Chapter 10
Despite the fact I had been alive for centuries, I’d never seen living as a chore.
My guess was that because chaos ruled my life, there wasn’t enough time to be bored.
No time to overthink. Impulse ruled supreme.
There were earthquakes to cause and vengeance to be had, all in the name of fun. Eternity was my bliss.
Until it no longer was.
No Quentin. No powers. No life.
Hunter had failed to make an appearance again, leaving me to rot here.
I wouldn’t put it past my brother to exploit that little loophole.
He would bypass a public execution, not deeming me worth the hassle, and leave me down here until I was nothing but a pile of bones.
It would be a move that would solidify what he said all along—that I was nothing important.
Pushing that last thought away, I considered the concept of death.
The back of my head rested against the wall as I contemplated if it was possible to meet my demise in such a way.
The cuff meant my powers were dampened, and I wondered if that meant I would be more prone to the ailments that plagued mortals.
I chuckled to myself at the thought of something as simple as a cold taking me out.
I was a God. I rained chaos and destruction on lands. My hand always held the smoking gun.
The laughter grew as my thoughts spiralled. Maybe I wouldn’t quite end up a pile of bones. But if that wasn’t my fate, then who knew what would happen to me?
“You’ve finally lost your mind.”
When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see Archer step out of the shadows.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, Archer?” I asked, not bothering to get up from my spot on the floor.
He didn’t deserve an ounce of courtesy. He’d never received it from me before, so why change the habit of a lifetime?
Because I was set to meet my demise? I didn’t believe in a cliche redemption arc.
He approached the cell. I might not have been able to sense it, but everything about Archer screamed destruction and vengeance.
The tension in his shoulders and stiffness in his gait gave it away.
I would have paid good money to feel the chaos he held.
It was my drug, and I missed how alive it made me feel.
In the long hours that stretched before me, if I focused enough, I could feel the familiar tug of it in my chest. Dark and heavy and ready to claim me.
There was never a moment that I wasn’t ready to be wrapped in its arms. To submit to my nature and bring out the worst of me.
“It’s astonishing how much arrogance you can have even when faced with death.” His finger ran down one of the bars before inspecting the pad of his digit for dirt. He brushed his hand on his trousers with a look of disgust. “Nothing ever fazes you. Untouchable until the end.”
“It runs through my veins,” I reminded him lazily. My gaze flicked from him to the wall and back again. “Imagine what a shell of a God I would be if I didn’t have my arrogance. How would I continue to irk you? It brings me so much joy.”
The muscles in his jaw tightened. “Hunter’s going to allow me to do it. He’s promised me. Your life will end at my hands.”
I held his gaze for a moment before pushing myself up to my feet and walking to meet him at the bars.
Archer had always been a solitary God for as long as I could remember.
Whereas my isolation was somewhat forced, Archer always chose to stay on the sidelines.
Sly. Secretive. He enjoyed skulking and occasionally letting the secrets he collected slip.
Even when he met Elara, with all of her hope and light that ingratiated people towards her, he preferred to keep to himself.
His world only expanded to include her. In another lifetime, there may have been a chance of him tagging along with me and Ig.
But the reality was that his indifference to others and his penchant for secrets had placed him in a position of power amongst the minor Gods.
As far as they were concerned, he knew enough while maintaining a healthy distance, meaning he couldn’t be used as a pawn.
Shame to think that he’d given up on the last part to rub shoulders with Hunter.
“Will you braid each other’s hair when you’re done?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. “Perhaps you’ll fall madly in love and get married and that way you’ll feel fulfilled again and stop—”
“It won’t be me getting married to Hunter. That’s Quentin’s job.”
The reminder sent a volcanic wave of fury through me.
The weight of Quen’s engagement ring was heavy in my pocket.
I’d rescued it from the dirt after Erik took her away.
She was always quick to react. Not that I could blame her.
Her face as I delivered those words of betrayal was seared into my brain.
I’d never hated myself more than when those words left my mouth.
Using all of her vulnerabilities and her deepest insecurities against her was not something I was proud of.
And yet, some part of me had hoped that Quentin knew me better than that.
That even though she’d ripped my ring off her finger and threw it at me, that she would never leave.
Some part of me dared to believe that I was loveable enough.
That our bond was strong enough. I’d always had a slice of the proverbial cake and eaten it.
This had been no different. But Quentin was a prideful creature, and my feelings teamed with our history had probably not even come into it when her survival hung in the balance.
My golden girl had trusted her instinct and ran with it. That was exactly what I wanted…
“I’m sure she’ll make a beautiful bride,” Archer continued.
