ORO
Oro Rey never thought he would see Grim Malvere, demon ruler of Nightshade, cry.
But Oro watched as tears slid down Grim’s face while he stared at the charred center of the maze. He held the remnants of a feather between his fingers—the only sign that she had ever been there. That, and the enormous panther roaring and scraping at the place where she had vanished.
Isla. She couldn’t be gone. She couldn’t have planned this behind their backs.
But Oro knew her.He knew her. He should have anticipated she would try to sacrifice herself in some way, to save them all from Lark Crown’s destruction.
Nothing in this world could kill Lark, Isla’s ancestor, so she found a way to save their world from her wrath—she opened this secret portal and brought herself to another realm entirely. The place Lark, and the other two founders of Lightlark, had originated from.
Oro had to hope there was a way for Isla to kill Lark in the otherworld, but he couldn’t be sure. He couldn’t even bring himself to move, not as Lynx lifted his head to roar again, the sound making the ground tremble. Not as Grim fell to his knees.
They sat in miserable silence, waiting, as if Isla would come back.
When she didn’t, after what felt like hours, Grim slowly got to his feet. He took a shaking breath.
And he punched Oro square in the jaw.
Oro staggered back with the force of the blow. One he would have dodged easily under different circumstances, if all his energy hadn’t left him in the wake of this crushing grief, and he hadn’t already been injured.
But he wouldn’t let it happen again. Grim flew at him once more, but Oro stepped to the side at the last moment, connecting his own fist against Grim’s jaw, sending the Nightshade stumbling.
“Stop this,” Oro snarled. “You’re—”
Grim, of course, didn’t. He tackled Oro to the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs, and they rolled in the dirt in a mess of blows that had Oro spitting blood out of his mouth. They couldn’t use their powers in the maze, so they scrambled on the ground in a mess of limbs until Oro finally thought,Fuck this, and unleashed all his pent-up rage. It came out in a kick to Grim’s ribs, landing with a satisfying crack. In slamming Grim’s head against the ground. In pummeling Grim’s face, over and over, until Grim threw him off.
The Nightshade lunged and punched Oro straight in the nose with a sickening crunch.Bastard. He tasted the metallic sting of his own blood.
Grim wasn’t done. And it seemed he had grown tired of using restraint. In a flash, Grim’s blade was against Oro’s throat.
Oro stilled, the metal cold against his skin, his heart racing. Grim was right in front of him, his eyes narrowed. Somehow, they looked both overcome with emotion, and hollow, like part of his soul had been ripped away. Panic shot through him. Without Isla here, would Grim really kill him this time?
Lynx surged forward, baring his teeth. But the creature seemed torn about interfering. He was Isla’s bonded. He wouldn’t do anything that might hurt her.
And her heart was split between them.
The panther growled, but Grim did not drop his blade.
In this maze, Oro couldn’t summon his fire. He weighed the risk of moving now, of trying to break free, just as the sword’s edge pushed farther into his skin. Oro felt a flash of pain and his own blood running down his throat. He flinched, expecting Grim to finish the job and slice through his flesh completely. But instead—
Instead, all he said was, “Do you love her?”
Oro knew he should lie. Lie to this Nightshade on the verge of losing his own sanity, blood running from the corner of his mouth, eye already beginning to bruise. This Nightshade...who was herhusband. And who currently had his weapon pressed right against his jugular.
But even if Oro wanted to, he couldn’t lie about this. His answer was immediate. “Yes.”
Oro expected anger, or pain, or a flash of retribution to cross Grim’s face, but instead...the Nightshade almost looked relieved.
“Good. I’m getting her back. And you’re going to help me.” He said it simply, like an order. Like a fact.
Then, he sheathed his blade and offered his hand.
Oro just blinked. Was this another trick? He hesitated, and Grim’s eyes narrowed. “I would gladly slit your throat right now,king. But I love her more than I hate you.” His gaze blazed with determination. “I love her more than anything. I will tear apart this world, and the next, and the one after that, until I find her and bring her back. Are you with me?”
Oro knew what a momentous task it would be to reach her, when they didn’t even know where to start and their own world was still fracturing around them.
But his love for her drowned out any doubts. Any fears. He remembered what he thought during the Centennial, after he realized she had survived the arrow through her heart.
