Thank theSeraphimCaius was stronger than her because shedidtry to kill him in one of their soulscapes.
“You already tried,” Sam guessed with a booming laugh before turning serious. “You need to train more.”
She sputtered out a laugh. Leave it to the commander to take offense at her failure to kill his best friend.
“We still need to talk,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.
What did they need to talk about? From the look he gave her, nothing good. Trailing behind him toward the living room, her mind ran through every bad thing that could have happened. With her luck, it was all of them.
“Just tell me,” she groaned.
“Adila cannot send you back to Vincula,” he informed her, sucking the wind from her sails. “It is not that she chooses not to; it is because that is not how her power works.”
Rory stared at him, unblinking. “What do you meanthat’s not how her power works?”
Strands of blonde hair slipped free from his hair tie, framing his face. “She does not choose where people go. The Scales of Justice power does not allow her to. It decides, and she must obey.”
Rory’s mind was reeling. “Why are you speaking as though her power is a separate entity?”
“Because it is,” he replied flatly. “In a way. She cannot send you back unless you are on trial, and if you are on trial, you risk being sent to hell.”
“Even for something small, like punching Dume in the face?” she asked. He was an enforcer, and assaulting an enforcer would get her in front of the Scales of Justice.
Sam snorted. “You would punch your friend?”
“Yes.” Her reply was automatic, and his laugh shook the walls. “But only for something important,” she amended.
Still smiling, Sam shook his head. “As entertaining as that would be, it is unlikely you would be sent to Vincula a second time. Inmates do not get a second chance once they are back.”
Rory knew this, but she was Caius’ mate. That had to count for something.
“Not even anAeternum,” Sam added.
Leaning forward, she studied him closely. “Can you read minds?” He ignored her, and the disappointing news about Adila sat on her shoulders like a weight. She wasn’t stupid enough to get herself arrested and risk hell. “There has to be another way.”
Sam stood and walked toward the stairs. “There is no other way, and going to The Capital will put you at greater risk of being discovered by Gedeon.”
“Where are you going?” she demanded. “We’re in the middle of an important conversation.”
He pointed to his dirty jeans. “I need a shower, and this conversation is over. You cannot reenter Vincula. What more is there to say?”
She threw her hands up. “I don’t know, but people don’t just get up and leave in the middle of a conversation.”
“But the conversation was finished.” He looked genuinely confused, and she gave up.
“Go shower.” Before walking away, she called after him, “Don’t forget to use your strawberry mango conditioner!”
He gave her his back and raised his middle finger in the air as he ascended the stairs.
Later that evening,Rory and Sam went to a local pasta spot for dinner. It sounded like a good idea until they stood in front of the restaurant, and she remembered Caius taking Nina on a date in Vincula.
“Why do you look like that?” Sam asked her.
“You need to learn to rephrase your questions,” she muttered. “Can we eat somewhere else?”
TheAngelglanced between her and the restaurant. “You wanted to eat here. I see no threat inside. What is the problem?”
“Bad memories,” was all she replied. It was enough for him, and he held out his arm as if to say,‘lead the way.’
