Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• twelve •

Julian didn't argue, he only nodded firmly. "Thank you."

I turned to Julian. "He's right." I tried to smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Julian finally let go. "All right. I will see you in the morning."

"Yes," Asmo said almost immediately. The teasing tone of his voice made me want to grit my teeth. "I'll be sure to have the coffee warm for your arrival, Lord Julian. Will Lady Vyssen be joining as well?"

I saw fury flash in Julian's grey eyes. "She is in Kingstown but for different matters."

Asmo smiled. "Oh, yes, I'll be sure to have that ready for our queen to sign tomorrow."

Damien appeared next to me, gently nudging me towards the private hall with his hands on my shoulders. "Tomorrow, Asmo, you deaf prick."

Asmo feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart. "You wound me, Damien."

I sighed as I walked away. "I can't deal with you two right now."

I showered and washed the blood out of my hair. The scalding water did nothing to warm my cold heart. That's what I felt now, cold.

Whoever that man was, we were connected in a way I still couldn't explain or understand.

For the briefest moment, that dying man meant more to me than I knew. He had been the last connection I had to Elysium. For a just one moment, I realized I wasn't alone. The burden wasn't mine alone to bear. I had him, whoever he was.

And he was taken.

He had been snatched from me and I felt the crushing weight of the death of my kind all over again.

I reached out with my magic now, trying to find someone similar to his energy but came back empty-handed.

I wasn't a fool. Julian couldn't be the only half-light.

But I knew I was the only pureblood. I felt the magic of my people echo in me stronger than before. It was as if I had absorbed his magic when he died.

A knock on the door startled me after my shower. When it wouldn't go away, I opened the doors to my room slightly.

Damien gave a friendly smile and it instantly comforted me. "Hey, can I come in?"

I nodded, giving him space to enter. I eyed the tray in his hands. "What's this?"

He chuckled. "I knew you wouldn't be sleeping, but I thought you could use something to relax."

I smiled. "That's very nice of you."

He gave his boyish smile as he set down the tray on a table near the door. "You used to like tea, I thought you'd give it another try."

I couldn't help the smile as it grew. "Thank you. It's just what I needed."

I watched his hands as he poured me a cup then one for himself. They were steady, I couldn't see them shake as they had before. "You seem stronger now."

His violet eyes looked me then back at the cup. "Yes. You've been avoiding the Underworld, you've missed out."

I sighed as I sat down heavily on the bed. "Yes, well, I've been busy."

"Busy avoiding the Underworld."

I shrugged, hiding my smile behind my cup as I drank. "Well, yeah." I sighed after taking a small drink. "Can you blame me? Every time I come here it's either a murder, a murder plot, or someone asking us when we're going to get married." I rolled my eyes. "This isn't my home."