with minimal alarm.

The corridors are quiet, the hush of late hours pressing in.

My boots scuff on polished stone, and I move carefully, ears pricked for patrolling soldiers.

At last, I reach the hallway leading to Selene’s wing.

Two guards stand watch, but I know a side route that leads through a servant’s passage.

Sure enough, the door is unguarded, and I find the hidden stair that emerges near her suite.

Tension coils in my gut. I can’t barge in if she’s sleeping, yet time is short. The Red Purna’s assault looms.

I slip into her antechamber, hearing muffled voices—her voice and Vaelith’s, talking in hushed tones. A spike of jealousy flares in me, but I smother it. We all share her by her decree. I push open the door softly, stepping inside.

Vaelith stands near the window, arms crossed, wearing only breeches.

Selene sits on a cushioned bench, one leg tucked beneath her, hair tumbling around her shoulders.

She’s still clad in a thin robe that reveals glimpses of smooth skin.

The sight knocks the breath from my lungs, recalling last night’s fire.

Her eyes snap to me, surprise flickering.

“Eryx?” she says, softly. “What brings you here at this hour?”

Vaelith tenses, scowling. “Indeed. Sneaking in again?”

I ignore Vaelith’s hostility, breathing heavily. “I have news. Urgent.” I hold out the parchment. “It’s from the Red Purna. They plan a mass invasion of Orthani in three days—unleashing Ai’s power or taking her by force if they must.”

Selene’s expression darkens. She glances at Vaelith, who cocks an eyebrow, tension carving lines in his brow.

She beckons me forward, taking the parchment.

I watch her face as she scans it. Anger, worry, and resolve flicker in her eyes.

“They want Ai as a weapon,” she murmurs, voice tight. “So it’s more than sabotage?”

I nod. “Yes. They’ll storm the catacombs, slip into the city, and attempt to claim Ai. If she can’t be tamed, they’ll sacrifice her in some catastrophic detonation of magic.” My voice trembles with disgust.

Vaelith curses under his breath. “What vile strategy is this? You allied with them, Eryx. Did you know this was their endgame?”