He nuzzled closer, his breath hot against my thigh. He inhaled deeply, as if drawing strength from my scent and presence.
And all the while, his words clung to me like nettles.
He and Malik were talking, laughing, and sharingideas. My lover and his not-son. My darkness… and his disciple.
I wanted to trust him.
I wanted to believe Malik was nothing more than a loyal underling.
But the way Balthazar spoke of him—with pride, with possessive fondness—felt too much like affection. Too close. Too familiar.
I masked the churn of emotion behind a placid expression andkept my hand moving through his hair. Outwardly calm. Inwardly calculating.
How do you compete with someone who knows a man’s darkness better than you ever will?
The sting of that truth pulsed beneath my skin like poison.
But I refused to let it show.
I smiled sweetly, injecting a feigned curiosity into my voice. “And what did you two discuss? Enlighten me.”
Balthazar opened his eyes, and a sneer twisted his lips. “Malik believes there’s a way to give us ahappy ending,” he scoffed. “Can you imagine? A happy ending—for the darkness.”
“No,” I said flatly. “That’s absurd. And why would we even want one? I crave more darkness, not more light.”
The room fell still, save for the insistent ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner—a metronome to the dread building in my chest. I glanced sideways at him, wondering if he’d drifted into sleep. But no. He wasn’t asleep.
He was far away.
Riding next to Malik.
WithMalik.
His son. Hiscompanion.
I clenched my fists. I wanted to slap him back into the present, back tome.
“Tell me more about thishappy ending,” I prompted, my voice low, controlled.
Balthazar sat up abruptly, as if yanked from memory. His eyes landed on me like he saw me for the first time.
“Malik and his lover, Layla, claim there are two daggers—Sun and Moon,” he said, brow furrowing. “And if wielded together, they could grant us bliss. Eternal bliss.”
He paused, uncertain.
“But I don’t believe him,” he muttered. “I don’t see how two knives could change anything.”
A chill ran down my spine. My pulse quickened.
“And what if this Malik is trying to take advantage of you?” I asked carefully. “What if he’s feeding you fantasies so he can take what you’ve built for himself?”
Balthazar’s eyes narrowed, and a low growl escaped his throat.
“Nonsense,” he snapped. “I raised Malik. Taught him everything. He wouldn’t,couldn’t—turn on me.”
But something flickered behind his eyes.
Doubt.
