Page 29 of For the Love of the Gods

“Always, Lukas.”

“Why not just tell Dominic?”

I breathed in sharply. I trusted Lukas. I did. It was just…complicated. No one knew about the Fates, except Marcus. I couldn’t risk anyone trying to stop me or try to reason with me. The other half of the answer was, “It doesn’t change what happened. I won’t beg for sympathy from someone who so easily believed I was capable of cold-blooded fratricide.”

“Even if he still wants revenge?” Lukas asked.

“Even then.” Because I probably deserved it. “It’s late. Go to bed and you can try to convince me to change my mind later.”

I tried to sound light, teasing, but Lukas just nodded, his teal eyes shadowed, and then left.

A quick look at the clock made me realize it was midnight and I was a sweaty, tired mess.

I thought about going to find Dominic, but didn’t want to disturb him. I ran back up to my room and stripped off my workout clothes. I tossed on a robe in case Dominic was in the bathroom, but when I walked in, the door was closed and the lights in his room off.

We were supposed to be avoiding each other anyway. I turned on the shower, stepped under the spray, and let myself have a moment’s peace before I had to start all over again tomorrow.

Chapter 8

Rose

A heavy, clipped knock cracked through my office door five days later.

“Come in!” I called from my desk, just to see what Dominic would do.

Of course, it was him. He was the one person who could manage to knock angrily. Knock at all, for that matter. The only people who ever came into my office were Marcus, Max, or Thea, andbargedwas the best word for what they did.

Knocking wasn’t even a passing consideration.

My door shot open forcefully, almost slamming against the back wall from the force of it. I straightened my back to find Dominic looking annoyingly put together and certifiably pissed.

“Yes?” I prompted. He hadn’t been fond of speaking to me over the past few days it seemed. Not one word exchanged between the two of us. Hell, I’d barely seen him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, without any discernible texture to his voice.

“Looking over the marketplace registrations,” I responded plainly. I had decided I was done trying to conceal my concern for our realm. If pressed, I could pass it off as being power hungry and obsessed with keeping the Underworld running smoothly for my own gain.

Dominic didn’t enter my office fully, just leaned against the door frame. He was a leaner. Against things, towards me. Justleaning. “And how do they look?”

“Normal. Good,” I said, the relief clear in my voice. “It’s not like Purgatory hasn’t been shared for years I just…”

“Wanted to double check,” Dominic finished for me.

I sighed, feeling strangely hesitant to reveal something about my personality. My true personality. “Yes.”

“Hmm,” Dominic said, his low grumble skating over my arms and pulling goosebumps in their wake. “We are similar in that regard, at least.”

“Oh thank the Fates, I was worried we’d never find something in common.”

“We share a last name,” Dominic returned. “That’s two.”

The easy banter between us was odd for any reason, but we hadn’t spoken since Lukas had visited. I had a feeling the polite conversation was covering something darker.

“We could go see it for ourselves,” Dominic asked, startling me into standing.

“Together?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Together.”

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