Page 30

I leave them and walk the estate grounds, then head toward the small village I frequented as a child. The old cobblestone streets are quiet, most of the shops closed.

There is no day or night here, and I don’t recall how the operating hours of these places work.

I pass one shop I don’t recognize—an art store. I’m stepping inside before I can stop myself, a small bell above the glass door ringing to announce my arrival.

I browse the small space for what can’t be more than a few minutes and pause as my gaze connects with the young woman behind the front counter. She has soft brown eyes and matching hair, twisted into a braid over one shoulder. The woman offers a faint smile and a subtle bow of her head, and I just stare at her.

I feel as if I should know who she is. She seems familiar, like an itch of a memory that refuses to form enough to comprehend. To make any sense of.

When she turns to reach for something on the shelf behind her, the dim light catches her bare shoulder, revealing a tattoo of two intertwined flowers. It’s simple yet unique and I… I’ve seen it before .

Recognition hits me like a blow to the gut, and my back stiffens. There’s suddenly a chill in the air, and my neck prickles with unease.

But it can’t be…can it?

I blink, but the tattoo doesn’t go anywhere—of course it doesn’t.

The shopkeeper turns back around, and the gentle similarities are so painfully obvious the second time I look at her, I find myself moving closer.

“Danielle.” Her name flies from my lips, the disbelief clear in my tone.

Her eyes dart across my face. “You know who I am?”

I release a surprised breath. “I do.”

Her lips curl into a faint smile. “I guess I should be flattered. Or nervous.” She offers an awkward laugh, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Should I be nervous?”

Shaking my head, my brows knit as I regard her, still unsure why I’m seeing her. “How are you here?”

“Um…” She glances toward the shop door before meeting my gaze again. “That’s kind of a complicated answer.” Confusion flickers across her features. “I’m sorry, I know who you are because, well, everyone here does, but how do you know me?”

I pull my gaze away, unsure how to navigate the situation. If I didn’t know better, I might believe that this is my final trial. But considering it’s the first time I’m seeing Danielle, her being part of my hell loop wouldn’t make sense.

“Camille—”

“You know my sister?” she cuts in, eyes widening with a mix of shock and concern. “How?”

“That’s kind of a complicated answer,” I echo her previous response.

Danielle crosses her arms over her chest, her expression hardening. Hell, even her mannerisms are similar to Camille’s. She opens her mouth but before she can get a word out, the front door opens, and none other than the royal guard files inside with their sights set on me.

“We’re here to deliver you to your final trial.”

My eyes narrow, tension filling my upper body, but I nod. I knew this was coming. I’m as prepared as I’m going to be. “Very well,” I finally say.

“We need to finish this conversation,” Danielle says in a firm tone.

“Of course,” I agree. “I’ll return once the trial is complete.”

She nods. “Uh, good luck?”

I exhale a short laugh. “Thank you. I’ll see you again.”

“When you’re king?” she asks, her eyes on mine.

I nod. “When I’m king.” I pull my gaze away, moving toward the door as my thoughts drift to the human I left and how I’m going to explain this to her.

A month ago, I thought Camille was my future. Escaping Lucia’s clutches after we chained her in hell, and starting a life for myself with the fiery, compassionate human I couldn’t—I can’t —seem to live without.

Instead I lost my soul saving my soulmate and now have the responsibility of ruling an entire race, which just so happens to be the part of me I despise the most.

My stomach plummets as I follow the guard out of the shop, leaving Camille’s sister behind. My insides are in knots, my palms sweaty as I try to picture what my hell loop will be. There are endless possibilities, which makes preparing nearly impossible. That said, the finish line is in sight. I just have to get through this final test.

I may not have a soul anymore, but I still have my heart—a tether to my humanity. Though more than before, I find myself wishing I didn’t. That I could switch off the emotions plaguing me.

So do it , a deep voice at the back of my head taunts. Turn it off and become the monster you’re meant to be .

