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“She’s been trying to destroy you since she met you. She tried to kill you on your wedding night, my husband. She left you to die. I gave you your heart back just like I did tonight.”
“Lies!” I wheeze. “You were bound to Death back then.”
Neo growls as if unleashing some anger over a piece of history I’ve missed, something Lux never shared.
Lux swings her pale hair toward me to eclipse my face. “Neoptolemus and I were strong enough to fight Death, Elysia. When we shattered the Grail pieces, when we forged our rings, when we sealed our blood oath, I gave him a heart of such Destruction, he was strong enough to stand against Death. So, Thanatos could only claimoneGrail piece but not the others. And the Father killed me because of it.”
Thanatos…Thanatosgave me everything! I was too preoccupied with the king, with Neo. All along, it was the queen!
“I love you,Neo.”
“Yes, only Neo. She doesn’t love the Prince of Destruction.” Lux slowly removes her robe and places her silvery body up against his, exposing that road map of Noralice, ofmybite marks,mytrauma. With one last cold and cruel glance at me, she pins her eyes to Neo’s, then to mine in a promise of how she is digging my grave with her culmination. “But I do. I love Neoptolemus, the Dragon Prince of Destruction. Your past, present, and future. Your heartandsoul. I love all your masks just as you love all my hundred bite marks. And I would never ask you to take them off, my husband. You don’t need my strength or my protection. You just need my love. I am strong enough to take your destruction. If I wasn’t, I would not be carrying your child.”
In one moment, Neo releases me and kisses her.
With nothing in me to fight her, or to fight him, to reach him, I turn over and fall asleep to the sound of them fucking, to the sound of Lux moaning and screamingNeoptolemusuntil it drowns out my inner voice that weeps for Neo.
Chapter26
Checkmate, Elysia
When I wake, it’s to Neo’s knuckles slow-dragging along my cheek—cold and familiar, tender and dark. Immediately, I scramble to a sitting position, almost fearful that I’ll find Lux’s fingers in me again.
Spitfire rises to his haunches, growling from scenting my fear, but I stretch out a hand and stay him, rubbing his head to soothe him.
“I’m almost surprised that you’re still here. I thought you may have escaped to my brother,” he reflects as I gather the blankets around myself, protecting my throat, my eyes straying to his chest, to that succubus’ heart beating inside. Upon noticing my observance, he sighs and clutches the Grail ring at my neck, wincing at the pain it causes him.
“Where is your ring, Neo? The one she gave you?” I challenge him but softly, treading once more on dragon eggshells.
“After you tried to kill me on our wedding night, I hid it for safekeeping.”
I groan and drag a hand through my curls, straining with my scalp, desiring the pain. He won’t listen. Nothing I say will change his heart, will it? Lux has checked me. More of a checkmate. She’s claimed my queen. I have nothing left.
“I went to Mordere while you and Lux were sleeping,” he explains. I hadn’t realized they had slept at all last night, considering there were a few times I woke to them fucking. “He had quite a few interesting things to say in hismindbetween the screaming. About how Thanatos unleashed the Scourge, giving you a reason to go to the border so you could distract me from Lux, harness my power and work to freeze my heart, make me weaker so he could attack. Did you know he raised an army? He provided the grandest diversion of all, but his army will be my true test. You failed yours, Elysia. You failed to tempt Destruction.”
Neo grins at me, and my Halo staggers to the sight of his fangs. “You may have stolen my soul, Everblood, but rest assured, you will not have my heart.” He grips the ring so hard, his dark knuckles gray from the pressure, but ultimately, he releases it, letting it fall back onto my skin before tapping me on my nose. “Fortunately, for you, I am in a forgiving mood. So, you will join me at Court today.”
“Court? I thought you weren’t—”
“Tonight is Valentine’s Day. I am holding Court today to make a special announcement about the pregnancy. I wish my second wife to be there to celebrate the news…in all herfinery.”
Something about the way he says it strikes fear into my heart. I open my mouth to ask him, but Neo crushes his lips to mine in a destructive kiss, painful and dark, punishing, almost bruising. So, I don’t delay when he departs from the room with all his shades and flames trailing him. Not one curls around me.
While I change in the Infinity Wardrobe, I give Spitfire the greatest meal I can conjure because he’s the only spark of good left in my life. And the refugees at the border, of course. No, I refuse to give up. The prophecy stated our bond is the key. How can I give up after one failed attempt? If I can freeze his heart once, I can do it again.
When I embark from the Infinity Wardrobe, Lux is waiting for me, already garbed for Court. Why am I not surprised that little has changed? While I chose a gown of full and luxurious drapery skirts of fondant-like layers—purple and gold—with a sweetheart neckline and a royal cape, Lux wears something sheer—far more fitting for the bedroom. It emphasizes much of her breasts but more the swell of her belly and the hundred-and-one bite marks.
Just as I open my mouth, Lux pins me against the Infinity Wardrobe, her mouth claiming mine in a feral, hot kiss, tongue licking all over my inside as if inflicting the same punishment Neo had. Similar to the last time she used her body against mine, I freeze and cannot flee because there’s nowhere to run. Even with everything that has happened, I can’t bring myself to hate her, not when the Father has used her as a pawn in all this, not when she’s my ancestor, not when the Father killed her and Thanatos kept her soul. So, I let her finish spilling her envy, her rage, her hatred inside my mouth, let her bite my lower lip, and be done with it all.
“You will understand soon, Everblood,” Lux lilts in that soprano voice, cupping my cheek and fingering a few of my loose curls. “It’s better this way. Now, you will never destroy my husband.” After she smiles, she saunters away, earning a growl from my hellcat as his fur stands on end.
I shiver but don’t know if it’s from her assault or Thanatos’ shades and frost patterning the wall near the Infinity Wardrobe and whispering his shade voice,Elysia…
Spinning around, I crouch and practically punch the wall, feeling it give way, feeling his frost surround my hand instead. “You think this changes anything?” I scream. My hand opens to the will of his shades, to his frost prickling and thickening, hardening to crystal. When I yank my palm out, it’s clutching the same frosted rose he’d created for me before. Except this time, I don’t let it drop because hanging from one of the petals is that single strand of gold I’d traded to him months ago. My hair.
No, it’s too late to apologize.I hurl the rose right back through the portal wall. Instead, I turn around at the sound of Neo clearing his throat behind me. Prepared to escort me to breakfast, he extends his hand and bids me to accompany him. On our way out of the suite, he casts one glance at the portal before smiling at me and greeting Lux in the main bedroom before offering her his arm. They share a knowing grin that raises the hairs on my arms—some ominous writing on the walls of their mind. What does Neo have planned?
In the Commons, Quillion paces, waiting for me. Remorse fills the bishop’s eyes, deep shadows etched beneath as if he’s been up all night. When he doesn’t even comment on my gown, I know something is wrong, so I take his hands in mine and stare into his warm woodland eyes. Only now, they seem more like deadwood. “Quill, what is it?”
