Page 175 of His Ruthless Match
And then, it was over.
The fires smoldered, the gas dissipating into the night. The once-chaotic battlefield was eerily still, the ground littered with bodies and scorch marks. My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed into Jareth’s arms, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
“It’s over,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing. His arms tightened around me, his warmth grounding me in the aftermath of the carnage. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
I wanted to believe him. I closed my eyes, letting myself feel safe in his embrace and pretending the danger was truly gone. But the weight in my chest told me otherwise. This was just the beginning.
After a few minutes, we regrouped. Raffaele’s face was grim as he surveyed the battlefield, his shadows still curling around him like restless spirits. “This was a win,” he said, his voice heavy with the burden of leadership. “But the magistrate’s games aren’t over. We need to regroup and prepare for what’s coming.”
As we left the Crimson Dominion, a strange sense of calm settled over me. The chaos and fear hadn’t disappeared, but something had shifted. For the first time, I felt like I wasn’t just surviving. I felt like I was contributing. My instincts had saved us.
I glanced at Jareth, and our eyes met. He gave me a small, weary smile as a quiet understanding passed between us. We’d never leave each other’s side again.
50
JARETH
The veilstep was disorienting, a jarring shift from the smoky ruins of the Crimson Dominion to the cold, looming grandeur of The Shadow’s estate. I staggered slightly as the world righted itself, the familiar stone walls and dim lighting coming into focus. Eva’s hand brushed against my back, grounding me. Her face was pale but determined, and I couldn’t help but admire her strength after what we’d just been through.
The Shadow had instructed his assassins and Cain’s vampires to leave the Crimson Dominion. The rest of us had been veilstepped back to his estate.
He wasted no time. He strode toward the conference room, his shoulders set and his shadows curling at his feet as if sensing his agitation. “Everyone inside,” he ordered curtly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
We followed silently. Cain was the last to enter, his wings folding tightly against his back. He hadn’t said much since the battle, but the fire still smoldered faintly in his hands, a testament to how keyed up he still was.
Vivian was waiting, her eyes narrowing as she took in our disheveled appearances. “Well,” she said dryly, adjusting her glasses. “You all look like hell.”
“Thanks, Viv,” I muttered, dropping into one of the chairs. “You always know how to boost morale.”
She ignored me, her focus shifting to The Shadow as he took his place at the head of the table. Eva settled into the chair beside me and put her hand on my knee.
The Shadow’s voice broke the silence. “We won the battle,” he began, his tone measured, “but the war is far from over.”
Vivian leaned forward, her brow furrowing. “The magistrate?”
He nodded. “I have no choice but to allow them to become more involved in the Crimson Dominion.”
I stiffened at that. “You can’t be serious.”
“Do you think I want this, Jareth? If I push back now, if we let them know how aware we are of their overreach, they’ll make our lives a living hell. We’ll lose what little influence and power we have left. It’s better to play the long game and let them think they’re in control.”
It made sense, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. The thought of the magistrate sinking their claws deeper into the Crimson Dominion made my blood boil. Still, I nodded, forcing myself to trust his judgment.
“I’m more concerned about Eva agreeing to work for the magistrate,” I said. “Being their go-between in the human world? Theirambassador? That’s a recipe for disaster.”
All eyes turned to Eva. She sat up straighter and cleared her throat. “It could actually work to our advantage.”
The room fell silent, and I could feel the weight of their scrutiny as they waited for her to explain. Even The Shadow seemed intrigued, though his expression remained stoic.
Eva took a deep breath. “Think about it. My involvement with the magistrate puts me in a unique position. I’ll be working alongside them, gaining insight into their plans and operations. I can pass along any information that could be useful to us. At the same time, I can continue working with my clients in the human world. With the magistrate’s support, I’ll have more resources and influence to protect people like Genevieve.”
Cain laughed. “She’s not wrong. The magistrate isn’t going to do anything to hurt Eva at this point. Too much has been exposed. And let’s not forget, Izo wasn’t exactly the most reliable narrator. Who’s to say he wasn’t spinning half-truths to save his own skin? Perhaps the magistrate’s involvement looks different than Izo portrayed.”
I nodded slowly, hating how much sense it made. How could Cain have seen through bullshit when I’d only spent a total of two minutes filling him in on the situation back at the Crimson Dominion? The man was an enigma. “Izo definitely had a superiority complex. He might’ve been funded and supported by the magistrate, but he clearly had his own agenda. For all we know, he went rogue.”
The Shadow’s lips twitched in what might have been agreement. “The lines are inevitably blurred. There’s no fucking doubt about that. Either way, Izo has been a thorn in my side for years. At least he’s no longer an issue. Perhaps something good came out of all this.”
“Oh,” I said, leaning back in my chair and smirking at Cain. “I almost forgot to mention. I may have offered up your assistance in dealing with the fallout of the human actress’s exposure to magic.”
