Chapter Nine
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“THEY’LL BE HERE IN two days if they continue marching at the speed they are now,” the guard told Dimri.
Dimri nodded. “Good. You can go.”
The guard bowed lightly and ran out of the office. It was a scene Dimri had witnessed dozens of times over the past few days. Ramiel had already moved faster than they’d expected him to, and he’d nearly reached their territory. Soon, he’d be close enough to the palace to attack it.
And the palace would be ready to welcome him.
Dimri had dozens of people going back and forth.
Through them, he knew where Ramiel was and what he was up to.
Tracking Ramiel and his army had become his main job.
He’d never been happier that he wouldn’t have to be involved in the palace’s security planning, or even in keeping Berith safe.
That was Roque’s job, while Mikal was focused on the palace and the people who lived there.
Others were working on protecting the city and the area around it.
It wouldn’t be perfect by any means, but they were doing everything they could to minimize the number of people who would be involved in the fighting.
But Ramiel wasn’t a nice person. He was coming here to defeat Berith.
He wanted the people in this territory to fear him, and he’d act accordingly.
People would die, and there was nothing Dimri, Berith, or anyone else could do about that.
They could only forge ahead and do their best to be quick so they’d be ready by the time Ramiel arrived.
Dimri looked around Berith’s office. They were all working from here because it made it easier to coordinate and share information.
Even though it wasn’t where he usually was, Dimri enjoyed being at the center of what was happening.
Even more so, he enjoyed being up to date without having to use his spies or to ask Berith what he was doing.
He also quite enjoyed watching Roque at work.
He’d always known that Roque was good at his job, and with his friend Yakim by his side, they were a formidable team.
Luckily for Berith, Yakim had returned as soon as he and Lucifer had found out about Ramiel’s approach.
He wasn’t officially Berith’s bodyguard anymore, but he’d declared he’d work with Roque, and no one had said anything about it, not even Lucifer.
Of course, that could be because Lucifer was downright giddy to finally confront Ramiel. He kept throwing out ideas that Dimri could tell wouldn’t work, and people just let him talk. He was on their side, and he was powerful and stronger than Ramiel. That was all everyone cared about.
Dimri got to his feet to get himself another coffee.
He smiled when he noticed Roque moving toward him.
They hadn’t told anyone about their relationship because there wasn’t anything to say about it since it didn’t exist yet, but Dimri hadn’t missed the way Roque always tried to spend time with him, even when the room around them was full and noisy.
It was sweet, and it made Dimri smile. Those few stolen minutes here and there kept him going.
“You’re not going to be able to sleep tonight if you drink too much coffee,” Roque said, sounding fond.
“Do you really expect anyone to sleep tonight?”
“Maybe not. How long until he’s here?”
“Just a few days.”
“That doesn’t give us a lot of time.”
“No, but it’ll be enough.” Dimri would make sure of that.
He grabbed one of the mugs on the table just as Roque moved to do the same.
Their fingers brushed together, and Dimri couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on his lips.
He was pretty sure that if anyone was to look his way right then, they’d know exactly what was going on, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
He wanted more time with Roque. He wanted Ramiel to be dead already.
Unfortunately, that hadn’t happened yet, which meant that he and Roque had to deal with this the best they could.
Dimri wanted more, but it would be a while before he could have it, and that annoyed him. He’d kick Ramiel’s ass just for that, never mind him threatening Berith and trying to take his territory from him.
“Dimri?” Berith called out.
Dimri moved his hand away from Roque’s, but he made sure to do so slowly and to allow their fingers to briefly tangle together. Roque smiled at him, and even though it was fleeting, it gave Dimri the push he needed to continue his day.
Dimri turned toward Berith. “What do you need?”
Berith waved at him. “Come here.”
Dimri sighed and moved to do just that. He couldn’t wait for a time when these meetings weren’t needed anymore, but those days hadn’t come yet, and if he wanted them to, he had to make an effort now. It would only be a few days, anyway.
Then, Ramiel would be a thing of the past, and Dimri would be able to focus on his future.
* * * *
ROQUE WATCHED DIMRI walk away. He wanted to pull him back, but they both had work to do.
It was still hard to let him go. Roque felt like they were running out of time, and in a way, they were.
Ramiel was coming. That meant that war was coming.
