The Under-King rose, black robes drifting on a phantom wind. “I thought the Fae bowed to Luna, but perhaps you remember the old beliefs? From a time when Urd was not a goddess but a force, winding between worlds? When she was a vat of life, a mother to all, a secret language of the universe? The Fae worshipped her then.”
Bryce feigned yawning, earning an alarmed look from Ruhn, who’d blanched at the sight of the Under-King descending from the dais. Hunt, at least, didn’t seem surprised. He’d grown accustomed to her antics, she supposed.
Hypaxia monitored every movement from the Under-King, wind stirring her hair. She had a score to settle after last night, it seemed.
“So,” Hunt drawled, “here to finish our business?”
The Under-King drifted to the black altar, his horrific face contorting with pleasure as he breathed in the smoldering bones atop it. “I wished to inform you that the Reapers you so hatefully accused me of sending after you were in fact not Apollion’s at all. I’ve discovered that they hailed from the Eternal City.”
Bryce stiffened. “Reapers can cross oceans?”
“Reapers once crossed worlds. I don’t see how some water might deter them.”
“Why come here to attack us?” Hunt demanded.
“I don’t know.”
“And why tell us this at all?” Bryce went on.
“Because I do not appreciate my territory being infringed upon.”
“Bullshit,” Ruhn said. Hypaxia trailed a few steps behind him. “You told them the horrible truth about what happens after death, and yet you’re willing to let them live now because you’re pissed that someone stepped on your toes?”
His eyes—his dead, milky eyes—fixed on Bryce. “You are officially a princess now, I hear. I suspect you will learn a great deal of equally unpleasant truths.”
“You’re hedging,” Ruhn growled.
But Bryce asked, “Did Jesiba speak to you?”
“Who?”
“Jesiba Roga. Antiquities dealer. She has—had—a few Death Marks. She must know you. She knows everyone.”
The Under-King’s eyes glowed. “I do not know her by that name, but yes. I know of her.” His gaze drifted behind her, to Hypaxia at last. “You did well last night. Few could have worked their way through that labyrinth of spells. The House of Flame and Shadow will welcome you.”
The breeze around Hypaxia rose to a chill wind, but she didn’t deign to speak. Bryce made a note to herself to never get on the queen’s bad side.
Hunt cut in, “You summoned us here to give us this convenient update about those Reapers, and now you want to play nice? I don’t buy it.”
The Under-King only smiled, revealing those too-large brown teeth.
Bryce said, “What does this sequence mean?” She rattled off what had been on Sofie’s arm.
The Under-King blinked. “I don’t know.” He smiled again, wider. “But perhaps you should ask them.” He pointed behind her to the doorway. The world beyond.
Where Pippa Spetsos was marching into the courtyard of the temple, flanked by Lightfall soldiers.
Hunt’s lightning flared. “You tipped off Ophion,” he snarled, even as he began calculating the fastest route out of the temple.
Ruhn, already at the inner sanctum doors, slammed them shut and barred them. Locking them in with the Under-King.
Pippa’s voice came through the doors. “Come play, Vanir scum. We’ll show you what happens when you turn on us.”
Hypaxia’s face paled. “You were … working with the rebels?”
“Emphasis on were,” Bryce muttered. Not that it made a difference right now.
The Under-King’s figure began to fade away. An illusion. A projection. Hunt didn’t bother to wonder how he had done it, had made the details seem so real. “War means death. Death means souls—and more secondlight. Who am I to turn away from a feeding trough? Commander Spetsos’s first act upon arriving in Crescent City was to kneel before me. When she mentioned the enemies in their ranks, I took it upon myself to inform her of our … altercation. We made a deal that is in both of our best interests.”
The rebels would claim the kill, sparing the Under-King any political fallout, but the creep would be satisfied that he’d played a role in slaughtering them, and receive whatever souls would wind up in his realm. A whole lot of them, if Pippa was on the move.
Bryce bristled, starlight shimmering from her. “And were you lying when you claimed you didn’t send the Reapers after me and Ruhn those weeks ago?”
“I spoke true then and I speak true now. I had no involvement in that. Why should I lie to you, when I have already revealed so much?”
“Keep playing these games, and you’ll make enemies of all of us,” Ruhn warned the king.
The Under-King faded into shadows. “Death is the only victor in war.” Then he was gone.
A bullet boomed against the metal door. Then another. Pippa was still shouting her vitriol.
“Any ideas?” Hunt asked. If the rebels had gorsian bullets, this would get messy very quickly. And bring a huge crowd to witness the disaster.
Bryce grabbed Hunt’s hand. Pushed it on her chest. “Level me up, Athalar.”
Ruhn jerked his chin toward Hypaxia. “Take her with you.”
The witch-queen glared at the Fae Prince in reproach, but Bryce shook her head, keeping her hand over Hunt’s. Her fingers tightened, the only sign of her nerves as she said, “I’ve never brought anyone along. I need all my focus right now.”
Good. At least she was being smart about this. Hunt held his mate’s gaze, letting her see his approval, his encouragement. He wouldn’t waste time asking what she planned. Bryce was brilliant enough to have something figured out. So Hunt let his lightning flow, setting it zinging through his hand and into her chest.
Her star began glowing beneath his fingers, as if in greedy anticipation. Another barrage of bullets clanged against the door.
His lightning flowed into her like a river, and he could have sworn he heard a beautiful sort of music between their souls as Bryce said, “We need reinforcements.”
Ruhn contained his panic as his sister, charged up with a spike of Athalar’s lightning, vanished into nothing.
An impact rocked the metal doors into the inner sanctum. Why hadn’t the Aux been summoned yet? He reached for his phone. If he called in help, there would be questions about why they’d even been here in the first place. He’d already tried Cormac, but the male had sent him to audiomail, and then messaged that he was talking to the King of Avallen. There was no way the prince would interrupt that call.
They were trapped.
He pivoted to Hypaxia, who was scanning the sanctum, searching for any hidden doors. “There has to be another exit,” she said, running her hands over the walls. “No temple ever has just one way in and out.”
“This one might,” Hunt grumbled.
Bryce reappeared, and Ruhn marked every detail of his panting sister. “Easy peasy,” Bryce declared, but her face was sweaty, her eyes dim with exhaustion. What the Hel had she gone off to do?
Another bang on the doors, and the metal dented.
“What the fuck was that?” Ruhn drew the Starsword.