Page 82 of The Fated and the Damned
Gods, how I wished I could say yes, but I sighed, shaking my head and turning to the entity waiting in the distance. “There’s one more thing we have to do.”
She followed my line of sight, setting her jaw upon seeing Death still watching us. “Let’s go.”
We walked across the field in silence, our hands clasped tightly together. When we reached him, I shielded her subtly, my hand reaching for my sword. Though drained, my magic felt different, and I suspected Kitarni’s gifts would never surface again. Just as well. Her blood magic was her gift, not mine. We didn’t need magic to bind us, our souls were intwined already.
Death’s raspy voice grated over my ears as he smoothed his robe down. “I suppose I should thank you for returning my favourite plaything.”
“See that she remains leashed this time,” Kitarni snapped. “No more resurrections for your little pet. In fact, I will have the covens spell her remains before burning them to ensure she never rises again.”
He chuckled, his breath reeking of rot and decay. I had to swallow a gag. “Do not fear, little witch,” Death replied with a wave of his bone fingers. “Her suffering shall be endless.”
“Good. And our bargain?” I asked in a low voice.
Death sighed, picking a piece of lint from his attire. The bastard had the nerve to seem bored, treating this deal like a conversation over a lazy lunch. “I shall hold to my word.”
“That would be a first,” Kitarni mumbled, placing her hands on her hips.
Death’s curling tendrils of black smoke rippled out from him, the balmy morning air dropping in temperature. “Do not forget whose crown helped you win this fight.”
She rolled her eyes. “Right. Because you weren’t betting on it killing me in the process.”
If I could see his face, I had the distinct feeling Death was smiling right now. “Semantics. You know how I love them so.” He tapped beneath his hood and cocked his head. “Had you asked, I might have told you Fate had already woven your thread before this battle. You were never destined to die, Kitarni of the Wolfblood. At least not today. When you unwittingly bound yourself to Dante through your blood magic, you forged a connection transcending your body’s limitations. When Dante freely offered his life to you once the crown was on your head, your power combined broke the spell’s thrall.”
“Because my magic living inside him saved us?”
Death hummed as he considered. “Not exactly, but it certainly helped. Magic always has a price. The crown’s is power for life and life for power. Do you know why so many before you died when wearing it? Because, in their arrogance, they thought themselves indestructible. You, on the other hand, expected to die. You knew the cost, and it was that sacrifice—a shared sacrifice—that saved you. Sometimes, I’m surprised to find mortals are wiser than their years and more giving than any god.
“Regardless, this simple truth did save the lives of few bearers before you, but such acts were rare. Istenanya, Goddess of Wisdom, once wore the crown herself. It was her family who pulled her back from oblivion. By her wisdom, the crown was cast beyond the Upper Realm, passing from many hands until it fell into my own for safekeeping. Now, it remains a symbol of my status.” He held out his arm, his skeletal fingers curling out. “I kept my side of the bargain, Lord Sándor. Give me the crown.”
“King Sándor,” I said with a sly smile.
The freckles on Kitarni’s nose rippled as she scrunched her nose at me, frowning. “What bargain? And wait …king?”
I laughed, pressing a kiss to her temple and grinning as I untied the bag from my hip. “When I put the crown on my head, the monarchy in the Under World changed. Death and Fate no longer held dominion over the realm, nor their minions. The demons who fought on the battlefield? They were answering to me. The king of the Under World.”
“Istenanyás tits.” Her wide eyes glimmered, a smirk curving her lips. “So I guess that makes me a—”
“Queen,” I finished smugly.
“Damn,” she replied, directing her gaze at the horseman. “Royalty feels good. I think I’ll keep it.”
Death hissed in warning, and she laughed. “Don’t worry, bonebag, you can have your pretty little trinket back.” She looked at me with pure love and adoration in her gaze, a sparkle in her eyes I’d not yet seen. “We have no interest in the dead. We’ve got a whole lot of living to do.”
I tossed it to him casually and he clasped it, hugging it to his chest like a child on Szent-este. “And our other terms?”
Death sighed and waved his free hand. A ripple of magic pulsed in the air, and Kitarni gasped beside me, her body trembling. “They have been removed, as promised. As for my darling Fate, you have my word she will not interfere with mortal affairs. You are safe.”
“Good. Then if you don’t mind, I’d like to celebrate this victory with my wife. We’re done here.”
Death watched us silently, then shook his head. “For what it’s worth, blood witch, I always placed my bets on you.”
Kitarni grinned. “As heart-warming as that sentiment is, and as pleasurable the company, I hope to never see your not-face again. Farewell Death.”
“My lady,” he said with a rasping laugh. Death bowed—actually bowed to a mortal being—and snapped his fingers, disappearing from sight.
Those two had the weirdest relationship I could never pretend to understand. I shook my head and turned to my hellcat, a smile on my face. “Lift up your shirt, gorgeous.”
“Dante,” she said, batting my hands away. “A girl’s got needs, but it can probably wait until we get back to the castle.”
