there.” No doubt she’d lost his respect. “I was tasked with bringing him home, but that didn’t mean he had to stay. And since he’s already been visiting….” She shrugged, unable to continue. On this side of Hell, all of it sounded like weak excuses.
Nix’s hand fell away. He stared at her as if she’d turned into a freakish monster.
Haven’t I ?
Cannot turn into something that wasn’t already a part of you . Yeah, as always, her Lynx was accurate. Always had the monster in us.
Crinkles at the corners of his eyes betrayed his disquiet. “What happens if you renege on the deal?”
“Everyone I love dies, they gain control of the dragons and…the rest doesn’t matter. It all concerned me.”
His voice dropped a notch and darkened. “What else, Mads?”
“Elias tortures me.”
“Tell me you received something worthy from the deal?”
“Their complete trust. No more hem-hawing about where my loyalties reside.”
Green eyes glittered and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “You betrayed your son for that?” The words were spoken low, highlighting his anger all the more.
Madison couldn’t justify her actions, so she remained mute. Nix stalked across the room, hands fisted at his sides. He reached the exit and she expected him to slam out of the study. Instead, he kicked the door and struck the wood with the flat of his hand.
Madison focused on the other men. Kur stroked his jaw while Zen rested his forearms on his thighs and looked like he counted his fingers.
“How close did you come to completing the ceremony with the Kings?” Petra removed the lollipop from her mouth long enough to ask the question.
“Only Micah remained to anchor me to Hell.”
“What does that mean?” Nix rotated to face her. He leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. If he clenched his jaw any tighter, teeth were in danger of cracking.
“I couldn’t see it all.” Her son perched on the edge of his chair. “And I’m not scared to go to Hell. I know how to get out.”
“You’re not going to Hell. Not if I can stop it. Got it?” He nodded and Madison continued. “Short version of the ceremony: I was to consume all of their blood. What would have happened after that, only they can say. Unless Petra knows more?”
As an answer, Petra shook her head.
“It doesn’t bother you that they weren’t forthcoming of what it means to be anchored to Hell?”
Even though Nix asked the question, Madison swept them all with a gaze. “I told all of you, with the exception of Amos, that I wanted to remain in Hell. So why should it bother me, Nix? I didn’t care what he wanted. Micah was alive. I was happy to see him. What does that say about me? Or my relationship with you?” She clenched her fingers around the edge of the desktop. What does that say about me ? It’d be so easy to break down or to give up, but when she looked at her son without his father’s influence, her perceptions were so much clearer. “I asked for a point-blank answer about our roles in their plans. They refused to provide an explanation. But I got the feeling it was more than a new Trinity as Petra explained. All the Kings are involved somehow, not just Micah.”
“I have no idea how to react.” Kur laced his hands together over his stomach and slumped into the chair again.
“I know all their angelic names.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. We can work with that.” Nix came away from the door.
“What’d you do for them to entrust you with those?” Petra gaped, the candy suspended midair near her mouth. “I don’t even know Daddy’s name.”
“They have my demon name.” She looked at the immortal, aware Nix drew closer. “You’re quiet, Zen.”
“Processing.” His dark hair fell over his forehead. He made no move to swipe it off.
“I can’t speak their names aloud or they’ll know I gave them to you. But I’ll write them down. A spell should be cast to protect Amos from any of their nefarious
Nix’s hand fell away. He stared at her as if she’d turned into a freakish monster.
Haven’t I ?
Cannot turn into something that wasn’t already a part of you . Yeah, as always, her Lynx was accurate. Always had the monster in us.
Crinkles at the corners of his eyes betrayed his disquiet. “What happens if you renege on the deal?”
“Everyone I love dies, they gain control of the dragons and…the rest doesn’t matter. It all concerned me.”
His voice dropped a notch and darkened. “What else, Mads?”
“Elias tortures me.”
“Tell me you received something worthy from the deal?”
“Their complete trust. No more hem-hawing about where my loyalties reside.”
Green eyes glittered and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “You betrayed your son for that?” The words were spoken low, highlighting his anger all the more.
Madison couldn’t justify her actions, so she remained mute. Nix stalked across the room, hands fisted at his sides. He reached the exit and she expected him to slam out of the study. Instead, he kicked the door and struck the wood with the flat of his hand.
Madison focused on the other men. Kur stroked his jaw while Zen rested his forearms on his thighs and looked like he counted his fingers.
“How close did you come to completing the ceremony with the Kings?” Petra removed the lollipop from her mouth long enough to ask the question.
“Only Micah remained to anchor me to Hell.”
“What does that mean?” Nix rotated to face her. He leaned against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. If he clenched his jaw any tighter, teeth were in danger of cracking.
“I couldn’t see it all.” Her son perched on the edge of his chair. “And I’m not scared to go to Hell. I know how to get out.”
“You’re not going to Hell. Not if I can stop it. Got it?” He nodded and Madison continued. “Short version of the ceremony: I was to consume all of their blood. What would have happened after that, only they can say. Unless Petra knows more?”
As an answer, Petra shook her head.
“It doesn’t bother you that they weren’t forthcoming of what it means to be anchored to Hell?”
Even though Nix asked the question, Madison swept them all with a gaze. “I told all of you, with the exception of Amos, that I wanted to remain in Hell. So why should it bother me, Nix? I didn’t care what he wanted. Micah was alive. I was happy to see him. What does that say about me? Or my relationship with you?” She clenched her fingers around the edge of the desktop. What does that say about me ? It’d be so easy to break down or to give up, but when she looked at her son without his father’s influence, her perceptions were so much clearer. “I asked for a point-blank answer about our roles in their plans. They refused to provide an explanation. But I got the feeling it was more than a new Trinity as Petra explained. All the Kings are involved somehow, not just Micah.”
“I have no idea how to react.” Kur laced his hands together over his stomach and slumped into the chair again.
“I know all their angelic names.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. We can work with that.” Nix came away from the door.
“What’d you do for them to entrust you with those?” Petra gaped, the candy suspended midair near her mouth. “I don’t even know Daddy’s name.”
“They have my demon name.” She looked at the immortal, aware Nix drew closer. “You’re quiet, Zen.”
“Processing.” His dark hair fell over his forehead. He made no move to swipe it off.
“I can’t speak their names aloud or they’ll know I gave them to you. But I’ll write them down. A spell should be cast to protect Amos from any of their nefarious
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