Page 82 of The Demon Mark

“Not really,” she replied with a small laugh. “The choices are so hazy that it’s hard to know which one anyone will pick. It’s not just your choices that affect that future, but everyone’s. Every person that possibly could make a choice, they all change the paths.”

“Am I the one who kills him?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He supposed that would have to satisfy him.

Even if it didn’t.

32

She stared at Envy’s frown and noted the look on his face that said he didn’t trust this plan. Not that Lilith would have any idea if it was a good plan or not.

Still, it felt right.

Neither of them would ever get any peace if they didn’t get rid of her old master. Not to mention, she could never sleep at night without fearing someone wanted to kill her. Plus, there were the rumblings of people in the kingdom who were seriously considering an uprising against Envy.

Although, from what Envy had said, an uprising wasn’t uncommon. In fact, a large amount of the kingdoms had already survived such an attack and most of the demon kings were used to it.

She thought it seemed like a rather terrifying experience. His own people hated him, but he claimed it was normal and something he’d already seen quite a few times in his long life. So she shouldn’t worry about the people who wanted to toss him from his throne.

What she should worry about were the people who were bound and determined to kill her. Which, she understood, might be the smarter thing to worry about.

But she still worried about him, too. Someone had to.

Standing before her, Envy smoothed his fingers along her jaw, holding her so she had to look into his eyes. He knew she was trying to pretend this didn’t bother her. She was hiding from him, so she didn’t have to think about how terrifying this was. How little she wanted to do this, and all the other warning bells that were screaming in her head.

This was the right thing to do, and she prided herself on always making the right decision. No matter the cost to herself.

And this was really going to suck. Because they were dragging the villains into the light. By using her as bait.

Envy’s hand curved around her jaw, holding her a little tighter as he drew her in. “Listen to me, little love. If you are not more careful with what you do, I will have to come in there and make sure you don’t die. We don’t want me to intervene too early, do we?”

She knew it was a threat, but something in her bloomed at the mere thought that he would rush into danger to make sure she was all right. “No, we don’t. I’ll be careful, I promise.”

When he stepped away, she noticed his fingers ghosted over his own ribs, where they had painted another flower last week. They had completed yet another ritual, just to be sure that she was at her strongest. He was convinced her power would protect her in dire straits, so he had gone through the ritual.

Her magic had protected her from that chimera, but not in the way that Envy could protect her. Her magic was a good shield, but eventually that shield would break. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep someone or something off of her, and someone would still need to save her. No one who wanted to kill her would give up easily. The chimera was just more proof of that.

Sighing, she watched as Envy moved a little farther away from her. His hands were still flexing at his sides, as though he couldn’t bring himself to move away from her side. As though even he knew how dangerous this was, and how easy it would be for this all to end poorly.

“We don’t have to do it today,” she whispered, trying to catch his gaze again. “We could wait a few more days. Today isn’t the day it has to happen.”

Another voice interrupted her from behind, grumpy and filled with mistrust. “You do, actually. Because I also have a kingdom to get back to and I’m not going to sit around here for much longer waiting for the two of you to grow a pair.”

Right, Sloth existed. And apparently, the entire world revolved around him.

Glaring, she turned her gaze to the man behind her. “If you don’t stop talking, I’ll look into your future and tell you more about it.”

“I highly doubt you could tell me anything I don’t know.” All she had to do was raise an eyebrow for that tanned face to pale. Sloth shuddered before adding, “Fine, oracle. Play your games if you wish, but you do need to admit that there is very little we can do if we’re just standing here waiting for something to happen.”

Lilith was trying to be understanding of Envy’s worries. She was trying to tell Envy that they didn’t need this stress in their life right now. He was keeping her safe in the castle. Sure, Lorenzo had ways of getting in, but maybe the first time had just been luck.

If Envy wanted to wait in bed and pretend that nothing else in the world existed other than them, she would gladly do that for a little while longer. She missed him, even now.

They’d spent hours exploring each other’s bodies. Learning what it meant for passion to turn white hot. All of it had been so wonderful and otherworldly that she wouldn’t mind disappearing into that world for a little while longer.

Envy grabbed her arm, turning her to look at him and not glare at his brother. “Sloth is right. We cannot keep living with this hanging over our heads. We deserve peace from the fear. Especially you.”

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