Page 121 of The Duplicity of Thieves

“It is, isn’t it?” I watch him release Minos, who is probably on the verge of passing out.

“It’s perfect for you though. You deserve it. You’re actually happy. I mean watching the two of you out there was so intimidating. Magnificent. Beautiful. Inspiring. The people, oh the people, they loved you. Look at them in there, staring at you right now.”

We muse at the party in comfortable silence.

“Did you think we would ever make it here?”

“Here? Absolutely not,” she laughs again. We untangle ourselves and look out over the garden.

A few couples mill about, some stealing glances at us. The trees are filled with fireflies, and crickets chirp over the sound of the music. The air is fresh with flowers and vegetation. Despite the strange dark party happening inside, outside is full of life.

“It feels like all of that was so long ago," I ponder. "Now we’re standing here. I’m a fucking princess. Kate is rolling in her grave."

“Let’s be honest, she went straight to Tartarus, and you know it.”

“Do you think…? Nevermind.” I brush the thought away.

She reads my mind. “That Killian would be happy for you?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmm. Hard to say. I think eventually the love would have run its course. So maybe we would be standing here, sans Killian, any way you put it,” she says thoughtfully.

“How’s Bella?”

“So where did you sneak off to?” She wiggles her eyebrows pretending she didn’t hear me.

“Hades wanted to talk to me,” I divulge.

“Really? Ominous. What about?”

“He gave me a wedding present.”

“No way." Her eyes widen. “What was it?”

It’s not that I don’t want to be forthcoming with Vivian, but this just isn’t the place. We can dissect it later. “An ancient necklace.”

“Sounds like some royal shit. I suppose there will be a lot more where that came from. Don’t forget me when you’re the queen of the Underworld,” she teases.

“How could I ever forget about you?” I laugh. “You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.”

“Right…I need to tell you something, Jo.”

This feels like it’s going to be uncomfortable, and it also feels like she purposefully is doing this in the public eye, which means it's going to be something upsetting. I pull her head from my shoulder and study her. There's regret on her face, not for what she’s going to say, but that she hasn’t said it yet. I know what it is. It’s a reality I haven’t accepted.

“You’re going back to the Republic,” I realize. This is why Aedonaeus surprised me by bringing her. He knew.

“I want to go home. When everything first happened, Bella and I talked about it. I couldn’t leave you here alone to spiral out of control, and I knew if I had told you what I wanted you might come with me, even if it killed you.”

“You would be correct. Do you want me to go?” The thought of it makes me sick, but if Vivian says yes, I will go. Aedon will follow or he won’t.

“No. What I want is for you to be happy for once. You’ve found that here with Aedonaeus.”

I want to cry, but I can’t. I suck the tears back into my eyes. “What will I do without you?”

“I guess you’ll have to handle all of the extravagant parties without me.” She gives me a sad smile. “You’re a queen, Josie. You’ll be fine. You know how to handle anything the Universe throws at you.”

“First of all, I’m the—” I balk at the thought. “Aedon is the prince. It’s not me that gets involved in that way. It’s him.”

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