Page 53 of The Demon Mark

It all started to come back to her. Slowly, in a trickle of memories of her teachings from the oracular order. She was meant to drink the tea at full strength because her power would eat her from the inside out if she wasn’t careful. She had to make sure that her caretaker was doing his job, and if he wasn’t, then she was to contact the order and get another.

So many lies had been fed into her mind by the man who had her call him master.

Anger bloomed with that. Mist rose off of her skin, as though she could do anything with it. But she was limited to futures and who she touched. She couldn’t find the thread of his future that would lead to his death the fastest, even if that was what she wished to do.

“That man,” she hissed. “He took everything from me.”

Envy’s brows rose. “Your master, I take it?”

“Master!” Lilith spat the word with more venom than she’d ever felt in her body. “He does not get to call himself my master. He took a young oracle, and he destroyed her. From the inside out, he unmade me until I was little more than a puppet for his disgusting circus.”

“I take it the tea has brought back some of your old memories as well.”

“More memories than he ever wanted me to remember.” And still not enough. She wanted him to be tortured. She wanted him to know and feel all the things she had felt in the beginning. Tormented while knowing that she was losing so much and there was nothing she could do to get it back. She wanted him to suffer, and she wanted to be the one who held the knife.

Envy watched all these expressions changing across her features and a slow, feral smile spread his lips. “Oh, I think I’m going to like this version of you, oracle. What a delicious surprise.”

“You don’t know what I’m thinking.”

“I do. You want to hurt him. You want him underneath your heel screaming and then you want to know what his suffering will bring him. You want to choose which path I take as you peer into his future and see the hundreds of ways I plan for him to die.”

And then he did something that shocked her.

Envy dropped to his knees at her feet, sneaking one hand underneath the cloak and skating under her nightgown. His warm palm against her inner thigh, he stopped just before where she really wanted him to touch.

“I will make him worship at your feet while he begs for my mercy,” he rasped. “Make me your weapon, oracle, and point me where you want them to bleed.”

Her heart stopped.

He had no idea what he offered her, and yet, she had a feeling he knew where the words came from. This man had been a killer his entire life. He had killed for power, and likely would continue to kill for that exact reason.

She couldn’t see his future, but she could predict what it was. The killings wouldn’t stop, but if she wanted to take this moment in her grasp, she could be the one who chose where the death happened. She could pick and choose those that deserved to live or die based on their futures. It was her choice.

Hands shaking, she framed his face with her palms and gently squeezed. “If I had the ability to choose, I would use you. Demon king, you are far too tempting of a future for me.”

“Then pick that path for yourself.”

“I do not know if that is the path that allows me to live the longest.” That was why her hands shook. That was why this terrified her so much.

Would she choose a shorter life where she made more of an impact? Or a longer one where life was simpler, but perhaps harder?

Breathing out a long sigh, she shook her head and stepped back from him. “We should return to your castle. I imagine it’s not very safe out here for two strangers.”

“We’re safe enough.”

“Where even are we?” she asked as he stood and dusted the sand off his knees.

“Sloth’s kingdom.”

He didn’t give her any more of an explanation as he summoned another portal, not even looking at her as he held out his hand for her to take.

She’d insulted him. Lilith should have guessed that denying him on his knees would do that. But he had to understand what he was asking of her. This was dangerous. Far too dangerous for either of them. He had to understand it was a risk. All of this was a risk.

But then they stepped through the portal into his office and she was struck with a sense of foreboding. It was so strong that she actually staggered.

Catching herself against the wall, she pressed her hand to her chest and tried to understand where this was coming from. How could she feel so terrible? What had happened?

The power in her swelled, and mist poured in wave after wave off of her body. It soared out of the room like an ocean had erupted from her skin.

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