The strong scent of brewed coffee drifted through the kitchen, obliterating Eve’s soft fragrance as she poured the fragrant liquid into mugs and set them on the counter. Her gaze slipped back to him, a frown marring her brow.
He had to quell the urge to pull her close. If he did, he wouldn’t let her go, and he had to get out of there. The shit scorching his chest had him reaching his limits of endurance.
Inanna wouldn’t win this round.
Biting down on his molars, he didn’t dare let Eve see, or sense his discomfort. He’d blocked her from his thoughts and his mind after their bonding because he didn’t want her to experience the agony he lived with. And she sure as hell would if he left their telepathic path open.
Unable to linger any longer, Reynner grasped Eve’s hand and pulled her away from the kitchen. He stopped at the passage entrance. “I have to go to Exilum for a while.”
“But we just got back…” Her worried gaze darted over his face. “Reynner, you’re scaring me. Tell me what’s wrong.”
My entire life, my beautiful mate—my entire fucked-up life.
“I’ll be back in the morning.” He didn’t give her a chance to say more. “North,” he called, striding to the front door. The warrior turned from where he stood gazing out the window. “Don’t leave her alone, not even for a second.”
“Reynner, wait.” Eve rushed after him.
He shook his head, thankful when North intercepted her, and walked out, only to find Aerén hard on his heels.Shit. He didn’t need another lecture about why he refused to give in to Inanna.
He’d told Aerén only the bare facts about his foolishness with the goddess.
“Why don’t you just go to her?” Aerén demanded. “End this torment. Inanna would get bored soon enough. All goddesses are fickle when something’s too easy.”
“Once was enough,” he said, voice rough. “Do you really think I’ll go to her, especially now?”
“Does Eve know?”
“About Inanna? No. And Inanna can never know about Eve.”
Aerén shook his head and sighed. “To quote you,you’re so screwed.”
***
At his aerie, Reynner made his way down the narrow, shadowy flight of stairs to the crude, dug-out archway leading into the dungeon. Unbreakable metal bars ran from floor to ceiling, the gate stood open. Inside, chains with manacles were built into the granite rock face.
Hephaestus, the Greek god, had made them for him eons ago, just for this purpose. He’d used them often, and probably would for the rest of his screwed-up life.
With his mind, he willed the torches on the wall to life. Their flames cast a dim glow in the gloomy place. The small, barred window didn’t help since it was night and just a few stars twinkled in the distance.
Reynner pulled off his tee, tossed it aside and rolled his shoulders.
“Go,” he ordered Aerén. Inanna had summoned him far too often recently. He refused to play her games any longer. She’d make him pay tonight, of that he had little doubt.
So be it.
“Reyn, ask Lucan, or go back to Empyrea. Allatus will surely know of a way to break this curse,” Aerén said from behind the closed gates.
“It’s all right. I’m used to this.” No need to repeat the story of the lengths he’d gone to remove the shit branded on him. He paced the coarse, dusty floors. Too edgy to do little else, he flexed his fingers. The mark on his chest glowed so brightly—hell, he didn’t need the torches—he’d light up the entire damn place soon enough. Just as well he couldn’t will the shackles unlocked while in pain. He had to be calm for that to occur.
“Go, but seal the stairway entrance to the dungeon.” An order his prince couldn’t refuse. For his own protection and that of the people around him, Reynner had to be alone. Sealed in. Or he’d do irrevocable damage.
Eve, being mortal, would never come out of it alive.
One more reason why he could never keep her.
“I’ll be back later.” His voice gruff with concern, Aerén walked out. And not a minute too soon, as Reynner let go of his rigid control.
His wings snapped open, his power exploded out of him, reverberating off the walls like lightning, nailing him hard. He could do nothing to block it from shocking him. Brought to his knees and held in pain’s merciless grip, he burned from the inside out.
