“Sure, and I’m not dating Lucifer.”Yakim didn’t look impressed.
It reminded Roque of when Yakim had started dating Lucifer.Roque had been worried, too, and some days, he still was.He didn’t doubt that Lucifer loved Yakim and that he’d do everything in his power to protect him, but Lucifer was a massive target himself.Ramiel wasn’t only doing this to defeat Berith.He had his eye on Lucifer’s throne, which was one of the reasons it was so important to stop him.
“I’m sure Lucifer would love to be told that,” he teased.
Yakim’s eyes narrowed.“You’re not funny.”
“I happen to think I’m very funny.”
“Well, you’re not.”Yakim looked around and leaned closer.“Come on.What’s going on between you and the spymaster?I have to say, I didn’t think he’d be your type.”
“I didn’t say that he is.”
“But you’re making eyes at him.”
“I guess we’ve grown closer while working together.”
“What does growing closer mean?Are you together?”
Roque rolled his eyes.“I already told you that we’re not.”Dragging this out a little was fun, and Roque needed fun right now.
“But there’s something there.”
Roque hadn’t been planning on talking to anyone about it until the fight with Ramiel was over, but this was Yakim.He was probably worried and eager for a distraction.Besides, what would it hurt to tell one person about his feelings?“I think there is,” he confirmed.
Yakim beamed.“I knew it.”
“It doesn’t mean there will ever be anything more.”
“What, you think he’d reject you if you tried?”
“I don’t think he would.I do believe that he agrees with me that we can’t be distracted right now, though.”
“Is that why you haven’t done anything about it?”
“Mostly.He’s already distracting enough as it is.Besides, would it be worth it to get together only for one of us to get killed in a few days?”
Yakim’s expression turned more serious.“Of course it would be.Love is what makes us go on.It’s what gives us the power to defeat people like Ramiel.We fight for the people we love, which is something Ramiel will never understand.”
He wasn’t wrong, but it was still too much.Roque wasn’t usually one to speak about his feelings, not even with his best friend.He especially wasn’t one to talk about his feelings in a room full of people who were plotting someone’s death.“I can see that love has changed you,” he teased.
Yakim huffed, but he was smiling.“Of course it did.It’s what love does.”
That thought was kind of scary, but at the same time, Roque hoped he’d have the opportunity to find out how love might changehim.That wasn’t something he was ready to think about right now, though.He’d much rather focus on kicking Ramiel’s ass first.
Yakim bumped their shoulders together.“I’m happy for you, whatever happens.We’re going to win this fight.Berith and Lucifer won’t accept any other outcome.”
That would be because if they did, they would die.That meant that they would either win or die trying.They wouldn’t allow Ramiel to get his hands on them or on their families.
The thought was scary, but Yakim wasn’t wrong.They were all going to fight for the people they loved.Roque hadn’t expected it to include the spymaster, but now that he’d gotten to know Dimri, he wanted more.He wanted to protect Dimri as much as he wanted to protect Berith and his family.It was already too late for him to try and keep his distance, wasn’t it?He was in too deep, and there was no escaping that.
There was no escapingDimri, and that was perfectly fine with Roque.
Chapter Ten
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“GO,” BERITH SAID.SPENDtime with your loved ones.”
