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“How do I know any of this is true?” I demanded. “I don’t remember any of this.”
That earned an eye roll. “The whole point of reincarnation is to forget everything. You’re your own person, but you’re shackled to your past, which, unfortunately for you, is quite substantial. It’s not all bad. You were known for being a beautiful, fair queen and tempering the Lord of the Underworld’s more ruthless tendencies. The black of death balanced by the red of lifeblood, as it were.”
He continued before I could interrupt and ask what he meant by that. “If you have any doubts about what I said, ask your king. He can confirm everything I said with ease. Though he may not be pleased that you heard it fromme.” He gave a shrug, as if he didn’t care what Cole thought of him.
I wasn’t sure that was wise, given that I’d seen Cole rip apart creatures with ease that the three-foot sword at Phaidros’s hip would envy.
He flicked his wrist back up without another word, the quiet rumble of the tavern returning to its previous din.
“Question time is over. I’ll be collecting this favor within a week, love. And I expectpromptpayment.”
Phaidros was gone.
And I wondered if I’d come to regret this exchange not just for the price I’d pay but for what I’d received.
Itwaslateinthe evening by the time Daphne and I made our way back to the castle.
Daphne disappeared shortly after we crossed the threshold. I didn’t blame her for needing time to herself. I appraised the glances of the staff as I made my way to the bedroom. Phaidros’s words had answered a lot of questions I’d had. Several things clicked into place. The deference I was regarded with in the castle halls, the mix of suspicion that went beyond just being under Cole’s protection. The reluctance they all showed when it came to approaching me. Did it make sense I was being held accountable for actions I couldn’t recall, a life I didn’t remember? No. But my years of torment in Moon-Ghost had taught me to keep my expectations of others low.
Cole was coming down the hall from the other way, dressed for a day in court, doing whatever Kings of Hell did. I offered a tentative wave in greeting.
His nostrils flared.
Suddenly, Cole wasn’t at the other end of the hall. He was right in front of me, imperious gaze bearing down on me.
“Why,” he said with deceptive calm, “do you smell like blood?”
Oh. I inhaled, realizing the slaughter at the bar had left a stain. The same breath drew his scent in closer to me, drawing my wolf to the surface. She really liked how Cole smelled.
Annoyed at my wolf, I rolled my eyes. “Because I haven’t showered yet.”
That was the exact wrong thing to say. Cole moved forward, and suddenly I was pressed against a wall.
“Who?”
The entire hall seemed to shake from the word.
“It wasn’t a name-exchanging situation.” I lifted my chin, refusing to be intimidated by his theatrics.
The hallway shook again. The chandeliers shaking as Cole loosened a growl.
Okay. Maybe it was a little more than theatrics.
“You’ll take me to them, and I’ll rip their heads from their bodies. And then I’ll post their bodies on the castle as a warning.” His voice turned more animalistic at the end of the threat, his own wolf clearly riding him.
Well, that was graphic. I mean, it wasn’t my version of hospitality, but that was Cole. Mr. Manners.
“They’re already dead,” I assured him. “I dealt with it.”
I opted to leave out the part about the demon being the actual one to kill them. Somehow, I didn’t think that would help calm Cole down.
The hallway stopped shaking. Or rather, the little earthquake moved from the hallway to my stomach as Cole lifted a hand to my cheek as if he had to see for himself if I was alright.
“I’m okay,” I said softly.
He didn’t drop his hand, simply shifted it down to my neck, a gentle press on the side where he could feel my pulse.
“I will kill anyone who attempts to harm you.”
