Lord of Embers(The Demon Queen Trials #2)(44)

“Yes. It is why I was marked as the true heir. It’s why I could kill him. But he was a slave to the mortals. A coward. And one day, I will open the gates to Hell. I will unleash my demon brothers and sisters on the world of the mortals, and we will live like we did in the old days.

Once, the mortals worshipped us. Now, they celebrate our demise. I will make them feel true terror. I will sever their heads and stick them on pikes. I will make them feel what I felt, such horror that they’re not even sure if the world around them is real. I will burn the world for seven days, and demons will rise from the ashes anew.”

Nausea rose in my gut. “Holy shit, Orion. The people responsible died centuries ago. They’re not the same as the Puritans you hate. You can’t just cut random people’s heads off.”

He shrugged, looking completely unperturbed by this particular detail. “I will begin with the demon hunters, then. They are the same.”

“You’ll start with the demon hunters,” I replied. “But where will you end?”

A line formed between his eyebrows. “Wherever I want it to end.

When I am satiated.”

With his charm and his easy grace, I’d never realized how fucked up he was. Bloodlust ran through his veins, and he would never be appeased. I couldn’t say he hadn’t warned me. He’d told me since day one that he was terrible.

Of

he was a head case. No one could spend their entire life in cou rse

a dungeon and turn out normal.

I stared at him. “So you would murder thousands of people who had nothing to do with what you’re angry about.”

His eyes grew shadowed. “Yes. You’re not going to tell me that mortals are better than they once were, are you? Do you think they’ve suddenly become

? The past hundred years of history tells me n ice

otherwise.” He turned back to the end of the bed, where Tammuz had been. “Will you break the blood oath now? You had my confession.”

I couldn’t help but wonder why Tammuz demanded this confession if he already knew the truth. In fact, the note said that he’d told my parents exactly this—if the Lord of Chaos reigns, the mortal realm will burn.

There was only one reason for these confessions, then. Tammuz wanted me to hear it. He wanted me to stop Orion.

The Dying God crossed over to Orion and touched the center of his forehead. Silver light slid over Orion’s body like water, streaming from the top of his head down his powerful shoulders, biceps, and back.

Orion closed his eyes, his muscles tensing.

I looked down and saw the same thing—silver light sliding over me.

An overwhelming sense of calm washed over me. The Dying God’s magic was like the caress of a gentle wind, and I was caught in the crossfire, imbued with the same magic.

In the hollows of my mind, I heard him speak to me. “You are free of your blood oath, Rowan,” he said.

Tammuz disappeared, leaving us alone again. Holy shit. Why had he broken

oath as well? A sense of freedom and calm washed over me, my

and I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

I sank into the mattress, the soft pillow. The bed felt glorious to my tired muscles, and my body melted into it.

WHEN I WOKE AGAIN, the barrier between us had disappeared, and Orion was curled around me, his length pressed against my backside. He held me close to him protectively.

Don ’t get too u sed to th is, Row an . It’s n ot real, even if it feels real.

I nudged him with my elbow, moving him away. “Orion. The barrier.”

I turned to look at him, and he propped his head on his hand, staring at me with sleepy eyes. “We did it.” His smile was satisfied. “We broke the oath.”

A shard of rosy light pierced the gloom, and I turned to see the sun rising outside. Dawn was breaking already.

“Now,” said Orion, “it’s time for you to fulfill your promise. Don’t think I forgot.”

I glanced at the shadowy space where the Dying God had been standing. I’d heard him tell me that he’d broken mine, too. Now it was time to test it out.

I met Orion’s gaze. “There’s a book in his room,” I lied. “During the day, one of his guards carries it around, but they’re always switching guards, so it’s hard to know which one might have it. But at night, Cambriel sleeps with it under his pillow. Get it from him when he’s fast asleep. Destroy the book, and you can kill him that way.”

“And your parents wrote all this down?”

“They wanted someone to kill him.” I shrugged. “I guess it’ll be you.”





C H A P T E R 2 4 — R O W A N

C lad in Goody Putnam’s scratchy wool dress, I crossed the icy fields with Orion, striding past the hanging women once more.

The milky morning light shone brightly on the frosted grass and sparkled on ice-encased trees.

In the distance, the row of wooden pikes protruded from the frozen gray earth like rotten teeth. And beyond those pikes, the caves of Purgatory loomed. Orion nodded. “As soon as we cross this turnpike, we are back. We don’t have to go through Purgatory this time.”

I let Orion take the lead as we got closer to the pikes. Sliding the backpack off my shoulders, I reached inside for the knife.

Just at the turnpike itself—the barrier to the veil, Orion turned to look at me, one foot over the edge.