Then Vex began to laugh, a rich sound full of delighted malice. "Oh, this is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Our Reaper has found something he doesn't want to lose."
"I protect what serves my interests," Dante replied coldly, fighting to regain control of his display. The frost around his throne stopped spreading, but didn't retreat.
"Of course you do," Vex said with a knowing smile. "How very practical of you."
His tone made it clear he didn't believe a word of it.
Dante's shadows roiled, but Caelum raised a hand for peace. "Brothers, sisters, please. I withdraw my offer." His smile remained warm, understanding. "Clearly, Dante values his tribute's contributions too highly to consider alternatives. I meant only kindness."
"Your kindness is noted," Dante said stiffly.
"Though I hope you'll reconsider if the situation becomes too dangerous for her," Caelum added gently. "My domain will always be open to any mortal seeking refuge from harsher realms."
"Understood," he replied.
But as the conversation moved on to logistics and coordination plans, his shadows remained restless around his throne. The frost at his feet refused to melt.
XII.
BRYNN
Brynn woke to the sound of rain against stone, though she'd learned not to trust her ears in this place. The drops struck the window in patterns too rhythmic to be natural, each impact creating flares of blue light that faded almost too quickly to see.
On the wall beside her bed, the drowning woman in the death-woven tapestry had finally surfaced. Her silk-threaded eyes stared directly at Brynn now, one hand reaching toward the bed frame.
The council meeting kept replaying in her mind. The way the other Death Lords had studied her like a prize to be claimed. The undercurrents she sensed but could not fully decode. And worst of all, the moment when his voice had dropped to that growl.
She stays with me.
The words had echoed through that bone temple with finality. Every immortal present had heard the claim beneath them. Whatever game the Death Lords were playing, she was now a piece on the board, whether she wanted to be or not.
And the way he'd looked at Caelum when the offer was made. Like he was considering murder. She'd seen killers before, had worked with a few, stolen from more than she could count. But she'd never seen someone go from complete control to violence so fast.
Over her. A thief he'd known for barely a week.
What the hell was that about?
She pushed the thought aside and swung her legs out of the bone-framed bed, bare feet hitting stone that should have been cold but somehow held just enough warmth to be comfortable.
Everything in this realm seemed designed to unsettle. Beauty twisted just enough to feel off, comfort offered with an edge that suggested it could be withdrawn at any moment.
The twilight filtering through her windows offered no clue about actual time, but her stomach suggested it was well past dawn by mortal standards. Though what constituted morning in a place where the sky never brightened was anyone's guess.
That's when she noticed the wardrobe.
The doors stood slightly ajar, revealing glimpses of fabric that hadn't been there when she'd gone to sleep. She crossed the room, passing the chair with its skeletal hand armrests, and pulled the wardrobe open, then stopped short.
Where three gowns had hung before, an entire wardrobe now waited. But these weren't just more silk confections meant for formal dinners. Someone had provided options.
Gowns in varying shades of blue hung alongside practical clothing. Midnight blue silk appropriate for court functions. Steel blue velvet that struck a balance between elegant and understated. Deep sapphire that would catch the light.
But interspersed with the formal wear were clothes designed for someone who might need to move. Work. Maybe even fight.
Tunics cut close to the body, with room to move. Riding pants in dark gray that looked like they'd stay in place during activity. A jacket in sapphire blue with reinforced seams and what felt like hidden pockets along the inner lining. The kind of details that showed an understanding of concealed tools.
And boots. Real boots, not delicate slippers. Dark leather with good tread. Footwear you could run, climb, and fight in if necessary.
Everything was in shades of blue.
