He stepped back, still not looking away from Roque.“I’ll be back.”
“You better come home to me,” Roque agreed.
The words hit Dimri in a way he hadn’t expected.When had Roque become home?He wasn’t sure.
He nodded and turned.He didn’t look at Berith or anyone else and stopped by Sabin’s desk just long enough to give him a list of names of the people he wanted with him in the tunnels.They’d meet at the entrance off the throne room.
Dimri wasn’t looking forward to being in the tunnels because they were dark and damp, but it was a necessary evil.The memory of the kiss wasn’t much to carry on with, but it was more than he’d ever had before.
And it would have to be enough.
* * * *
ROQUE WASN’T SURE HOWlong he stayed there, staring at the door Dimri had just disappeared through.He hadn’t expected the kiss.He was pretty sure that no one in the office had, and he could hear people snickering, but he didn’t care.
This couldn’t be a surprise for anyone.People had to have noticed how Dimri and Roque hovered next to each other these days.Besides, even if peopleweresurprised, Roque didn’t care.He hadn’t expected the kiss, but he was glad he’d gotten it.
It was too easy to imagine that he might have died without ever kissing Dimri.Since Roque and Berith would be facing Ramiel, there was a high chance they wouldn’t make it out.Even though Mel had told Roque that neither he nor Berith wanted Roque to sacrifice himself for the prince, it was Roque’s job to do so.More than that, Roque would happily sacrifice his own life to save the life of a friend, which was what Berith was.He’d always been more than a prince, and that meant a lot to Roque.
“I can’t say I expected him to do that,” Berith remarked.
Roque finally looked away from the door.Dimri had vanished from sight a while ago, anyway.“I didn’t, either.We’d agreed to wait.”
“Until after the fight?”
“Yes.Neither of us wanted to be distracted.”
Berith snorted.“You would’ve been distracted anyway.”
“I know.”Because no matter what had happened or hadn’t happened between him and Dimri, Roque couldn’t change his feelings.They were already there, which meant that he’d worry about Dimri.He’d do his best to focus on his job, but after Berith—in a way, even before him—Dimri was the most important person in Roque’s life.Of course he’d be distracted.Of course he’d think about Dimri and what he was doing and would wonder if Dimri was okay.
“For what it’s worth, I’m happy for both of you,” Berith said with a smile.“It was about time he found someone.You, too.Mel was starting to get worried.”
Roque glared at him.“Iknewyou were playing matchmaker.”
“You can’t tell me you regret it.”
“Maybe I can’t, but you shouldn’t have meddled.”
“I didn’t do anything.I couldn’t know whether or not it would work.I just thought you two needed to learn to work together.”
“And you hoped we’d fall in love.”
Berith’s smile was soft.“I did.We need more love.”
Hell definitely did.Roque had seen how much things had changed after Berith had found Mel.It was a good thing.Mel hadn’t solved all their problems, but he’d made those problems easier to deal with.He’d shown demons they weren’t the monsters they were expected to be.Of course, some of them always would be, but Berith’s territory was a small oasis of peace and happiness, and Ramiel was trying to ruin that.
Berith wouldn’t allow him to.
Roque turned toward the prince.“Let’s get to work.”
It felt like they had too much to do in too little time.Roque couldn’t say it was easier to focus on his work after what had just happened with Dimri, but he’d do what he had to do, just like Dimri was.
Roque gave Mel and Berith time to talk and say their goodbyes.Mel would be hiding with the rest of Berith’s family, and they both knew this might be the last time they saw each other.Roque tried not to think about that.He couldn’t afford to.He had to keep hope.
They all did.
Yes, the fight would be dangerous, and some of them would die, but theywouldwin.Berith’s goal was to make Hell a better place, while Ramiel only wanted power and to terrorize people.They couldn’t allow him to take over Berith’s territory.They couldn’t allow him to take on Lucifer and try to mold Hell to his image.Berith had worked too hard to change all of that.It was why his people would be fighting for him.It was one of the reasonsRoquewould be fighting for him.