I exhale a harsh breath, crossing the empty town square as the sky above darkens. We’re heading toward a stone building that resembles a courthouse, with wide concrete steps and pillars on either side of the massive wooden doors.

I start up the steps, then freeze at the sound of my name being shouted. I turn, half expecting to find Danielle coming after me, and my blood runs cold when my eyes connect with Harper’s.

No, no, no .

She isn’t supposed to be here.

I close the distance between us and grab her upper arms. “What are you doing?” I demand.

Her eyes narrow sharply and she knocks my grip away. “You ask me to join your council and then ditch me on the first field trip?”

My brows shoot up my forehead, and I shake my head adamantly. “You shouldn’t be here, Harper.”

She tugs a dagger from the holder strapped to her thigh, curling her fingers around the hilt as she grins at me. “You wanted a hunter.”

“And you decided now was the best time to accept the position I offered? Here? ”

She shrugs. “I have a flair for the dramatic.”

I stare at her in utter disbelief, torn between the sense of pride in my chest and the new urge to keep my human sister safe. Glancing over my shoulder, I quickly note that the guard has entered the building. Perhaps they didn’t see Harper.

“How did you get here?” I demand.

She slides her hands into the pockets of her black rain jacket. “Blake told me you were leaving for the portal, so I might have gone there and waited for you.”

My eyes widen. “And then what? You followed us through it?”

“Well, yeah. I didn’t open it myself.” She offers a little humorless laugh. “I wonder if I could, though. We share blood, right? Maybe when you killed Lucia and gained all that power, something happened to me too?”

I arch a brow, shaking my head. “Not likely.”

“Eh, whatever.” She glances around. “So this is hell, huh?”

“I’m taking you to the others, now . It’s not safe for you to roam this place alone, Harper.”

She tilts her head to the side, glancing past me. “Right, because I’ll run into super friendly looking people like that guy?”

I turn to follow her gaze, and my body goes rigid when my eyes land on Marrick as he moves toward us, his eyes filled with darkness. “Harper, you need to—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she cuts in.

“I’m not asking,” I bark back, grabbing her by the arm.

Marrick appears in front of us, and I tug Harper behind me, putting myself between them.

“Xander Kane,” he says, his deep tone filled with malice. His shoulder length dark brown hair is tied back, and he’s dressed in all black, appearing in his late forties despite being hundreds of years old.

“You would do well to get out of my way, Marrick.”

He chuckles. “Is that so?” Instead of moving away, he begins to circle us slowly, as if he’s taunting his prey.

Harper’s pulse jackhammers, and she grips her dagger tighter. “I can take him,” she says under her breath.

“Not happening,” I hiss back. I don’t care that I asked her to join my council and be my hunter, she isn’t facing this bastard.

“Unfortunately, that isn’t your choice.” Marrick disappears from view for a split second, then slams into us with immense speed and power, knocking Harper away from me. Her dagger clatters to the ground, and she curses sharply.

I recover almost instantly, charging forward and colliding with an invisible wall as Marrick grabs Harper and hauls her upright by the throat.

Confusion and rage go to war in my chest as I slam my fists against nothing, trapped to watch Harper struggle against Marrick.

“It’s quite simple, son. Give up the throne now, and I’ll let her live.”

My heart pounds in my chest, and I snarl, “Don’t call me son. You won’t live long enough to step foot anywhere near the throne.”

“Is that your final answer?”

Harper’s face pales and fear rolls off her in waves.

“Kill her, and you lose all your leverage.” I’m resorting to calling his bluff. I don’t like it, but Marrick is a coward. As Francesca said, he doesn’t do his own dirty work. He’s not going to kill her.

“Xander,” Harper breathes, shaking her head, then mouths please .

“Now that’s not quite true, is it?” Marrick taunts. “The hunters’ daughter will die next should you continue to test me.”

“You and what army?” I shoot back, trying to buy time. “Haven’t found any humans to force into subjugation?”

He bares his teeth in a vicious growl, and Harper whimpers, squeezing her eyes shut.

