He didn’t look at me. Why wouldn’t he look at me?
Hunter wrapped his aura around Gray, and the full weight of panic hit me.
“Grayson!” I ran towards the dais, but a red tendril caught me, dragging me backwards. “Erik, let me go! Grayson!”
The screams were so loud that my throat grew raw with the effort, and just as Hunter’s aura enveloped them, Gray turned to look at me, his fingers moving through the familiar sequence.
One. Four. Three.
The holding cells beneath the council chambers hadn’t seen life in eras. After cleansing the heavens of demigods, the space became useless. The council dealt with matters in a less aggressive manner.
Of everything Hunter was capable of, I hadn’t expected this. That was my fault. I should have known nothing was beneath him. While I would never regret making Quentin my priority, I should have kept a closer eye on what he was doing. Figured out a way to get close enough that I wouldn’t fall prey to an ambush.
“So, are we prolonging this or?” I asked, sounding bored.
“Always to the point, Grayson.”
Of course, I was straight to the point. I’d never been so furious in my life and it wasn’t just my situation. If this was how things would end for me, then so be it, but I was furious because of Quentin.
I could still hear her screaming my name and see the look on her face as we left the streets. My golden girl, who carried herself with so much strength, looked like everything had been torn away from her. I would never forget that look seared into my brain for however long I had left.
I wished I could have said more to her before we left, but I needed to make sure that I could keep her safe. Erik would do that for me.
“Well,” I said. “If you’re intending to kill me, I’d rather you not draw it out.”
“Is there ever a point where you’d show some humility?”
“Never in front of you.”
Footsteps sounded down the stone steps, hitting the ground before growing louder. Archer emerged from the shadows of the hallway and my rage intensified.
“Happy now? Is this justice for Elara or are you just bitter that Larkin left you and Quentin never wanted you?”
He smirked. “You’ve been a thorn in my side ever since that day, Grayson. I watch you strutting around like nothing bothers you. It doesn’t even faze you that you murdered her. At least this way I don’t have to see your face again and Quentin can be safe.”
“You are delusional.”
Archer’s aura struck out at me and I went to call mine before realising I was still bound in copper. The impact of the blow sent me off my feet and across the room. He hit me again, and I endured the pain without being able to defend myself.
“Enough!” Hunter barked.
Archer stopped when he blocked me with his aura. The gold blood that belonged to me seeped from fresh cuts, and I wouldn’t heal like normal while under the influence of the cuffs.
“Oh, no,” I spat, watching saliva and ichor hit the cobbled floor. “Please continue! Because these actions will bring back your wife, won’t they?”
Archer tried to strike out again, but Hunter kept his aura before me as a shield, offering respite from the attack.
“Go home, Archer,” he ordered.
“I want to see him pay.”
“I said, go home!” Hunter’s voice boomed and echoed around the stone cells.
Archer’s face fell before wrapping himself in green and leaving us alone once more.
“Do you expect me to thank you?” I asked as Hunter withdrew his aura.
“No. I expect you to cooperate with me.”