They had no way to know if they would both survive, and that scared Roque.
As much as he wanted to believe that everything would be all right and that everyone he loved would make it, he couldn’t be sure.
Was the decision to wait and stay away from Dimri the right one?
What if one of them got hurt, or worse? Roque couldn’t say which one of them would be in the most danger.
He’d be fairly protected inside the palace, but at the same time, he’d be with Berith, who was Ramiel’s main target.
If he found a way inside the palace, Berith and everyone around him would be in danger.
Dimri would be out there, though. Roque wasn’t sure what exactly he would do, but Dimri wasn’t one to sit and wait.
If there was anything he could do to keep the palace and Berith safe, he’d do it, even if it meant putting himself in danger.
He protected people. That was why he’d become Berith’s spymaster, and he was good at it.
Roque had faith that Dimri could defend himself, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be hurt.
This wasn’t just a fight. It had the potential to destroy everything and everyone Roque cared about, and that was terrifying.
“You know, if you’re trying to keep your relationship a secret, you should probably stop making eyes at each other,” Yakim said, suddenly standing next to Roque.
Roque jumped and glared at his best friend. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure, and I’m not dating Lucifer.” Yakim didn’t look impressed.
It reminded Roque of when Yakim had started dating Lucifer.
Roque had been worried, too, and some days, he still was.
He didn’t doubt that Lucifer loved Yakim and that he’d do everything in his power to protect him, but Lucifer was a massive target himself.
Ramiel wasn’t only doing this to defeat Berith.
He had his eye on Lucifer’s throne, which was one of the reasons it was so important to stop him.
“I’m sure Lucifer would love to be told that,” he teased.
Yakim’s eyes narrowed. “You’re not funny.”
“I happen to think I’m very funny.”
“Well, you’re not.” Yakim looked around and leaned closer. “Come on. What’s going on between you and the spymaster? I have to say, I didn’t think he’d be your type.”
“I didn’t say that he is.”
“But you’re making eyes at him.”
“I guess we’ve grown closer while working together.”
“What does growing closer mean? Are you together?”
Roque rolled his eyes. “I already told you that we’re not.” Dragging this out a little was fun, and Roque needed fun right now.
“But there’s something there.”
Roque hadn’t been planning on talking to anyone about it until the fight with Ramiel was over, but this was Yakim. He was probably worried and eager for a distraction. Besides, what would it hurt to tell one person about his feelings? “I think there is,” he confirmed.
Yakim beamed. “I knew it.”
“It doesn’t mean there will ever be anything more.”
“What, you think he’d reject you if you tried?”
“I don’t think he would. I do believe that he agrees with me that we can’t be distracted right now, though.”
“Is that why you haven’t done anything about it?”
“Mostly. He’s already distracting enough as it is. Besides, would it be worth it to get together only for one of us to get killed in a few days?”
Yakim’s expression turned more serious. “Of course it would be. Love is what makes us go on. It’s what gives us the power to defeat people like Ramiel. We fight for the people we love, which is something Ramiel will never understand.”
He wasn’t wrong, but it was still too much. Roque wasn’t usually one to speak about his feelings, not even with his best friend. He especially wasn’t one to talk about his feelings in a room full of people who were plotting someone’s death. “I can see that love has changed you,” he teased.
Yakim huffed, but he was smiling. “Of course it did. It’s what love does.”
That thought was kind of scary, but at the same time, Roque hoped he’d have the opportunity to find out how love might change him. That wasn’t something he was ready to think about right now, though. He’d much rather focus on kicking Ramiel’s ass first.
Yakim bumped their shoulders together. “I’m happy for you, whatever happens. We’re going to win this fight. Berith and Lucifer won’t accept any other outcome.”
That would be because if they did, they would die. That meant that they would either win or die trying. They wouldn’t allow Ramiel to get his hands on them or on their families.
The thought was scary, but Yakim wasn’t wrong.
They were all going to fight for the people they loved.
Roque hadn’t expected it to include the spymaster, but now that he’d gotten to know Dimri, he wanted more.
He wanted to protect Dimri as much as he wanted to protect Berith and his family.
It was already too late for him to try and keep his distance, wasn’t it?
He was in too deep, and there was no escaping that.
There was no escaping Dimri, and that was perfectly fine with Roque.