Page 45 of Until the End of Ever (To the Cruel Gods #2)

KLEOS

E veryone was feeling either too lazy or too curious to leave early the next day. Highvale celebrated a minor late-autumn holiday, which meant that Night Academy and the Guard were both shut, so they weren’t in a rush.

Unfortunately, that meant we ended up in Theke.

“It turned out, Poseidon gave birth to shit-tons of daughters,” Lucky proclaimed, shutting yet another book with a frustrated groan.

Having our friends in the library was strange, and if I was entirely honest, I didn’t like it. With the two of us, the comfortable room filled with books felt intimate, private.

Seeing Ronan and Lucky try to order the runes about while Silver and Gideon argued in hushed voices might be amusing, but couldn’t they do it somewhere else? The drawing room, the kitchen, one of the dozens of halls I hadn’t yet visited…even the summoning room came to mind.

Phobos and Zazel must have agreed, because while they usually hung out with us when we were in Theke, today they were nowhere to be seen.

Lucian shot me that smile I knew too well, and I guessed he understood why I was pouting.

“He didn’t say he fathered the first iteration of the goddess, he said he made her,” he finally drawled in answer to Lucky’s complaint. “I think that was purposeful. We’re not looking for his biological daughters.”

Lucky groaned. “That makes the research even harder!”

“Indeed. Perhaps we ought to move to the main library. My collection is somewhat lacking about godly spawn, but I’m sure Cassius keeps a fairly comprehensive record.”

I hid a laugh as a cough. He absolutely understood my pout. I yet again wondered if he was secretly a mind reader. No one else understood me so easily.

“I’ve never seen the main library,” I replied lightly. “It’ll be nice.”

And you guys can go away from our space.

“Well, you can’t see it today,” Gideon said with a deep sigh.

Silver swatted him hard enough to bruise. “You can’t bother her with that right now!”

So that was the source of their disagreement. I leaned forward, intrigued. “Am I missing something?”

“Mom called us—you and me, that is—for an urgent report on the murders.”

I blinked. “Today’s a holiday.”

“Not for the head of the Guard when there’s an emergency.” He brushed his hand through his hair, sounding exhausted. “There was another body found while we were out of it Saturday, and she’s not impressed by the fact that neither of us were available.”

Fuck .

I’d expected it; one had shown up every week like clockwork. Knowing it wasn’t my doing didn’t shift the knot of guilt churning in my stomach. All those deaths, to get to me .

“And you can go give the damn report! Kleos needs to stay right here,” Silver insisted, her eyes narrowing.

I could guess her purpose. Silver had her matchmaker hat on and wanted to leave me alone with Lucian. And after last night—after the entire weekend, really—I was ready to have that talk, so I was grateful for it, though part of me still dreaded it.

"I mean, I'd cover for you if I could, but I've given her half answers all week. I don't even remember which rune is which. Trying to answer her now is beyond my scope. I think it's best to get it over with."

I considered my options, and slowly nodded my agreement. “I guess it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve shown my face at the Guard. It’s no wonder she wants an update. I’m just not certain what we should tell her.”

The truth was too complex, and too closely linked to me for it to be on the official Guard record.

Aunt Hilda might be family, but she was still part of the Highvale government.

I didn’t want them in my business. And I also didn’t want it to get back to my parents if she confessed the details to her husband.

“I stuck to the basic information you shared about the runes, without going into it in detail,” Gideon said. “We can explain all the info we have on that, bring the books about the forced bonding ritual. That ought to satisfy her for today.”

I turned to Lucian, wondering about his opinion on everything. While he frowned, he ended up saying, “Sounds good. And if you do have to go to the Guard, it might as well be with Gideon by your side. I meant to stop by the office soon in any case.”

“You have an office?” That was the first I’d heard of it.

“It’s not like I want to entertain clients at home,” he pointed out.

As soon as he said it, the rationale made sense; he wasn’t the kind of man who easily let strangers in.

Except for me—though by the time I'd inserted myself into his life, we weren't really strangers.

He'd been friends with Gideon for half a year. We’d had a few drinks together. I'd given him cupcakes.

“I need to ask about available jobs for Sess’s kids,” he reminded me.

“Perfect timing then." We were both going to be busy this afternoon.

Lucian held Gideon’s gaze. “You’ll bring her back? Kleos doesn’t go anywhere unaccompanied until this is over.”

“Of course," my cousin replied easily. "And if I have to get some work done, with the new body, Silver can bring her.”

Silver acquiesced, getting to her feet with a stretch. “I’ll head home to get changed. Ping me if you need me?”

I hid a grin. She looked like a pixie in Lucian’s guest clothes, having opted for pale pink kiddy leggings and a tunic meant for someone a lot taller than her. It fell to her knees. She’d styled it with a belt, but no wondered she craved access to her fancy wardrobe.

"I suppose we'd better head out too," Ronan drawled. "Come on, Lucky. You can raid my library."

"Your library has a lot of ancient porn, and not much else," she shot back.

"My school library," he amended, leading the way out of Theke.

I stood to follow, but Lucian tugged my wrist, dragging me to him.“How about eating out tonight? There’s an amazing restaurant in town. I think you’d like it.”

“Tired of cooking? I can do it from time to time, you know. And we could always try Cassius’s bread and wine.” I grinned.

“Perish the thought. And I enjoy cooking for you. I just figured it was past time I took you on an actual date."

A date ? The concept seemed absurdly mundane, for someone like Lucian Regis. What need would he have to wine and dine a girl when he could seduce her with his manor, magic, gorgeous smirk, lickable abs, and cat instead?

I smiled. "All right. Let's go on a date."

Our kiss was far too fleeting for my liking. “In a few hours then.”

At the door, I paused.“It’s strange to go separate ways after hanging out together nonstop for weeks.”

“I don’t like it," Lucian agreed. "Let’s not do it often.”

“We should have a cap. Once a week, maximum.”

“Fortnight," he countered, pressing his lips to mine again. "Go before I change my mind and lock you in the dungeons again."

I chuckled on my way out.

Ronan offered to drive us to the lifts heading up, and we gratefully accepted.

Instead of getting cramped, the back of the carriage expanded to comfortably fit the five of us.

Now, each side seemed to be able to fit three people rather than one or two.

Founders knew what they were doing in terms of everyday comfort.

As the carriage travelled down King's Avenue, I found myself trying to prep for tonight. Perhaps I should be more worried about the report I was supposed to give my aunt, but I could talk my way through rune translations any day of the week. Defining feelings was another story.

“Stop stressing out," Silver said, eyes on my hands, fiddling with my clothes on my lap. "You know that man adores you. Anyone can see it.”

I groaned. “You didn’t hear what I said inCharybdis.”

“There should be a law that anything said at the brink of death cannot be used against you." After a second, Silver added, "Or post-orgasm. But whatever you said, he won’t care.”

"She's right," Ronan added. "I know the guy. You could literally set the manor on fire, and he'd simply offer to rebuild it for you."

I snorted. "Cassius would kill me first."

"Just offer him cupcakes and he also wouldn't care," Silver said.

I grinned at her, proud of my friend for working past her prejudices. “It’s funny to see you Team Dark Sorcerers when you were so suspicious mere weeks ago.”

"Yeah, well. I saw him walk between you and a snake larger than a plane. And then he fed me. I'm not a complete idiot."

Gideon coughed, and it sounded uncannily like " debatable ."

He evaded the first kick she aimed at his crotch, but not her foot, stomping his, hard enough to flatten him if he hadn't been a half dragon.

Ronan blinked. "And suddenly, my friendships almost seem healthy."