Page 38

Ivy

I literally had the soul of the demon king in my hand.

His real soul.

My eyes widened and met his. But he didn’t give me a chance to refuse. “With this deal, we tie our lives together,” he said, voice booming once more. Like he hadn’t just placed his actual soul in the palm of my hand . “I become your loyal husband, and you become my precious wife.”

As soon as the word wife left his lips, the bind around my thigh burned, and the snake tying our wrists changed.

My lips parted as it went from dark, shadowy tendrils to a dark pink, almost red colour, fading into my skin and no longer moving.

The mark did the same to him, like a burn, settling against his tanned flesh.

“We are one,” he finished, rising to his feet. He dipped his head, like he intended to kiss me. I held my breath as his forehead brushed against mine. I felt the desire from my mates to stop whatever he was doing, but they held themselves back. “A bond only you can break, wife.”

I swallowed hard. “Then make sure you don’t disappoint me.”

A wide smile unfurled across his lips, but he pulled back, turning to address the creatures watching us. Damon kept our hands joined, the ones linked with the snake tattoo, but I held my closed fist at my side.

“Loyal subjects of Nyx, I celebrate with you a union that will change the course of this inevitable war.” When the demons and creatures cheered this time, it wasn’t out of happiness.

I watched the faces of the ones closest to the front, and where there should have been excitement, there was determination.

“The betrayal of the usurper will not go unnoticed, and this union will strengthen the power of our Queen.”

The demons shouted at that statement, at the promise in his words. All I could do was remind myself to keep my head held high as Damon stepped back, pulling me with him. I spared Elias a glance, who watched us from below, as Damon dragged me towards the throne.

I had to tear my eyes away from Elias’s. Before I could utter a word about having to sit on his lap again, Damon offered me the throne.

I shot him a confused look, but he gave a shallow shake of his head. “My Elysian Queen.” He offered the throne, and for a moment, I hesitated .

My heart raced. I felt that familiar sensation tightening around my lungs.

It felt like the final move.

Accept his throne.

Become Queen.

Not just over Nyx’s domain, but over his, too.

That was a whole lot of pressure. But I had no choice other than to accept it.

I took his throne and looked out over the crowd. As soon as I sat, they flooded the aisle, and it was only by the power of my mates that they didn’t rush towards me. Or maybe it was my own power.

The crown atop my head no longer felt heavy or tight on my head.

Damon’s voice boomed across the throne room. “Bow to your Queen.”

And just like that, one by one, they all fell to their knees with their hands to their chests and bowed their heads to me.

There were festivities to celebrate, but exhaustion weighed heavily in the back of my mind. My mates were probably the only thing keeping me planted on Damon’s throne.

They were by me now, surrounding the ornate throne. And I took a whole lot of comfort in having them near as Damon mingled.

I didn’t blame him or his denizens. This was the first time in over three thousand years that he’d shown his face.

So not only had the creatures living in the Underworld gotten a once in a lifetime chance to watch their Queen unite with someone in a political marriage, but they’d also gotten to really meet their king.

And he seemed to like it.

Well, ‘ like it ’ was a simple way of explaining what I saw from Damon. He appeared to be in his element. Which was why it surprised me that he kept himself hidden away like he did.

Maeve rested a cool hand on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. I forced myself to look away from the demon king to meet her eye. Red ringed the blue, but she otherwise seemed in control of her hunger.

“How are you feeling?” she asked quietly. “Do you want anything?”

I shook my head tiredly, staring at the party. When was the last time the giant throne room had seen a party like this?

“I’m okay,” I replied. “Just…soaking it all in.”

“I see some demon cuisine from House Sloth,” Adrian said from where he sat by my feet. He looked up, golden hair falling over his forehead, and smiled. “You might like some of it.”

My stomach tightened, reminding me that it had been a while since I’d last eaten, but I grimaced at the idea of actually…eating. “No, I think I’ll be okay.”

The look he gave me in return was one that showed how dissatisfied he was with my answer. But before he could respond, Orion stalked out from where he’d been positioned in the shadows of the throne. Beside me, Maeve stiffened, while Adrian’s head turned to watch Orion’s departure.

Not departure. Orion strode towards one of the three banquet tables set up around the room without looking back. But I knew what he was doing.

“What the hell is he doing?” Adrian asked, voice low .

I pressed my lips together. “He’s getting me food.”

He was one of the few people I’d ever admitted to that I’d once had problems with eating.

And I wasn’t going to lie and say that the idea of eating in front of hundreds— thousands— of other creatures didn’t make me want to puke.

But I’d worked on it years ago thanks to Thea’s support.

We’d both overcome similar issues, but only because we’d had each other.

I knew Orion probably had no idea that I’d worked those problems out. He’d been seriously worried when I’d told him, but seeing him in action, trying to help…

It warmed my heart and twisted something dark inside of me.

The storm that had been raging since reuniting with him came back in full force.

The push and pull of whether to forgive and accept him back into my life, or stand by my reservations and feelings of betrayal, created a tug of war within me.

My bond and magic understood why I wanted to keep my distance, but both yearned for connection.

Wanted to feel his touch. Needed what his bond offered.

I hated it.

I felt like a dumb whore suffering from body betrayal syndrome. If I gave in to him, then I gave up my convictions. But if I didn’t, I weakened myself.

