Heneversmiles like this.
And he’s not even looking at me, either. His eyes, dilated and filled with pleasure, are fixed across the room.
I follow his gaze, and it leads me straight to Dusk.
For a brief moment, the golden angel catches my eye, his expression something that’s either disgusted or horrified. I don’t have enough time to discern it, though, because he quickly averts his eyes. A mask of indifference, one that doesn’t belong on such a vibrant person, solidifies on his face. He no longer looks at me. He won’t. He’s unwilling.
So, I glance at Semyaza—just in time to see him give a barely perceivable nod to Abaddon.
Traitors.
“I’m sorry,” Abaddon breathes in my ear like a hissing serpent. “I know you needed more time to accept your position, but I can’t wait any longer.”
Only a single word—broken, afraid, and sounding nothing like myself—escapes me:“Why?”
“Posturing, my love. We’re stronger together.” He leans even closer, touching his nose to the shell of my ear as he drops his voice to a low rumble. “I was going to make you my queen eventually, but we can’t wait any longer.”
The doors to the throne room groan open.
“Now, be a good girl and play along, will you?” He kisses my ear before straightening his posture, just in time for the Council to walk in.
The sight of Michael and Gabriel at the center of their foursome, fully armored and dripping in regality, makes me absolutely sick to my stomach.
A split second later, that emotion is gone, too.
“Abaddon,” Michael seethes, walking slightly ahead of the rest. His cruel, violent eyes immediately jump to me. “Is this your way of telling us you’ve made the human girl your consort?”
“Not yet,” Abaddon answers, his voice full of ice and stoicism once more. “Apologies. I haven’t had time to formally announce our engagement yet.”
Even if I can’t feel the absolute dread, it’s fighting tooth and nail to surface. To object. But my muscles remain as motionless as the statues lining the room. I’m immobile, mute, and unfeeling.Paralyzed.
“Humans and angels have not been allowed to marry since theNephilim, Destroyer.”
“I’d say Kae is hardly human, considering the immortality she was always destined for.” Abaddon shrugs, acting completely unbothered, and tucks his wing tighter around me. “There will not be a better Queen of the Abyss than the Key to it. She is destined for this realm as much as I am. Do you require further argument before you can respect my decision as Principality here, or can we proceed with the briefing as planned?”
Michael’s lips purse in stifled fury, but the fact that he doesn’t protest tells me everything I need to know. He believes this is a valid loophole; he’s going to allow it.
I should be fucking terrified.
I want to scream for help, to fight, to escape this forced agreement while I still can.
Why can’t anyone see I’m not agreeing to this? He is manipulating me!
Gabriel mutters Michael’s name in a warning, who promptly responds by flashing his second-in-command a glare before looking back at us. “Let us waste no time, then. Semyaza, where are your archangels?”
In mere moments, my fate is sealed.
Abaddon, damn him, brings our connected hands to his lips, placing a kiss on my thumb in subtle celebration. Becausehe can now. The Council has basically blessed our union, however unwilling I am to participate in it.
“They should all be eating dinner at this time,” Semyaza answers.
Michael turns to walk away, speaking without looking back in that demanding, overly loud voice of his. “Have them meet us in the war room in ten minutes. It’s time they start contributing to the cause.”
Abaddon hauls me out of the throne room, tugging me by the hand like I’m a small child. I try to dig my heels in, but my body won’t listen tome. It does not belong to me.
“Our engagement?” I manage to choke out, just as we exit the doors.
“Yes.” He doesn’t look at me, pulling me the opposite direction from everyone else. “Wait until we’re alone, and I’ll give you two minutes to ask any questions.”
