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“That makes no sense. You said the deity felt that Wynter was more Hers than yours.”
“Kali probably still does. Don’t forget that She has been in Wynter’s life for a long time. In many ways, Kali raised her. Watched over her. Ensured she never felt alone.”
“So Her sense of ‘mine’ is more parental than a soul-related issue?”
“I believe so.” It would explain a lot of things. “Though I could be wrong. According to Wynter, Kali approves of her now being immortal.”
“Huh.” Seth sank back in his chair. “Wynter’s given up a lot for you, brother.”
Which is “love,” in case you’re interested.
Those words she’d spoken clutched at Cain’s chest. “I would have done the same for her.” There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. “She cares for me in a way that’s utterly uncomplicated. It doesn’t come with conditions. It isn’t a case of she loves me in spite of A, B, or C. She takes me as I am. Loves me as I am.”
Seth’s eyes warmed. “You deserve to have that. I’m happy for you.”
Cain inclined his head in thanks. “So, what brings you here?”
Seth sighed, sobering. “I suspect that the twins are going to ask to leave Devil’s Cradle.”
Cain frowned. “What makes you think so?”
“Since we questioned them about Saul’s disappearance, they have emotionally retreated. They barely speak to me now. They don’t engage much. No more card games, no more rounds of chess, no more heartfelt conversations. I can’t quite decide if they’re truly hurt that they’re suspects or if I’m being played. Either way, they might soon announce a wish to leave.”
Cain found it easier to believe that they were trying to make Seth feel shitty and give further weight to their “we’re innocent” claim. But then, Cain was a pessimist through and through. “They won’t be permitted to go anywhere until the battle with Abel is over. We can’t take the chance that they’re not part of some plot. You know that.”
“I do. I also know that that will only piss them off more.”
Cain gave an unconcerned shrug. “We warned them from the start that we wouldn’t take risks with our people’s safety.”
“True,” Seth recalled.
“What about Eve? Do you think she’ll put in a request to leave?” Cain mourned that he could ask that question while not feeling hopeful that she would stay. He understood why he was so emotionally detached from his mother, but he still didn’t like that about himself. He still wished things were different.
“No. She said she understood why we’d all be so careful. She was an adult during the last war. She remembers it all very clearly. The twins were babies. They’ve only heard about what happened. They intellectually understand why we’d so easily expect an Aeon to betray us, but they can’t appreciate the emotional impact the other betrayals had on us.”
“If Eve does express a wish to get away from Devil’s Cradle, I’ll be immediately suspicious. She isn’t safe out there in the big, bad world. Unless, of course, Adam doesn’t truly want her dead.”
“I think he does—her fear of him, of being once more back in his hands, is very real. Eve was a lot of things, but never a good actress. And if I’m right to believe that it is not a lie, I think I am also right in doubting that she’d decide to take her chances and leave. Especially when the Aeons might very well be on their way here. She could easily run into them, and they would return her to Adam.” Seth scratched at his jaw. “Demetria’s vision came as a surprise. A most useful one.”
“Indeed.”
“I must admit, while I lament that some of our residents may be gravely injured in the upcoming war, I do look forward to getting it over with.”
“As do I. We will not only be closer to gaining our freedom when Abel dies, we will be closer to a time when I will no longer have to use my consort to lure our enemies here.”
Seth gave him a wan smile. “Like it or not, she makes pretty good bait where the Aeons are concerned. I would imagine, given her general disposition and deep hatred for them, that she’s actually quite happy about it.”
Cain grunted. “I tried convincing her to stay at the Keep during the battle.” He’d devoted over an hour of their evening to the aforementioned cause. But she’d point blank refused to consider it. There had been no yelling, no cursing, no bitching at him for being so overprotective, though. She’d simply very calmly stated her case and had just as calmly reiterated it as many times as necessary until, finally, he’d let it go. “I failed.”
“You had to have known in advance that she wouldn’t agree to it.”
“I had known. Still, I’d had to try.” Cain rubbed at his nape. “I could easily force her to comply with my wishes now that I own her soul, of course. But she’d never forgive me. Ever.” It would break something between them. Something that would never mend. “And I can’t say I’d blame her.”
“She’ll be fine, Cain. Do not forget that your consort is far from weak. As you once said to me, she’s a warrior through and through. A warrior who wields dark magick, has the fencing skills of a Trojan, and hosts a monster that took on an Aeon and survived it. Not only that, she’s now immortal. True, she could still die. But no one will find it whatsoever simple to execute her. Plus, Kali would likely send her back to this realm anyway.”
Cain was counting on all those things being enough, because he fucking refused to lose her.
Seth pursed his lips. “An immortal revenant. It should be a contradiction in terms, really. They never live longer than a few days. Generally.”
