Chapter 19
Xev paused to take in the most beautiful creature in all the worlds. Tall and lithe, she was absolutely gorgeous. The epitome of feminine perfection.
Her long black hair fell in soft, thick waves to her waist. With the round face of an angel, she had large blue eyes and a pert nose and full lips. Her skin had a golden cast to it, as if it were made of gold or brushed with it. Even her wings appeared to be made of spun gold.
Though barefoot, she was dressed in a thin red gown that left one gold-kissed shoulder bare.
How he loved the sight of her. She was the peace he sought.
And it was a stark contrast to the battle armor Xev wore, his bronze chain mail that moved like articulated dragon scales, and gold greaves buckled over burgundy boots that matched his cloak. The center of his bronze breastplate had the head of a hideous, terrifying chimera that was meant to scare his enemies.
But never her. He never wanted to scare his Myone.
Xev’s eyes twinkled with devilish joy as he snuck through the oracle chamber where she was finishing her prayers. The iron sconces threw their flickering shadows over the wall, giving him plenty of places to hide.
Without a word, he thought he was sneaking up on Myone without a sound.
Until she turned to face him with a chiding shake to her head. “You’re not supposed to be here,” she admonished him. “What if someone were to see you?”
Completely unrepentant, Xev gave her the kiss he’d been waiting days to deliver. He pulled back with a soft moan. “I had to come. I’ve information about my mother’s battle plans you need to know.”
Biting her lip, she cupped his face. “Dary, you must stop spying for us. They’ll kill you if they find out.”
He shrugged her concern away. “What are they going to do to me?”
“Cut out your heart and feed it to you.”
He took her hand in his and pressed it to the center of her chest. “My heart is here, beyond their reach.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced it with another tender kiss.
After a moment, he pulled back to smile down at her. “They’re planning to attack at dawn on the north gate, where you’re usually weakest. I’ll slow them down as best I can to give you as much time as I can to fortify your positions.”
Fear and concern lined her brow as she stared up at him. “Be careful.”
“You, too.” He lifted a lock of her hair to rub against his lips so that he could savor the softness of it. “One day, Myone, I hope to have more than just a kiss from your lips.”
“You know better. We both do. Even this is more than either of us should allow. Why can’t I resist you?”
“I live with demons?”
She kissed the tip of his nose. “You drive me to distraction and tempt me beyond sanity. Now go, before someone sees you. And don’t come here again!”
Myone regretted those words as soon as she said them. His eyes showed the depth of his heartbreak. The depth of how much he loved her and how much those words cut him.
The last thing she ever wanted to do was hurt the one person she loved above all.
“Sorry I bothered you, ?gna,” he said, using the submissive demonspeak term for owner. The agony of her rejection was tangible as he dropped her hair and stepped back. “I will trouble you no more.”
The moment his back was turned, silent tears fell from her eyes. She covered her mouth and sobbed where he couldn’t see or hear. Don’t weaken.
She couldn’t keep risking him. She had to let him go so that he wouldn’t be hurt.
Because of her.
And when he closed the door without looking back, she flinched as if she’d been struck.
It’s for his own good.
“I love you, Daraxerxes. I do,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
She turned to walk in the opposite direction when she heard a sudden commotion outside.
Please don’t be Dary. Her heart lodged in her throat.
Then it choked her as she heard angry shouts. “Stop him! Don’t let him escape!”
“Kill him!”
She gasped at the sound of that sharp command that was followed by the clashing of swords and the sound of fierce fighting in the main temple room. Wiping at her eyes, she flew to the door and threw it open to find Jaden there with Xev, surrounded by guards. They’d outnumbered him twenty to one.
On his knees with his hands and wings tied, Xev was cut and bleeding. Two of the guards held swords at his throat.
“What is this?” she demanded.
“We captured a Mavromino spy.” Jaden gestured at his guards. “Take him and lock him up.”
She paled at Jaden’s cold words as they brutally hauled Xev away, making sure to cause him as much harm as they could while they did so.
Trembling, she approached Jaden slowly, knowing the older god could kill her or worse. But he was her only hope in saving his son. “What are you planning to do with him?”
“He’ll be interrogated for information about their army and intentions.”
She flinched at what that really meant. “You mean tortured?”
Jaden didn’t respond. “We’re at war, Myone. Don’t underestimate our enemies.”
Enemy? Seriously? “He’s your son, my lord.”
“Who came here of his own free will to gather information for his mother to use against us. You think that deserves my mercy?”
“And what if he didn’t? What if he came to give us information to use against her, instead?”
Jaden laughed. “Do you know how he was conceived? Through lies and deceit. He was meant to be a tool to be used against us from the very beginning. And that’s what he is. Don’t ever be fooled by him. He was born of the lying, conniving Queen of All Shadows, and suckled on the breast milk of demons. Trust me. I made the mistake of trusting him once, and it almost cost me my life when he handed me over to her. It’s a mistake I won’t ever repeat. Keep your heart hardened where he’s concerned, or else you’ll pay dearly for your mercy.”
She knew better, and it broke her heart that Xev’s father was so blind where he was concerned.
Meeting Xev’s gaze, she inclined her head. She’d get him out of this just as soon as she could. The one thing Shadow would still do was help his brother escape whenever he was captured.
Unlike his parents, she wouldn’t abandon him.
But this was why she’d been so harsh. Why as much as she loved him, she had to find a way to let him go.
He shouldn’t have to bleed for her love. And she was tired of watching him suffer.
* * *
It tookthree days before she was able to infiltrate Xev’s cell with Shadow.
Three days.
He looked awful. They’d all but torn him apart.
And it broke her heart to see him repaid like this. His information had saved the lives of her soldiers. Just as it had before when he’d come to her.
And this was his reward.
Shadow let out a tired sigh before he used his powers to break the chains that held Xev against the wall. “You have got to find a better hobby, brother.”
Xev gave a bitter laugh, until he saw her. “Thank you.”
“Thank her? I’m the one got us here.”
He tsked at Shadow. “And thank you. But I have to say, I like the fact she’s not so demanding.”
Shadow pulled a cloth from his pocket and handed it to Xev so that he could wipe his face. “Maybe, but I don’t take a blood sacrifice.”
“That’s a low blow, Shadow,” Myone said, hating the fact that he was right.
Shadow held his hands up. “Fine. You two can take it from here. Last thing I want to do is get caught and be chained to the wall beside him. Then we’d all be screwed.”
He vanished.
Myone shook her head at Xev. “We can’t keep doing this to you.”
“Sure, we can.”
“Why are you so determined to bleed?”
“Because all my happiness is here.” He leaned down to kiss her cheek. “If I have to bleed for you, then I’ll take it. The Source knows I’ve bled for a lot less.”
“I think they addled your wits.”
Xev laughed. “Shadow would say I never had any to begin with.”
“He might be right, you know?”
“He thinks so.” Xev leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. “I love you, Myone. Whatever price I have to pay, I will do so.”
“I can’t stand to see you harmed. A part of me dies every time they abuse you.”
“Then I’ll be more careful. Just don’t let me go.”
Those words hit her like a hammer. How could she deny him when he had no one else?
She pulled him against her and held on tightly. “I will never let you go, Dary.”
“Then they can do whatever they want to me.”
That was her nightmare. What they would do to him.