I sat back on the throne, sighing under my breath as he appeared between the throngs of people.

Somehow, even outside of Oberon Academy, he had an air about him that said touch me and you die .

The other creatures managed to keep a healthy, safe distance from him as he made his way through the crowd.

Glancing up at Maeve, I said, “You need to feed.”

She drew her eyes off the Fae prince and met my stare.

The red wasn’t nearly as obvious as it had been before, but there was still a hunger within.

“I don’t feel like I’m going to lose control,” she said with a frown.

And through the bond, I believed her. There wasn’t the same hunger from before I assumed all of Greer’s power.

I looked down to Adrian, who nodded, as if hearing those thoughts. “We should all start feeling some…changes, now that Ivy is at full strength.”

“Except she isn’t,” Rowan said, eyes on the crowd. “She still needs to find her final mates. Until then, none of us are strong enough.”

My stomach bottomed out. He was right. I wasn’t really at full strength, and I wouldn’t be until I finished the rest of my mate bonds.

Hawk was an ever, darkening presence looming in the back of my mind.

I didn’t want to mate him, not if he didn’t want the same.

And I still couldn’t quite see him as a mate, even though my magic claimed him as one.

And then there were the others. The ones I didn’t know about yet.

“We won’t be here long,” I said, hands gripping the arm rests of the throne. My gaze flickered to Damon. And as if feeling my eyes on him, he looked up. “Tomorrow, we leave for the Old World.”

“The chances of you finding your mates there are slim to none, Angel,” Elias said from behind me. “I know you feel like it’s the best option?—”

“It is.” I tore my eyes off the demon king and looked over my shoulder at Elias. “It has to be.”

I wasn’t sure what I would do if I was wrong. But maybe, just maybe, it would all come together. Like Nyx wanted.

Elias pressed his lips into a firm line and bowed his head. Behind him, Hawk stood sentry, eyes on the crowd. He didn’t join us like a bonded mate would. Granted, he wasn’t one, but it still looked…odd. He appeared more like a bodyguard than a future knight of Avalon.

I looked away, filing it under deal with later once we weren’t surrounded by thousands of creatures celebrating the union of the Elysian King and the Queen of Nyx.

I shuddered when Orion returned with a plate sectioned out with four different things for me to eat. His brows were furrowed, but he didn’t hand it over right away, instead shifting to stand beside me, holding the plate low enough so that I could reach it.

My throat tightened unexpectedly. “Thanks,” I murmured.

Ry’s eyes dropped to mine, the violet of his irises darkening. “You’ll like all of it.”

Adrian turned where he sat at the foot of the throne with raised brows. His eyes met mine briefly as if to say seriously? But he didn’t voice it, just shook his head in disbelief.

For the rest of the night, I picked at Orion’s offerings—one was a roasted meat, boar apparently, which was succulent and had a pretty unique flavour to it.

There were some root vegetables that had also been roasted, one of which had a nutty flavour and a name I couldn’t pronounce.

But I couldn’t go wrong with the bread, which I ate slowly, as the night wound down and the festivities turned more… demonic?

Well, demon friendly, I supposed.

Once the House Lust representatives announced they were taking the festivities to the next level, I had to bow out.

Damon approached the throne with a wicked smile curving his dangerous lips. “My Queen,” he said, bowing his head. “I hear you are ready to retire. ”

My eyes burned from exhaustion, and I barely suppressed a yawn. “It’s certainly time for us to go up,” I replied, blinking up at him. “But enjoy the rest of the festivities. You appear to be in your element.”

At least there was a small silver lining to the whole evening: I never had to spend an ounce of time at his side.

I’d just been allowed to sit at the front of the hall and look pretty.

Any other day, I would have been uncomfortable with it, but tonight I welcomed it with open arms and a sigh of relief.

I couldn’t, however, deal with anymore from the lust demons.

Damon’s jaw ticked, but he nodded once, offering me his hand. “Then let me escort you.”

“You don’t have to?—”

He cut me off with a look that made me press my lips into a firm line. “It would look bad if I did not leave with you, my Queen. We are married now, after all.”

I clenched my jaw, glancing either side of me at my mates. Maeve fisted her hands, eyes shining that familiar red. Through the bond, the briefest impression of annoyance and protectiveness came over her.

On my other side, both Elias and Orion stood tensely. Neither liked the forwardness of the demon king, but all understood why I had to do what I was doing.

Jaw still clenched, I grabbed his hand. Our shared tattoo lined up for a moment and the mark tingled, but the feeling disappeared when he helped me to my feet.

He didn’t let go of my hand, not as he guided me into the crowd, and certainly not as the crowds parted to gawk at us as we passed.

It was so different to me actually meeting a new mate. I knew it, and my bonds knew it, too. It wasn’t as simple as jealousy, what I felt from them. It was a deep desire to protect me from someone who was a threat to me—a threat to our mate bonds.

Part of me felt it, but another was strangely open to whatever it was the male beside me had. It was hard to understand even in my own brain.

I don’t like him, Rowan said, his discomfort almost palpable. I really, really don’t like him .

I know , I replied. Guilt tightened like a vice in my stomach.

I really owed them for all they were dealing with for me.