Bound By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #8)(107)

“Actually, I didn’t renege,” she swiftly denied. “The terms were altered by one of the Oracles.”

Kostas stiffened, clearly caught off balance by her revelation. Siljar had told her to keep it secret, so that’s what she’d tried to do.

In fact, she’d only confessed the truth to Ariyal a few nights before.

“It does not matter.” The Ruah at last dismissed what he didn’t want to hear. “Any one of those atrocities carries with it a death sentence.”

“Why you ...”

Ariyal charged forward, but as fast as he was, Styx was faster, moving to intercept the maddened Sylvermyst and wrapping him in his massive arms.

“Stop, Ariyal,” the Anasso commanded, clamping his hand over Ariyal’s mouth. “You’re only making matters worse.”

Jaelyn was relieved that the king had moved to keep Ariyal out of danger, but she couldn’t deny the small pang of disappointment.

She hadn’t assumed that she and Styx were suddenly buddy-buddy, but she hadn’t expected him to actually help Kostas send her to the gallows.

“Either you get rid of him or I will.” Ariyal’s words were muffled, his anger a warm flood that battled against the chill in the air.

A humorless smile pulled at the Ruah’s thin lips. “The Anasso is the King of Vampires, but the Hunters belong to me,” he informed Ariyal, pride thick in his voice, although Jaelyn suspected he resented the fact that he wasn’t the ultimate leader of vampires. Hideous thought. “It is my right to punish my people how I see fit.”

She couldn’t argue the truth of his words.

All she hoped was to convince him that it would somehow serve his purpose to keep her alive.

Yeah ... fat chance.

“And what purpose will my death serve?” she demanded.

“It will remind other Hunters that our laws are meant to be obeyed.”

“So you’ll kill me just to make an example of me?”

The empty gaze moved slowly down her rigid body before returning to her face.

“You’re like a cancer that must be destroyed for the good of the Addonexus.”

He truly believed what he was saying. She could feel it to the very depths of her soul.

So this was the end.

No chance of escape, no last-minute pardon.

Squaring her shoulders, she held her chin high.

“You can do whatever you want to me, but I will never regret loving Ariyal,” she announced loud enough that her voice bounced off the walls. “Never.”

Kostas reached to grasp her chin in a brutal grip. “Such a pity,” he murmured, studying her with a faux expression of regret.

She yanked away from his touch. “Don’t pretend you’re not getting off on this. You love when you get the opportunity to flex your muscles.”

His jaw tightened, clearly annoyed. Not that she gave a shit.

He was going to kill her.

Who cared if she offended him?

“Come along, Jaelyn,” he ordered in frigid tones. “The sooner we’re done with this unpleasant business the sooner I can return to my duties.”

She thought she heard Styx mutter a low curse, but before she could glance in his direction there was the sensation of the air pressure abruptly changing. Spinning around she watched as Siljar popped into view, along with her daughter, Yannah.

As always, the two tiny demons looked nearly identical, dressed in long white robes that were pristine despite the faint whiff of brimstone, with their black, oblong eyes and razor-sharp teeth.

Only a closer inspection revealed that Yannah’s hair was fair rather than silver and her eyes lacking the ancient wisdom of her mother.

Seemingly unaware of the shock her abrupt entrance had created, Siljar held up a tiny hand, her attention focused on Kostas.

“Wait.”

Chapter 25

Ariyal was going to kill the King of Vampires.

And then he was going to kill Kostas. Slowly and as painfully as possible.

And then he just might kill Salvatore for standing there like a damned mannequin while Jaelyn was being hauled off to her certain death.

Not that he blamed them any more than he blamed himself.

Jaelyn had deftly sidestepped him when he’d tried to question her about the Addonexus and what was going to happen when they discovered she’d taken a mate.

She’d claimed she would find some means to get out of her duty as a Hunter. She’d even assured him that she was certain there was some obscure law that would allow her to escape punishment, but he’d known deep in his heart that she wasn’t being entirely honest.

If Jaelyn died, he would have no one to blame but himself.

Fighting against the arms that held him prisoner, Ariyal nearly missed the sudden appearance of two small female demons. In fact, it wasn’t until he felt the deluge of power that could only belong to an Oracle that he turned his head to catch sight of the intruders.

He stopped his struggles. Gods, was that Yannah? Warily he watched as the elder of the demons stepped toward Jaelyn, her dark gaze keeping track of Kostas as he performed a stiff bow.

“Siljar,” the vampire murmured, obviously familiar with the Oracle.

Ariyal didn’t know if that was a good or bad sign.

“What is going on here?” Siljar demanded, her voice soft but powerful enough to make the conceited jackass pale to a pasty white.