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Cain frowned. “Why wouldn’t they be?”
“Because you hate me,” spat Abel. “Because you would love nothing more than to end my life. You would happily kill them in lieu of me.” And it was clear that—just as Seth had predicted—Abel wouldn’t be particularly cut up to hear that Rima and Noah were dead, but he would hate that Cain was instrumental in killing them.
Cain gave him a bored look. “I don’t despise you, Abel. My monster hates you. Me? I never considered you important enough to be worth any such emotional investment.”
Abel gave a quick shake of the head. “Nonsense. You have loathed me since we were children. Trust me, the feeling has always been mutual. Now answer my question: Are they alive?”
“Yes, they’re alive.”
“And my mother?”
Cain pursed his lips. “I believe she’s having dinner with Seth at the moment.”
Abel flinched, no doubt stung by the happy picture that Cain’s reply had painted. That was the thing . . . Abel had no real respect for Eve, but he didn’t see why she shouldn’t still make him the center of her world. It was an attitude he’d inherited from his father.
“Hear me now, Cain,” said Adam, inching up his chin. “You will send her and my grandchildren home when—”
“They are home,” Cain told him. “I explained that already.”
Abel swore beneath his breath. “It’s not enough for you that you took Seth from me?”
It really was ridiculous how Abel persisted in believing that. “Seth did what you wanted,” said Cain. “He picked a side. He just didn’t pick the one you expected. I told you not to make him choose between us. You wouldn’t listen.”
Abel went to bark a retort, but he held back his words when Adam raised a hand for silence.
“We are not here to argue about the past or hash out any personal issues,” Adam upheld, shooting Abel a brief look. “We are here to discuss Eve, Rima, and Noah.”
Abel snapped his mouth shut and stiffly inclined his head. He was always so eager to please the one person who didn’t deserve his devotion. Cain had never truly understood it.
“Some of my people will soon arrive at Devil’s Cradle to take them home,” Adam told Cain. “Be smart, cause no fuss, and let them go.”
Folding his arms, Cain cocked his head. “What, exactly, is in it for me?”
Adam’s expression hardened. “You need—”
“To have some respect? To learn to obey you without question? To remember who my betters are? Yes, you have said such things on many, many occasions. The problem—well, it’s an issue for you, but not whatsoever for me—is that I’ll never feel an inclination to do what you want. You have never given me one reason to think I should respect, obey, or consider you better than me, so I wouldn’t bother with any lectures or threats. If you want me to do as you wish, I’m going to need some incentive. And that incentive will also have to appeal to the other Ancients.”
His face hard as rock, Adam flicked his gaze upwards. Long moments of silence ticked by before he finally said, “We will refrain from retaliating over Lailah’s death.”
“Hmm.” Cain licked his front teeth. “When you lie, you scratch at your jaw.”
Adam paused in the aforementioned act and dropped his hand from his face. A muscle in his cheek jumped. “I spoke no lie. There will be no retaliation if you cooperate, although I will also demand that you hand over the witch. But before I agree to this deal, I want to speak to Eve, Rima, and Noah. Here and now.”
Cain lifted a brow. “So you can bully them into leaving Devil’s Cradle?” He shook his head again. “I don’t think so.”
“I want to be sure that you didn’t lie when you said they are alive,” said Adam.
“You’ll just have to take my word for it.”
Abel hissed through his teeth. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Cain gave a careless shrug. “Not particularly. There are better things I could be doing with my time than listening to you two dish out orders that you idiotically believe I’ll feel compelled to obey. What you do or don’t want means not one thing to me. You should know that by now, but apparently not.” He paused. “You know why your children so easily agreed to stay here? To spite you, Abel. They want to punish you for hurting their deceased mother. Rima in particular has no real liking for you. I can’t say I blame her.”
His eyes shooting fire, Abel gripped his thighs tight as he once more leaned forward. “You. Will. Free them.”
Cain let a taunting smile curve his mouth. “If you want them, little brother, you’ll have to come get them yourself. But you won’t, will you? Not even for your own children will you come to Devil’s Cradle.”
“Is it truly their wish to stay?” asked Adam.
