Page 67 of The Crown of Nyx

It suddenly felt like a test, a way to prove if I really was worthy of being the Queen. Of being their mate. If I trusted my gut, I followed through with the deal, and I risked losing the faith Orion had in me. His eyes pleaded with me to listen to him. To believe what he was telling me. If I went through with the deal, it would be like telling him his opinion didn’t matter. That I didn’t believe him.

There was a part of me thatdidbelieve him, though. And it terrified me, wondering if I couldn’t even trust myself. What if I was wrong? What if I went through with it, and it turned out Damon was playing me the whole time? What if he wanted out of his role of king? Wanted what Dante offered him?

Goddess Nyx, help me, please, I thought, turning away from my mates entirely. The view outside caught my attention again.

The hairs on my arms lifted as a cold breeze drifted through the room. The smell of smoke and spice clung to the air. It calmed my racing heart enough for me to settle on my answer.

I thought about the Goddess’s warnings. Her predictions of doom if I failed.

Losing the demons would mean losing the war. And although most demons would side with me—with Nyx—there would be some loyal to the Elysian King. Some who might like the idea of change a little too much.

“I’m going to go through with the deal,” I said, turning back to the others. Orion hung his head indefeat, but my other mates weren’t pleased, either. “What we need from him, we can’t get from anyone else. And I need the support of the demons. This deal could save us. All of us. I can give up a few weeks a year if it means stopping Dante from destroying our entire world.”

I do believe you, I said down the bond to Orion. He lifted his head, eyes shining.We can work on how to undo the glamours. Together. But Rowan has a point. We should be keeping him close.

I understand, my flower,he replied.I am sorry.

My chest tightened, but I nodded once.

The air shifted, magic filling the room. My mates shared worried glances, tensing like they were preparing for an attack. Orion was at my side in an instant, Maeve not far behind him.

Darkness flooded the room, shadows thickening. “Time’s up, my Queen,” Rhadamanthus said, his voice everywhere. “Time to become my bride.”

28

Elias

The Elysian King materialised with dark, swirling shadows curling around his imposing frame. He appeared almost similar to how he had last time, but now, he wore an elegant suit, and his crown almost resembled the one Ivy wore.

The dream stasis we’d been forced into had done a number on all of us, and the demons who’d infiltrated our dreams already knew too much. We weren’t about to risk Ivy’s life again. They’d known in an instant that we were her mates. They’d known they could use us against her.

And I was certain they had. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have trustedhimso easily.

She wouldn’t have let his scent cling to her. Because all she smelled of now was honey and death. I could dealwith her smelling like the others. They were her mates, and my wolf no longer reacted the same as he had when we first found out we were destined to be hers.

But the demon king’s eyes brightened when they landed on her. There was something about the way he stared at her that unsettled me—unsettled my beast.

Grey and the Luna Prince covered her, but Ivy brushed them aside with quiet words of assurance that she was okay—that she was safe with the demon.

I kept the others in my periphery. Kingsley stood with his hands behind his back, watching the Elysian King warily. It was clear he’d never met the ancient male standing near our mate. It made me wonder if it was even possible for Dante to have gotten a chance at meeting the Elysian King with Queen Greer.

That was a question I would have to hold on to for later.

Then there was Archer. He didn’t move from his seat, instead resting his elbows on his knees. Like Kingsley, he watched the demon, though I could tell he was trying to unravel something in his head. Like he was wondering if the male had ever made an appearance in one of his visions.

My stomach clenched at the thought. For Ivy’s sake, I hoped not.

I understood why she wanted to make the deal. Part of me agreed with her reasoning, could see why she had come to that conclusion, because I knew I would have done the same. And yet, I was terrified of allowing another person into the fold. What if the king hurt her? Betrayed her?

What if I couldn’t save her from him?

Nash came up beside me and crossed his arms, but he said nothing. He’d been eerily quiet about thesituation. I’d expected more of a fight from him, but it worried me more that he wasn’t fighting forher.

“I want to go over the terms of your deal before you take my mate anywhere,” Grey demanded, tone even. Her team leader mask slipped into place, replacing the worried mate. I probably would have been a lot harsher with the question had I been the one to ask.

Grey, on the other hand, kept her cool and addressed him in the same way she would a council member. “Ivy has yet to fully understand the complexity of a demon deal. We need to go over what you expect of her in the four weeks she spends here in the Elysian Palace, and what she will be getting in return. I want to ensure there are consequences if the deal is not met.”

The Elysian King toyed with the cuffs of his suit jacket as he stared down at Grey. But she didn’t fold, head held high.

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