She tries to break free, slamming her elbows back and kicking him wherever she can, but it does little more than irritate the demon.

“Perhaps I’ll use this one.” He smooths his free hand over Harper’s hair, and she shudders, pressing her lips together as her chin quivers.

“Oh?” I cock my head, stepping to the side to test the invisible barrier. Magic has always been in play in the underworld, and it works in ways not even the oldest demons fully comprehend. “And how do you plan on doing that?” If I can use this opportunity to gain insight into Marrick’s insane plan, I’m not going to pass it up.

Amusement passes over his features. “You know, I don’t think Ms. Gilbert here is the ideal candidate.” His grip on her throat tightens before he releases her for a moment too brief for her to get away.

She makes it two paces as he snatches her dagger off the ground, then grabs her again.

“I’m done playing games.” His lips brush her ear, making her grimace as he says, “Do you have any last words for your brother?”

Tears swim in her eyes as they meet mine. “You are a monster . You will never be anything more than that.” Marrick tightens his grip, and she cries out in pain. Gritting her teeth, tears spill down her cheeks, and her words slice into me as fatally as an obsidian blade.

A growl tears from my chest and I fight the invisible barrier keeping me from her. All the strength I came into and it does nothing when I need it the most. “Let her go,” I snarl at Marrick.

Marrick laughs deeply, shooting me a cold smirk. “As you wish, boy.” In the space of a second, he takes Harper’s dagger and slashes her throat. Blood pours down the front of her shirt, and he drops her onto the ground with a careless thud .

My lungs burn as I yell, pounding my fists into the wall until it disappears, then catch my balance and stumble forward. Tightness expands in my chest, making it hard to breathe, and I collapse on the ground, rolling Harper over and clamping my hand over the wound across her throat. Her blood stains my fingers crimson as she gasps for breaths she can’t take, blinking at me with equal parts terror and anger in her eyes. “This is…your fault.”

I shake my head, pressing harder, but Harper’s blood just spills through my fingers as the color leeches from her face and her eyes go vacant.

Pain ignites in my chest when the sound of my sister’s heartbeat fades away. I lean over her, closing her eyes gently and exhaling an uneven breath. “You shouldn’t have come to this place.” I brush her hair away from her face. “Why did you come?” It’s a useless question. It won’t bring her back, but what else can I do?

My gaze lifts slowly until it connects with Marrick’s. “You’re dead,” I vow in a voice dripping with venom.

He says nothing. Just stares at me with a blank expression.

Realization trickles in as the wind feels colder, chilling me to the bone. It feels as if it’s carrying away wisps of my humanity with each breeze, and I don’t fight to hang onto it. The more I let it go, the less barbed wire fills my chest with razor-sharp pain.

I inhale deeply, keeping my eyes on Marrick as a cool numbness settles over me. Pain doesn’t exist and fear is nothing but sustenance.

He stalks forward, Harper’s dagger in his grip, her blood dripping from the tip of the obsidian blade. Before he makes it close enough to lunge at, his form fades into dark smoke before disappearing completely.

I stare at the spot he once stood, then turn to look back at Harper. Except, she’s not there. Ice slashes through my veins, but I barely feel it.

She was never here .

The royal guard files out of the stone building and approaches as a solemn unit, emulating power and darkness. Their expressions give nothing away as they regard me silently. I have half a mind to wonder if they overheard my conversation with the vision of Harper—if they know of my plan to bring the demon hunter onto my council. But it wasn’t them who put her or Marrick here, it was this place and its ability to form my worst nightmares. So perhaps they don’t know. Either way, that’s not my most immediate problem.

Rupert bows his head, waiting for the others to follow suit before he announces, “All hail King Xander.”

Those words send power crackling through me as I get to my feet. Thunder crashes deafeningly loud as the sky fills with streaks of red lightning. I’ve never felt this strong. Nothing can stand in the way of what I desire, and I’ll take great pleasure in destroying anyone who tries.