A smug smile stretched across his lips. I would have liked to push my hands through the bars and smack it right off his face, but the cuffs hindered that particular pang of violence.
“Blue really is her colour. And I imagine Elysia will be pleased to take her lead. I think we can both agree that Quentin is enigmatic. Rough around the edges, but nothing that can’t be—”
“When will your obsession with her end?” I spat, sick of hearing him talk about her. He had no right. Archer wasn’t worth the dust beneath her shoes, and he thought he could discuss her as a bride. As a bride to Hunter.
The weight of my responsibility sat on my chest. It demanded to be released from its binds. It longed to reach out and infect everything it touched. I would have let it run rampant without so much as a thought about the consequences if only I could.
“When you’re dead.”
“Then go!” I gestured towards the stairs, and the clanging of the chains against the bars echoed around us.
“You’ve been cultivating the oleander, Archer.
Why wait for Hunter’s say-so? It was at your home.
It was in your lab. You can get it and finish the job now rather than prattling on.
Death is a better option than hearing you monologue like some low-budget film villain. ”
The silence was brief, but it spoke volumes.
“Oh,” I said, lighting up. The laughter flooded out of me again. “Oh, dear.”
“Shut up,” Archer seethed through his teeth.
“You don’t know where it is, do you? What happened, Archer? Were you deemed too much of a liability?”
“It’s none of your concern.” His hands had balled into fists and thin tendrils of his green aura started to drift lazily around him. “You should count your days, Grayson. Elysia will be a better place without you.”
Archer turned on his heel and started towards the stairs.
At least he was learning when to walk away from a fight that he was losing.
I was under the impression that Archer and Hunter had become partners in crime, but I should have known better.
Hunter wouldn’t allow anything to be out of his control.
He’d given Archer the illusion of partnership so that he would comply.
Now that his plans were in motion, the illusion was shattered.
“I won’t argue that point with you,” I said as he retreated. “But it’s not exactly a paradise with Hunter, is it?”
He continued to walk, and I pushed myself away from the bars, resuming my position on the floor against the wall.
“Larkin was never happy with him. You might think I’m stupid, but I noticed it immediately.
It only took a few months for her to change.
Don’t get me wrong, Erik always said there was never love between them, but she oozed vengeance.
I didn’t care enough to figure out why, but it was clearly something. ”
The footsteps fell silent, and I glanced towards the stairs to see Archer frozen at the bottom of them.
“You know something. You must have sensed it. That Larkin was keeping a secret.” When he refused to engage in conversation, I carried on.
“And he told all of Elysia how much he loved Larkin. You remember the way he would walk with her through the streets? All those bouquets of flowers and dinners he would take her to. You must remember. And you must remember how quickly they faded away after they’d said their vows. We both know he doesn’t love Quentin.”
“Neither do you.”
My nails dug into my thighs and relished the pain it brought forth.
“Whatever helps you to sleep at night. But my point is, Larkin changed because of him. You’re a fool if you think that he’s going to treat Quentin like some sort of long-lost Queen.
Hunter is my brother, and he’s only ever cared for himself. ”
“It runs in the family. Clearly.”
“You’re so blinded by your hate you’re ignoring your own instincts. That is a dangerous game, Archer. Ignorance can only bring you peace for so long.”
It was an easy thing to do. You got too wrapped up in whatever was happening in your life—a vendetta; finding your soulbound—and you forgot to listen. Archer was so hellbent on my death that he would skew everything to fit his narrative, but I needed him to take off the rose-tinted glasses.
I never thought I would look at Archer as my only option.
Not a lifeline. No. I still wasn’t sure if I would ever make it out of this cell.
But being trapped meant that there was no way for me to keep an eye on Quentin.
Erik hadn’t come to visit, and Ig had more sense than to place himself and Elva in the firing line.
Even if they eventually showed up, it might be too late for Quen at that point.
And so here I was, trying to get Archer to see sense.
Leading him back towards the path I needed him to be on.
Asking him directly would only get me a no. I needed to be smarter than that.
“I have never ignored my instincts,” he said, turning back around to face me.
“Then you’ll know that Hunter can’t be trusted. I’d bet my life on the fact he’s probably already crossed you, whether you choose to admit it or not.” I eased the pressure of my nails against my thighs.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Archer said. “It was a mistake coming down here. Waste of my time.” He turned around and started up the stairs.
In a last-ditch attempt, I called out after him. “I can appreciate the irony that your arrogance is what will kill my soulbound while you believe you’re doing what is right. Maybe we aren’t that different after all.”
I had no idea if it had fallen on deaf ears.