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“I swear to the gods, Finn. You better spill.”
He smashes his lips together into a firm line, then shakes his head. “Before I tell you, just know I’ve been there where I could step in if I need to. So far, though, she’s kicked ass… We’ve been going to the conclaves in Purgatory.”
My eyes shoot wide and the words are trapped in my throat. Conclaves? He’s joking, right? Please fucking tell me he’s joking. Anger floods through my veins as I inhale, gritting my teeth and step closer to him. My fists clench at my sides hard enough for my knuckles to threaten to split.
“Wait,” he holds a hand up, shrinking away from me. “Wait. We’ve been doing it safely and only because she needed more. She has to get the magic out or it eats at her. I found a way for her to do it where it could be monitored.”
“How long?” I barely get the words through my gritted teeth. My jaw ticks and I force myself to breathe.
“A little over a month. She needs this. Please don’t take that from her. She’ll go mad.”
“Mad? Alice is fine. If she was on the brink of losing it, I’d know. She’s nowhere close to how Asmodeus was.”
“Kai, she’s even more of a risk. She has access to her witch heritage. It changes things. Her power is different. Her capacity to handle magic is different. You and Asmo are purebloods. And look at the difference. He was spellbound, just like her. Lucifer was barely able to throw him into the realm of monsters. Hell, from what I understand, he almost failed.”
“It doesn’t matter. She shouldn’t be involved with the conclaves. We should’ve found another way. If my father finds out–”
“Believe me, he’s not going to. How is this any different from whenyouused to participate in them?” Finn’s eyebrows arch upward, giving me a knowing look.
“She fell down a fucking rabbit hole, Finn. If the girl can’t watch where her feet are going, then she has no business fighting in conclaves or leaving the castle alone. But how dare you take her there?” Not wanting to hear another word, I turn and start to ascend the stairs.
“Where are you going?” he calls.
“To go find Alice.”
“Please, don’t do this.” The slap of his feet against the concrete steps grows closer as he tries to catch up to me.
“She’s going to be my wife. The last thing we need is to be keeping secrets.”
“Well, that’s ironic coming from you.” I spin around and Finn’s body nearly collides with mine.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you haven’t been entirely honest with Alice, either.”
Grinding my teeth, a sharp pang shoots through my jaw. “Not by choice.”
“Is that the argument you’re going to make with her? I’d rethink that strategy if I were you.” Finn’s eyes don’t waver, staring straight into mine. “She’s not stable. If you go barging into the castle to rip her a new one over a decision I made, you’re going to lose her. Is that what you want? Have I ever steered you wrong?”
He hasn’t… But this version of him, the one that’s willing to stand up and tell me to sit the fuck down, is new. Alice’s bravery is clearly rubbing off on him. My jaw ticks, but I don’t answer. The fucker has always stood by my side and as much as I hate to say it, maybe it’s time I stood by his.
“Let it go,” Finn says, taking a step back. “We’ll stop going to conclaves. Problem solved.”
7
Alice
I stalk into the castle foyer, finding Lucifer loitering around as if he’s waiting for something. Or rather someone.
Where he usually hides away in the basement of this wretched prison, today he’s dressed to the nines. His golden crown sits atop his head, woven through his dark locks, and the finest linens I’ve ever seen cover his body. Like a true medieval king.
Of course he’d choose today to actually do his job.
“Don’t you look nice,” I say, forcing a fake smile to my lips.
I hate being left out of conversations, but I hate Kai’s lack of faith in me more. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t want to be around to see one more thing nestle beneath my skin. If that happens, I’ll become a force to be reckoned with.
“Yes… We have company.”
