Gall straightened as the incantations cut off, the voices hanging in the air for half a breath before Lucifer smiled,gesturing to Istral. “It is done. The bond is forged. She will provide your heir, carryingmypower. Kiss your bride, my Son. Kiss your queen. The undefiled mother!”
I wanted to scream at him to“Stop! Not like this!”as, shaking, but beaming with pride, Gall stared down at Istral, and took her sweet face in his hands.
She startled like the trance had been broken. Her hands whipping up to grip Gall’s as he leaned over her and kissed her like a lover.
My insides twisted, simultaneously repulsed at what had just occurred, and mightily relieved to see that Gall kissed her with the gentleness and awe I would always have expected from him. Yet, that marveling joy had no place in this darkness. It felt like a light.
Melek’s hand tightened on my arm where he’d grabbed me to stop me jumping in. We both watched on, heartbroken, as the people we loved most in this world were tied together in something deeply unholy.
‘If only we’d known. If only we could have—’
There wasn’t time to hear what Melek wished we could have done.
Gall straightened from this kiss, his eyes glazed with desire, but his cheeks pink with innocent awkwardness when he remembered where he was. I prayed fervently that the sweet, childlike man I’d known was still in there. Yet, it was hard to believe while he stood here, bloodied by a sacrifice and shaking with need for his mate. I couldn’t reconcile the uncertainty in his gaze when he looked around the chamber—like a child’s. As if he didn’t see the symbols, the darkness, the flames… only a wedding, and the promise of love.
“Oh,Gall…”I breathed.
Melek held me, both of us grieving—until a muttered voice broke the silence of the chamber and suddenly, all warmth was gone.
Lucifer’s head snapped to his left, towards a man at the edge of the circle. Gall tensed and his face… His expressionshifted.
Lucifer hissed something at the other men that I didn’t catch, then turned back to Gall, whose eyes were suddenly dead, black, and fiery with rage.
“You think I don’t deserve a pure queen?” Gall snarled, his tone so thick with dark warning, my skin went cold.
One of the Advisors blinked and pulled his slave in front of him. “I wasn’t—that wasn’t directed atyou,Sire. I only—”
“Kill him,” Lucifer muttered. “Use the others.”
Gall nodded once. Istral sucked in a gasp and reached for him, but Lucifer smiled as Gall stared at the man.
There was a single breath during which nothing seemed to happen. My fear gave way to confusion, and then to hope. Was it possible Gall wouldn’t—
The man blinked. His brows pinched over his nose and his chin dropped. He looked down at himself and his frown deepened.
Then the slave he held by the leash shrieked, and pointed down at the seeping, black liquid appearing in spots through that thick cloak.
The Advisor gave a strange cry, dropped the leash, and began fumbling at the button at his throat.
As he tore the garment off, first, his skin speckled, then it became marred by blackened veins crawling from his heart, up his neck, like thick vines creeping over a wall.
His eyes went wide, his jaw clenched, and he clawed at his own throat—but there was barely a hoarse cry before he jerked, then was flipped to his back on the floor, nails digging, and body twitching, flopping like a dying fish.
“Oh, God!”Diadre cried as the man’s skinerupted.I gasped, stomach turning, burying my face in Melek’s shoulder, gripping him as he held me tightly, whispering to me that it was almost over. Not to look. Don’t give in…
I trembled like a leaf—and Melek wasn’t much better—when he tapped my back to say it was safe to look again.
By then, the Advisor was little more than a crumpled cloth on the floor, and Lucifer had returned his glowing gaze to Gall.
“Well done, Son,” he murmured, smiling like a father to a young child. “Very well done. You’re getting stronger.”
Gall nodded. His expression was blank, but his eyes kept flicking back to Istral, who stood stiffly, her body side-on to the carcass on the floor. I prayed she hadn’t looked and wouldn’t remember.
“You did the right thing,” Lucifer said, seemingly from nowhere. But Gall’s brow pinched like he would argue. Lucifer shook his head. “Your royal power is true—but if you don’t hold it tightly, someone will wrestle it from you. Don’t let it happen.”
Gall’s face dragged for the floor, but I wept because he nodded in agreement.
Then Lucifer clapped him on the shoulder, as if they’d done nothing but partake in a game—and won—before he turned to address the rest of the men.
