Page 145 of Eternal Surrender

“Why?” Anaïs asked.

“Just in case,” he insisted.

“If you’re not back in five minutes—” Ingrid spread out her fingers. “—we’re coming after you.”

Marcus threw her a smile. “Now I really feel safe.”

Alex, Marcus and I descended into blackness.

Chapter Thirty-One

In silence Alex, Marcus and I descended further.

I shoved the key into my jacket pocket for safekeeping.

The secret stairway continued endlessly, spiraling into the earth. My thoughts drifted back to the chamber we’d just come from, where Ingrid, Anaïs and Sebastian were waiting for us.

Within that room two hundred years ago, the Stone Masters had held their so-called sacred ceremonies, torturing vampires before transporting them to Salisbury for their final punishment. Death by daylight, a cruel and terrible condemnation for merely being different.

I hoped I’d have the courage to face whatever lay ahead.

Alex’s footfalls paused a little way behind me. “Orpheus murdered my father.”

I too stopped and glanced back down at the steps yet to be discovered. “You’re bringing this up now?”

Not to mention the delicate truth that Alex and Orpheus shared a love-hate relationship that was far more complicated than either of them would ever admit.

“Alex, I thought you hated your father?” Marcus’s mouth twitched and he seemed to regret saying it.

“Lord Artimas, your father, was a Stone Master,” I reasoned. “He hunted vampires.”

“This feels wrong,” Alex said.

“We’re just taking a look,” I reassured him. “Perhaps there’s a chance that whatever’s in that room can help us find Dominion.”

“Alex?” Marcus studied him. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure if I want to know what’s down there.” He leaned against the wall.

“We’re here with you,” I said. “You don’t have to face it alone.”

“I found a stack of letters from father,” Alex explained. “Missives between mother and him. In them, he expressed his disappointment in me.”

Marcus motioned for me to answer.

I let out a long sigh. “I was the one who was destined to carry on the family tradition,” I said. “Become the next Stone Master. I was the disappointment. Not you.”

Marcus shrugged and then on my subtle glance of disapproval at him, he turned back to Alex. “You don’t have to come.”

Alex shifted his footing as though taking his time to think it through.

“Demons are meant to be faced,” I said.

Alex shook off his reluctance and slid past Marcus, pressing his back against the wall to squeeze past me.

“He still doesn’t trust us,” I mouthed to Marcus.

Marcus patted my right arm and headed after Alex.