Lady Segrith canted her head, listening. “When a structure is doomed to fall, one must plan precisely where to stand.”
Even blind, she looked up to the dark crevice where Deimos had been primed to attack.
“Down.”
Deimos dropped, crashing in a heap at her feet, dust clouding. He leaped up with a hiss, claws flashing.
Segrith placed her hand on his face, covering his eyes. “Be still, clever one.”
Deimos froze in place, thin tail twitching.
“Here.” Morvenna handed Segrith another cord necklace with a Hellstone. She had already placed one on Calla and Hadeon, both kneeling motionless on the ground.
“No need. This one is too senseless to disobey me,” Segrith said, holding Deimos’s gaze.
They stared at one another for a beat longer, then she drifted past him.
“T-this is wrong,” Nexia stammered. “It goes against our creed.”
“I should have known you would tuck tail the moment you were asked to stand against the current,” Morvenna snapped. “Go sit with your treasures if you lack the stomach to take what is ours.”
“And what is that, exactly?” Alora said, earning a slap.
The cavern shook with Rune’s rage.
“Temper, darling,” Ira chuckled, giving Morvenna a pat on her ass.
Nexia’s eyes flickered from them then to Rune frantically, paling further. “I want no part of this!” The scales of her tail flashed in the low light as she fled out of the chamber doors.
The Dominions laughed.
“Coward!”Morvenna cackled, the sound of her shrill laugh carrying into the dark.
Ira’s large horns cast shadows on the wall, complexion deep red beneath the glow of the Gate as he looked up at Rune. “I have swung my hammer for you for many centuries, but your rule has deteriorated to sentiment.” He beat a fist over his chest. “My court follows only strength.”
“And mine tires of restraint,” Balgor added, licking his maw. “We will kneel to a sovereign who relishes in consumption.”
Rune laughed, the sound bordering on a growl as he looked at Sal’vathar. “Ah yes, so Envy takes the crown. And you believe yourself capable of dethroning me?”
“Oh,” Sal’vathar’s oily black eyes turned to the doors again. “I do. And you will submit to me, willingly.”
From the gloom, spider demons dragged two figures into the torchlight.
Theia.
And a boy.
Small and bound, blood staining his tunic, clutching something desperately to his chest.
The prince.
Alora went still, eyes wide. “Rihan…”
Sal’vathar rested his hands on their shoulders, claws teasing the veins in their necks.
Theia trembled, shutting her eyes.
“A clever thing, your wards,” he said to Alora. “I could never have entered the mortal compound…if you had not tied them toa child’s hand.” His voice shifted, sounding exactly like hers as he said,“How easily I persuaded my sweet brother to open the door.”
