I sat back down and glared.
Screw him, seriously. Even with his son’s mate’s life on the line, he was going to wring every drop he could out of me. Every tragedy an opportunity.
“You see, as much as I can appreciate that you haven’t exactly been sitting on your ass the past ten years, I’m a little worried that your loyalty and instincts may have strayed even further than they were when you left.”
Damn straight they had. That was why I’d walked out in the first place.
“So what?” I asked, my hands balling into fists. “You want me to make a demon deal or something to make sure I don’t run again?”
Hetskedslowly. “Now, now, a demon deal is what got you into this mess in the first place. No, what I’m thinking of is more in the line of… tests. I want to see you in action. To prove you’re actually serious about this family.”
I rose to my feet and slammed my hands on his desk, smoke pouring out of my nostrils. “I don’t have time for your games! My mate is suffering at the hands of that blood-sucking prick as we speak. We need to leavenow!”
The old man simply smirked, knowing he had me exactly where he wanted me—emotional, irrational. and desperate. “I like this fire in you, but watch your tone. You told me you were renouncing our name and the empire I built. And now, ten years later, you waltz in my front door, demanding the benefits of your legacy without offering me something in return?”
The heat inside me was becoming unbearable, and Maia reached over to touch my arm, hissing through the pain.
“Ronan,” Maia entreated, the smell of her burning flesh bringing me back down. “Yes, she’s suffering, but we still need time to make a plan anyway. If anything, it’ll keep your mind distracted.”
As usual, she was right. I took a deep breath. “Okay,” I finally said, my body cooling down to a reasonable temperature. “I’ll do your stupid tests, take back my position, and then I get the demons I need to take back my mate. Do we have a deal?”
Flames danced in his eyes as he grinned. “We most certainly do.”
35
And How Does That Make You Feel?
Sage
My head was pounding as I woke.
Unlike the stark, white, angular architecture and decor of the penthouse, this room was all golden opulence—ornate crown molding, oil paintings covering the walls, antique furniture, and me, lying in the middle of a bed with blood red silk sheets.
I still wore the robe the creepy priest had given me, somewhat thankful I hadn’t been unnecessarily touched in my sleep, aside from being moved to… wherever this was.
The heavy brocade curtains were closed, and I rose on shaky legs to look outside them and get my bearings.
It was night, but through the dark I saw that I was on the second floor of a large building, surrounded by a wall tall enoughto block the view of Noctis, its ambient light peeking over the top in a distant glow.
This definitely wasn’t the same apartment building, then.
Not that it mattered, I supposed. I’d half suspected that after running away, Victor would lock me up in a cell underground, so this was a marked improvement over that.
There were three doors in the room. The first one I tried was locked, while the second led to a large bathroom, already filled with lotions, creams, and makeup, brand new and neatly organized. I left the bathroom, starting to inspect more of my surroundings.
The third door led to a walk-in closet also ready for use, with gorgeous outfits in my size for all occasions, hanging in neat rows across from rows of shoes. Mostly heels.
Well, this was all very different. Shoesandclothes? What was Victor planning?
The locked door opened, and I whipped around to watch Victor and the man from the penthouse enter together. The view from behind them appeared to be another bedroom, and not a hallway.
This must have been an enfilade, then, and I was probably in the Premier’s mansion. Which meant it would be that much harder for me to ever escape again.
“Good, you’re awake,” Victor said. “I believe you and the Arch-Hierophant have already been acquainted.”
I took a step back, the man’s presence just as chilling as it had been before. “Arch-Hierophant… of what? Which god do you worship? And what did you do to me?”
He smiled, and even Victor flinched slightly at the sight of his fangs. “Nothing that will give you any adverse effects, I assure you. Your body has been through a lot, and we need you to rest. Regain your strength.”
