He spears me with a glare. "No one is just one person. Least of all you."
"The prophecy?—"
"Don't." His voice is low. Thick with fury. The air crackles around us. "Do you remember when you asked what Noktemore was like?"
I swallow. "You said it's a kingdom like any other."
"It is. A kingdom where Mortiana rules as queen. Where her court is filled with souls indebted to her. People who would do anything to gain her favor." His smile is sharp. Cold. "A court where princes and princesses and demigods are humbled."
My breath hitches. But I stay quiet.
"The gods reserve stasis for worshippers. People they favor. It's not something you ask for. It's something you're granted, if you're found worthy." His jaw tightens. "I walked into her court on my first day and demanded it."
My eyebrows rise. I stay silent.
"She didn't know what to do with me. Hated me the moment I arrived. A Rook." His lips twist. "I’m Lugal’s warrior. Serve Maia. Mortiana loves her husband and sister-in-law, but she's a goddess. And there's nothing gods love more than power."
I inch closer. I can't help it. His lips twitch as he tracks my movement. A predator watching prey. And I would let him catch me.
"But she loves her family. So instead of sending my soul to Oblivion, she agreed to bargain." He raises an eyebrow. "I told her if she could find something I truly wanted, I'd accept any punishment. If she couldn't, she'd grant me stasis."
A dark smile crosses his face. "I knew her games. Knew the Nightmares she unleashed on her court. I knew she couldn't resist."
"Nightmares," I whisper. "They're like sirens? Compulsion and beguilement?"
"More powerful. They can show you your worst fears. But in Noktemore, they prefer to show your greatest temptations." His voice drops. "They create mirages. By the time you realize it isn't real, Mortiana knows what you want. It's how she traps people into making more bargains."
"How does it work?"
A dangerous gleam enters his eyes. "Do you want a demonstration?"
I rear back. "You can do that?"
"Being in stasis in Noktemore has benefits. Transporting souls, too. Over time, you acquire gifts from the goddess." His lips curl into a slow, dark smile. He leans closer, stopping inches from my face. "Don't worry, Menace. I won't use my gifts on you unless you ask."
My eyes narrow. "What did the Nightmares show you?"
He leans back. "Everything an arrogant twenty-eight-year-old prince could wish for."
"And?"
"After a year of games, Mortiana realized she couldn't win."
"What does that mean?"
He rises from the chair. Plants his hands on either side of me, caging me with his body.
My pulse thrashes. "Mal. What does that mean?"
"Do you remember when Kage asked if you'd ever thought about having children?" His voice is low. Raspy. "Your answer was immediate."
"Of course,” I whisper. "I've never even met a child. How could I want one?"
"It's the same for me. I was named Cursebearer the moment I opened my eyes. By the time I could walk, Tenebris and Arusha were at war." He holds my gaze. "The Nightmares can only show you what you truly want. Not your duty. Not what you've been told will fulfill you."
I nod. Lick my lips without thinking. He tracks the movement. When his eyes lift to mine, they're molten. Crackling with a need that rivals my own. A fire that can't be extinguished. Like the Flames ignited by gods.
"They couldn't show me anything." His voice drops to a whisper. "Because I didn't know what it was to want until I met you."
