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It was the music room, though all the furniture had been covered with white sheets, including the piano set in the far corner.
It wasn’t just Isabel Frost who could often be found here, but Odin as well. Hunter used to stand outside in the hall, secretly listening as he played, running his fingers skillfully over the ivory keys.
Now, this room, like his memories, felt like a cage. Dusty and abandoned, yet impossible to get rid of completely.
“You were fond of it as well, if I remember correctly,” Isa said. “Or at least of the man who came here.”
He’d already figured that Isa had known about his crush, but he found that thread of anger within himself and clung to it, needing anything to combat the fear. Because he knew what being locked and alone in here with the Dominus meant for him.
Death.
At this point, the least he could wish for was standing tall against it and not cowering.
“You knew,” he accused. “You knew how I felt.”
“Of course,” Isa confirmed, slowly crossing the pale white carpet. “That’s why I chose you, Hunter. Why, for once in your pathetic little existence, you were given the important job. I thought you were the best qualified.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“You didn’t,” he said. “Not entirely, in any case.”
Hunter admittedly didn’t understand. “You told me to kill him.”
“That’s true.”
“I failed.”
“To kill him, yes.”
“I—”
“Unfortunately for you, I’m not so sloppy.”
Hunter was trying to keep up, but it wasn't easy. Isa wasn’t mad that he hadn’t murdered Odin that day? But he was mad about something, that much was clear. Was it the fact Hunter had gotten away? He’d overheard the guards that day, the ones sent to wait for him just outside the woods. He’d caught them talking about how Isa had ordered them to take Hunter out so there were no witnesses.
If anything, Isa could be annoyed that Hunter had run, but there was a flicker of fury behind the man’s eyes now, for which he was struggling to find a reason.
Isa Frost didn’t like to lose. Was that all it was? He thought Hunter had bested him, and it was enough to set him off even this many years later?
Was that Odin’s plan?
“Did you see how easy it was to get to you?” Isa was only a few feet away now. “Isn’t that interesting? He was all over you earlier, rubbing your relationship in my face. Where is he now, though?” He threw out his arms and gave a mock frown at the empty room. “Looks like you’ve been abandoned, Hunter.”
He kept his mouth shut, forcing himself not to get roped into arguing with Isa. The air around them started to chill, and he could see the puff of his breath when he exhaled.
Isa remained unaffected, but that was to be expected. The reason for the cold was him, after all. He was manipulating the temperature in the room, using his power with such ease.
“I’m curious, before I kill you, how did you do it?” Isa asked, and when Hunter merely frowned, he rolled his eyes at him. “How did you convince Odin to forgive you for shooting him in the forest? I know him, he isn’t that forgiving. Unless,” he cocked his head, and the corner of his mouth lifted, “it was a rouse. He used you to get to me, didn’t he?”
“It worked,” Hunter stated, wincing as soon as he had. So much for keeping quiet. As far as survival instincts went, they’d skipped over him.
“I’m jealous,” Isa laughed, the sound blunt and cold, just like the rest of him, “I’ll admit it. In all the universe, there’s only one man capable of making me that way.”
He grabbed Hunter by the throat so quickly, there was no chance of evading. Then he shoved him against the closed door and squeezed, but only for a moment, only long enough for Hunter to struggle against the lack of oxygen and panic. Then he loosened his grip and laughed again.
Hunter tugged at his wrist, trying to get him to let go, but he already knew he wasn’t strong enough. Even when he dug his nails in and drew blood, Isa never so much as flinched.
“You should have stayed away,” Isa whispered.
