Unmaking any of the others, whether by one another or Lucifer Itself?Such a tactic would push Saer even further away.His maker wouldn’t take that risk with Its—as Arek said with such bitterness—First and favored.
He avoided voicing the majority of his thoughts.“It won’t make the same mistake again.”
Still shaking his head, Arek tightened his crossed arms in front of his body, lowering his gaze again.Alus leaned in and feigned a whisper, “Asshole or not, he’s still our brother.”
His smile tinged with sadness, Saer obliged him with the required response.“I’m standing right here.”
The exchange drew a smirk out of Arek at the same time he growled, lavender eyes still fixed on the ground.“We can’t go with you.”
He might have been speaking for the Twins alone, but Saer could tell he meant the rest of their kin as well.He lifted his challenging focus once more to Saer.
The heaviness, despite his expectation, settled low in Saer’s stomach.Even so, he tried to keep it out of his voice.“That’s why the invitation is open.”
Nonplussed, Greed huffed.“How will you accomplish it?”
It was Saer’s turn to shrug, an arrogant, if sad, curve pulling at his lips.“How, indeed.”
Arek opened his mouth to dig further, but Runeak’s voice interrupted them from behind.“It is finished.”
She stood, putting the final touches on the last figurine in her nimble, ebony fingers.Focused on the model, Wrath took the few steps required to get to her cot and crouched to put the ultimate piece in place.
Even from his vantage point, Saer could tell she had created a scaled-down version of herself in her fiercestDaemoenicform.
On top of the miniature’s head rested a tiny crown of razor blades.
46
NoonespokewhenRuneak’s spine straightened, her onyx gaze fixed upon the figurine.“I accept your title.”
Her lower voice seeped into the bones of everything it touched.She raised her focus to Saer’s face.“But we will not accompany you in your treason.”
Treason.The word stabbed him at his core.“Runeakael—”
The demoness cocked her head to the side, an uncanny movement that reminded him of the fallen angel who’d created them all.The resemblance stuck Saer’s words in his throat, and she went on, “We have heard your proposal, and we refuse.There will be no reconsideration.”
A familiar, enraged tightness built.“You don’t speak for all of them.”
Runeak’s nostrils flared.“You named me their queen.”She spoke the fact with such cold passivity that a visible shiver ran down Kalia’s back.
“Did you not pay attention to anything else we just talked about?”Saer’s voice rose despite a quiet, inner whisper begging him to stay calm.
She advanced upon him.“You are responsible for Neyu’s demise.There is no consideration to be made.”The knife in Saer’s core twisted.“You, and that one.”Runeak’s head snapped over to glare at Errshek.
Errshek quailed and inched back on the bench.He ran into Kalia’s frozen-in-place form, her brown eyes wide.
Had Runeak threatened Errshek when he came to her for help?He hadn’t considered it before, but the realization brought a wave of unexpected protectiveness, hitting him square in the chest.
“Runeak, please—” Errshek whimpered.
The Twins tensed, and Saer extended a hand to ward them off while keeping his eyes fixed on Wrath.“Leave him be, Runeakael.”
Lip curling, Runeak snapped her attention back to Saer.“He is not the one who consumed her.We took a vow of loyalty.Youdisgraced all of us.”
A mocking laugh left Saer before he could stop it, caution thrown to the wind.“What is blind loyalty if not proof of idiocy?What has that creature done for you?For any of you?”
“You are not worthy of the devotion he shows you!”For the first time, Runeak’s voice rose to match Saer’s, the embodiment of a battle cry.
“Devotion?”Saer screamed with incredulity, and it echoed through the encampment.“If this is devotion, what does it mean to endure that monster’s disdain?”A keening rang between Saer’s ears, his vision tunneling.“Who does It command I unmake next!?”
