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He was beginning to think the latter held more truth.
“How do you expect me to believe you?” Artem leaned forward in his chair, sharp eyes fastened on Eva.
Artem had been paranoid for as long as Darius could remember, which only made sense considering his position in this world. Regardless of his power, Darius continued to believe he wasoverlyparanoid.
What else should he expect from someone who had been riding on the edge of insanity for centuries?
“I don’t,” Eva spoke up, but her voice was cracking. She was weakening. “No one ever does. No one ever wants to. But I can’t change the future. I never can…” Darius detected a hurt in her voice as she spoke.
It was then that Darius noticed Eva’s trembling legs. He knew she wasn’t going to be able to hold herself up much longer.
Darius bolted forward, catching her just as she began to fall. Her head pressed into his chest as her heavy eyes looked up to him. “I have you,” he softly told her, low enough for only her to hear. “You’re not alone.”
She must have accepted what he said, because she relaxed in his arms. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you,” she whispered once more, her voice fading.
Darius did a double take.
Did she actually thank him? Out of the many responses he expected from her,thank youwas not one of them.
She must have lost her ability to think straight.
“You should have let her fall,” Artem said as Eva’s eyes closed. Darius was sure to hold her tightly, so she didn’t have to worry about slipping to the floor.
I have you,he thought once more while looking at her.
After some time, he willed himself to look up to Artem. “Why? She did what you asked of her.”
“It does not matter that she did as I asked. She had no choice. On the other hand, she had the choice to treat me with respect, which she failed to do.”
Darius scrunched his eyes together, scrutinizing Artem.
Was Artem admitting he was treated poorly? In front of everyone?
“You admit that she didn’t treat you with respect?” Suddenly, Darius was beginning to understand Eva’s game.
Artem’s eyes widened as if he recognized the mistaken slip of his tongue in front of everyone. In front of everyone hecontrolled.
He would never admit such a thing. No one disrespects him.It was unheard of.
Yet after Eva’s public interaction with him, Darius began to wonder…
And his anger toward the man grew.
“I admit that I already promised her the dungeon, which I hope will exceed her lackluster expectations.”
“I can continue to watch her.” She couldn’t be sent down there. She needed to be with him.I told her she wouldn’t be alone.
“Darius, I will be eternally grateful for the gift you have given to me - your lifeblood. With the gift of your lifeblood you have shown me a loyalty that will be written in history. You’ve done something no one has before, you rejected your lifeblood for a man you respect above all others. Now I am doing you a favor by sending her to the dungeons. I refuse to test you any further. Why allow you to remain so near to someone you can never have? It would be far too cruel for me to let your friendship continue.”
Darius ground his teeth together.
Cruel?
Cruel would be separating the two of them. Darius was no idiot, and neither was Artem. Artem knew exactly what he was doing. For everyone else, Artem made it sound as if he was giving Darius mercy, but Darius knew better.
Unfortunately, arguing with Artem right now would only prove to everyone that Darius was no longer on his leader’s side, possibly jeopardizing his plan to get Eva out of here.
He needed to let this happen.
