Page 25 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

He nods.

"Alright."

He crawls onto the bed, naked as the day he was born, and pulls me onto his lap. His hand cups my neck as he brings his mouth to mine. My lips part, and his tongue sweeps against mine as he slides his fingers through my hair. He crushes me against his chest. Our kiss is long and passionate and hungry, and despite knowing this has nothing to do with sealing the deal, I let it all go and just enjoy the moment. It's a little slice of pleasure in a realm full of pain.

When we finally pull apart, his stiff length juts against me as his lips hover close to mine. He speaks two words.

"Deal sealed." He remains there, our breath mingling. "Please tell me you have more favors to ask of me." His voice is low and rough.

I can only nod, my words forgotten. I thought of them, though, of telling him to finish what he started. But I can't bring myself to ask. For some reason, it's too intimate. Most of my life, I’d pined for one man I couldn’t have. But even now, with realms between us, my thoughts turn back to him.

"Tell me how I can get back to Bedlam."

This demand breaks the spell woven between us, and Caius shrinks back, scowling.

"There is no way," he says coldly, storm clouds in his eyes. "You're stuck here."

I exhale, stunned by the finality of his sentence. I'm here for good. A tear spills down my cheek, and the sight of it enrages him.

He tosses the key into my lap before storming out, the door slamming so hard it swings off its hinge. I sink into the bed, my thoughts a jumbled mess. My gaze falls on little glimmer of metal and an idea sparks in my mind.

I slot the key into the lock in my manacle, feeling the resistance of the pins inside, and I twist. It clicks, the sound reverberating throughout my bones, and the lock pops open. I pull the cuffs apart and sigh in relief. My ankle, streaked with a raw red mark, is finally free.

I coil the chain, my hands working in a familiar rhythm as I pry apart a floorboard, shoving the restraints in the hole. I've always used the floorboards to hide things from prying eyes. Replacing the board, I marvel at the perfect fit.

While I'd been hoping for a way back to Bedlam, it might be enough—for now—to just be freed from my restraints. No longer bound by that tiny bit of metal and whatever Caius's actual intentions were, I feel in control once more.

When I win the Forsaken Hunt, I knowexactlywhat favor I'm asking for. But first I've just got to survive the Underworld.

CHAPTER SIX

AGGONID

"Kill them," my voice thunders across my throne room.

The throne I sit on is fashioned from every manner of bone you can imagine. The very ones my enemies had to offer. The back of the throne is made of tangled branches from the wildest forests, woven together with thorns so that none may escape once they are caught.

A river of blood flows beneath our feet, coming from the countless denizens of hell who’ve met their fate before me. Their bones weave a footpath above it, the shrieks of their souls caught in limbo echoing through the chamber.

I'll get to theirs eventually.

Flames separate the courtiers from my throne, encasing them in a ring of heat that they dare not cross. They remain along the edges of the gothic room, its walls adorned with frescoes depicting the most torturous agony imaginable. The screams of those depicted in the paintings meld with the cacophony of tormented souls.

Caius and Irid stalk down the dais stairs, approaching the trembling demons who dared to defy me. Smoke fills the chamber, billowing in thick plumes as the fire licks at their heels.

Their shrieks cut off as Caius swings his scythe in a wide arc, and a spray of blood paints the walls. He steps over the pile of corpses, heading towards me in a confident stride while Irid drags their bodies away.

"Any more orders, love?" He grins, flipping his hood back to reveal his handsome features, now stained crimson.

He's the only one who can speak to me with such familiarity. I'd eaten the last person to overstep their boundary with me.

"Come here," I purr.

He saunters closer, eyes full of hunger. I can feel his desire radiating off him in waves, making my skin prickle with anticipation. His gaze falls to my lips, and I know he hungers for more than just a kiss.

I reach out and grasp his chin, tilting his head up as he kneels before me. Inhaling, I catch an unfamiliar scent on him, and it sends my hackles up. My nostrils flare as I try to place the smell. Cocking my head, I study him.

"Who have you made a deal with?" I demand, my voice a dangerous whisper. Him making deals isn't the problem, but I taste blood in the air that doesn't belong to him.He's tasted another?

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