Roman nods his head, as if to punctuate the point, before he reaches his hand out toward me. “Nova?”
Suddenly, the power balance has tipped in my favor and it’s startling to me. Until this moment, my sisters’ lives were in danger and that gave me no power at all. Now, Roman is asking me to come with him, but his question feels greater than that.
It feels as if he’s asking me whether or not I’m going to take control of my fate.
His outstretched hand remains steady as I consider my choices. The darkening of his eyes, the slight upward tug of one corner of his lips, and the stronger pull of his power remind me of the heady moment when I was naked beneath his hands, a moment of pure pleasure that I can’t allow myself to crave again.
My fingers twitch, my hand rising as I make a choice.
I quietly close my fingers into a loose fist. Right here, right now, I have to assert my independence.
I lower my arm and ask Roman, “Which way is out?”
He doesn’t seem surprised that I don’t take his hand, inclining his head toward the black stone wall on the right-hand side. The barrier’s height stops me seeing what lies beyond it except for the tops of some distant buildings, one of which is the Citadel.
“Through there.” He keeps pace beside me as I walk straight at the wall, hoping that I’m not about to bop my face into it like an idiot, allowing him to step a little faster than me at the last moment.
A door opens, as seamlessly set into the wall as the prison’s front door.
Passing through it and then pausing to listen as it quietly slides closed behind us feels like listening to a part of my life end.
Every step I take now brings me closer to the Elimination.
CHAPTERNINE
The area past the stone wall is a semi-circle of neatly trimmed grass with light beams at the edge of it that lead in at least five different directions. Each one looks to be a shortcut to another landmark, one of which is the Citadel. I can clearly make it out as it sits higher than the buildings around it in the far distance.
Roman gestures to the beams. “The ceremony doesn’t start until dusk. We can take a beam—or we can walk. It’s your choice.”
In the distance, the city sounds busy, but in the immediate vicinity, it’s quiet. This could be the last time I have the chance to speak with Roman alone and I need to make the most of it—even if I remind myself to take everything he says with a healthy dose of distrust.
“I’d like to walk,” I say.
Roman leads me toward the side of the semi-circle and we step off the grass onto a long path embedded with silver stones that is lined with metal sculptures. Some of the sculptures are elegant but abstract shapes—like one that is made of entwined circles—while others are sculptures of animals—horses, crows, and wolf-like beasts with overly large fangs.
I shake my head at it all. “All of this,” I say, gesturing at the city. “Everything you did Earthside. Creating the specter of your power by casting runes around Las Vegas. Allying yourself with the Magnate. Finding the pieces of the angel’s weapon. All of it was to bring me here for these trials.”
Roman shakes his head—a denial. “Before I left Mortem to look for your father, I didn’t know you existed. His nightmare power has always set him apart from others, so when I detected a strong trail of nightmare power on Centrum, I followed it, thinking it must be the King’s. Only to find the lowest of his offspring, Koda, using a power that didn’t belong to him.Youwere a surprise, Nova.” He doesn’t attempt to reach for me, but his dark gaze tugs at me. “A surprise that beguiled me. Your father hid you very well.”
I consider carefully whether or not I believe him. “What about the iron wolves?” I ask. “Obviously, you were impersonating one of them, but is it true that you nearly wiped them out?”
Roman’s jaw tightens. So tightly that I wonder if I’ve hit on something more than he’s willing to tell me. “The iron wolves are a long story,” he finally says. “But yes, you never would have trusted me if I hadn’t said I was one of them.”
I asked this same question of Tyrus, but I need to know what Roman knows. “Do you have any ideas about what happened to my father? Could Koda have had anything to do with his disappearance?”
Roman shakes his head. “I searched everywhere on Mortem for your father. I didn’t get as far as I wanted on Centrum before Koda became a real concern. But as for Koda instigating your father’s disappearance, the answer is no. Your father is the only reason Koda’s brothers didn’t kill him growing up. Koda escaped Mortem to escape the Elimination. The last thing he wanted was for your father to disappear.”
“Then… how did he get the stone from my father’s ring?”
“I don’t know yet.” Roman makes a frustrated sound. “I can’t see your father giving it to him willingly. But I’m going to find out.”
Since Roman finally seems prepared to answer my questions, I ask one that is closer to home for me. “Nobody seems to know what really happens in the prison. If your power is as strong as the prison’s energy, maybe you can tell me… Will Malia and Taniya be safe inside the prison’s walls? Will they be harmed?”
“Nova, I won’t mislead you about this.” He shoots me a solemn but not overly worried glance. “The prison’s energy seeks the best way to weaken and contain its prisoners. Whether that’s through fear or isolation or pain, it will implement that strategy to ensure nobody escapes.”
The blood drains from my face in a rush. “So you’re saying they could be hurt in there.”
“Not necessarily.” His hand suddenly wraps around my arm, steadying me. “Think—what would keep your sisters under control?”
