Page 105 of Infernal

I could feel beads of sweat breaking out against my lower back.

Am I really going to do this?

Trepidation scraped its way into the pit of my stomach, turning everything around on its head before looking for a way out. Suddenly, I could taste the vomit rising at the back of my throat, but I quickly swallowed that down too.

Iwasdoing this. No take-backs. No do-overs.

It was now or never.

“You were right,” I mumbled, hating that I sounded so frail and insecure. “I don’t belong here.”

“I’m sorry, Daughter. Can you say that again? I didn’t quite hear that.”

Gloating bastard.

I cleared my throat and tried again, this time with my chin and shoulders slightly raised. “The thing is, I’ve had some time to think about what you said the other day, about your offer—”

“This just got a hell of a lot more interesting.”

“—And I’ve decided I want to take it.” My mouth was so dry, I wasn’t even sure how I was managing to speak at all. “I will come with you to Hades, and I’ll take my place beside you. No questions asked.”

His eyes flared at my offer before quickly narrowing again. “In exchange for what?”

“In exchange for Taylor and Trace as your vessel.”

“Ah,” he said, nodding as though he knew that were coming.

“That is what you wanted, isn’t it?” In that moment, I wasn’t entirely sure why he wanted that—me—in the first place, and while a shudder assaulted my body at all the possibilities, I refused to allow myself to think about it.

“Yes, Daughter. That is what I want.” He stepped forward and cupped my jaw, angling my face to his. “It’s the only thing I want.”

My eyes flew wide as I realized he had come here for me.

But why? What use did he have for me? What exactly did he plan to do with me? I wanted so bad to ask those questions, but I wasn’t sure I could bear to hear the answers.

It was easier to face the dying light when you were already standing in the dark.

“Then we have a deal?” I asked instead.

He pursed his lips. “If this is some sort of scheme, Daughter—”

“It’s not,” I quickly interjected, my voice poignant. Honest. “You can see for yourself.”

He was still holding my face in his hands and knew what I meant.

Trace’s brilliant blue orbs disappeared as thick sooty lashes came down over his cheeks, and suddenly, I wasn’t alone in my mind anymore. I could feel somebody there with me, riffling through my secrets, my plans, ripping the veil out from over my life. And I gave the devil carte-blanche to do just that.

Satisfied with what he saw, or rather with what he didn’t see, he slowly reopened his eyes and released my jaw. Every cell of my being was numb, disconnected to the world around me, but somehow, it was better this way.

“You will pledge yourself to me in blood,” he said, and again, it wasn’t a question. It was a requirement—part of my end-of-life plan.

“Fine.”

“A Blood Oath is not something to be taken lightly, Daughter,” he reproached, sounding upset by it. “You enter into it willingly, wholly, knowing that it canneverbe broken.”

“Fine,” I repeated, this time firmer.

His eyes bore into me, and I swore I saw of flicker of excitement pass through them. “Not just for entirety of your life. Foreternity.”

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