Three Trials (The Dark Side Book 2)(34)

He starts to speak, but I continue on.

“And Ezekiel is War, surprisingly enough. He doesn’t create chaos. Chaos would have them running in a frenzy and spurred by random events. War is a simple-minded thought to kill the opposition at any cost. Ezekiel just confused their minds with who the opposition was and created a civil war from thin air.”

He steps closer, tilting his head.

“As I said, you’re clearly death. Death can come in any form. You didn’t need a spear to kill them, because you were Death itself.”

He blinks and slowly shakes his head. “Famine. No one has ever suggested Gage’s power being famine. He drains things.”

“He starves them and dehydrates them,” I correct.

“Famine’s power was to kill the land with pests and such,” he tells me dismissively.

“Because he drained the land of nutrients and starved it until it killed everything to keep itself alive and not share resources,” I go on. “The land is just as alive as you or I. It only makes sense he could do it to a living being as much as a living entity.”

He points a finger at me. “Your ability to rationalize your point by twisting theories and half-cocked hypothesizes makes you impossible to reason with. You make me think things I know can’t be possible. The Four Horsemen are dead. That is something agreed on by everyone.”

“Then why give the quads so much extra attention?” I ask him, arching an eyebrow. “Why not just leave you forever locked in hell’s belly if Lucifer truly wants you dead? Why the theatrics for a man so powerful?”

His hands fist, but before he can answer, I hear the door opening. Instantly, I go phantom, just as a very familiar brunette walks into the room, her smile spreading when she sees Jude.

Envy like I’ve never felt before slices through me so powerfully that bile almost rises to my phantom throat when he grins genuinely back at her.

It isn’t because he’s smiling at her.

It’s because I know this girl.

“Two years ago, the four of you shared her,” I say on a shaky breath as Jude goes to hug her right in front of me like she’s nothing more than an old friend.

He ignores me, the girl who doesn’t really exist, as the one they’ve touched between them before laughs and pulls back, greeting him.

I remember the way she kissed all of them, savored them with a familiarity I couldn’t understand. Most of the other girls always seemed like strangers to them, but she seemed as comfortable with them as they were with her.

It’s now I realize why.

They shared her more than once.

I just got to view a reunion.

Staggering back, I watch as her hand slides down his arm with ease and comfort.

Jude clears his throat, and withdraws from her touch as I stare numbly at the scene at hand.

“I really don’t trust her now,” I tell him, trying to mask the fact my feelings actually can still be hurt.

Admired not pitied—my new goal, remember? I get nowhere with them when I wear my heart on my sleeve.

She moves to the scale, grinning over at him. “Playing with lead balls, Jude? I hardly pictured you as the idle-hands type after knowing you for so long.”

“It took you longer than usual to show up,” he tells her casually, moving to sit on the end of the bed near me.

Me? I’m trying not to visibly sulk. Jealousy is a powerful emotion. I literally want to kill this girl. I had no issue with her back then. I mean, of course I was jealous, even tried to possess her—like I did many of them—especially her.

She was the one they seemed to really enjoy, and she was flirty and fun, not at all timid or apprehensive of the debauchery they showered her with.

And the most beautiful.

Now she walks in here and makes Death himself smile as though it’s a simple task.

She looks around, as though she’s searching for something. Everything she does is suspicious now, because I’m just looking for a reason to kill her.

“Now I know why you made me promise to behave,” I state dryly.

Jude’s lips twitch as she faces him again.

“I was waiting for your brothers. I may not can sneak you all in, but I assumed there’d be a little trade for this very deadly risk I’m taking for the four of you,” she says, smirking before she winks.

“I’m going to have to kill her,” I say on a sigh, then stiffen, realizing I said it aloud.

Jude clears his throat, his humor gone.

“Fine. I won’t kill her.” In front of you, I add silently, deciding I’m really good at negotiating. Seems like a fair deal to me. No need in getting his vote on the matter.

“My brothers stayed home. The soul breaks are getting worse, and we’re stationed in the highest concentration of the breaks right now.”

He tells her this easily, even though this is the first I’ve heard that tidbit of information. One more reason to kill her. She makes my place feel threatened, and I don’t particularly care for that feeling.

“Would they have paid her the way she clearly wants to be paid if they’d been able to come here?” I ask, deciding that is very important information I need to know before I decide if I’m an idiot or not for thinking I was special.

I really will leave and find a way to extract myself from them completely if he answers yes. Even if it’s just to be a snarky dick to me. I will so be gone, just as soon as I return him safely home.