Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked, #3)(71)

“No, we haven’t.” My twin’s attention dropped to the ground as if she couldn’t bear to look at me. “The Star Witches would never allow that risk. They sent us here, to this time and place, where witches had to remain in hiding. We could step through to another reality now if you’d like. It helps. To see the truth play out.”

“No.” My tone was harsher than I’d intended. “I cannot… I just—I’m not ready.”

Seeing another reality, another time or dimension, would snip the last thread of sanity I’d been clutching. Vittoria offered a small smile. “All right.”

“Have the witches somehow been alerted to our presence here?” I asked. My sister shook her head. That was positive at least. “Are they able to summon us through a blood sacrifice?”

“We are not like demons or other supernaturals. No one can summon gods.”

My mind spun onto the next question. “How often does the isle shift?”

“From what I know, it’s multiple underworld dimensions folded on top of one another. It’s hard to explain, but there are infinite realities happening at once. Though it’s not always a perfect system. At times there will be slight inconsistencies only noticeable to those who are native to whichever time or place is the current reality. Many will simply overlook any oddities they might notice; the truth is much harder for them to digest, and therefore they avoid it. Magic and science are both hard at work, ensuring none of the timelines fully bleed together.”

Which was why it had taken Wrath so long to find us. He’d had to search a place that could be anytime, anywhere. It was an incredible feat that he’d managed to locate us at all…

“You.” My gaze snapped to my twin. “You summoned a demon, which alerted Wrath to where we were.” I thought back to the note I’d found on Wrath’s desk. “Greed. You’d summoned Greed under the guise of forming an alliance. Then you left those summoning spells for me to find, just in case.” Hope blossomed in my chest. My sister couldn’t be all bad. “Why?”

Vittoria grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently before letting go. “Because one of us deserves a storybook ending.”

I wrapped my arms around my twin and hugged her tight. “That doesn’t sound very House Vengeance of you.”

Vittoria held me back, her sudden laughter tinged with sadness. “If you tell anyone, I’ll murder your firstborn. Plus, I would hardly say binding House Greed to my cause was altruistic.”

My lips curved upward, knowing full well the goddess of death would never murder my firstborn. I wished to halt time and just stay in this moment with my twin. But wishes didn’t exist in this place, only pain and heartbreak. I held Vittoria a little closer, then finally let go. For a brief moment, her eyes had returned to that warm brown.

“You didn’t really kill Greed’s commander, did you?”

She heaved a sigh. “No, but I would have loved to. Not because I dislike her, but just to twist the dagger for Greed a little more.”

“Perhaps you ought to keep that opinion to yourself next time you see Greed or any of the other princes.” I exhaled. Despite learning the very foundation of my world had been a lie, a heavy weight was lifted from my shoulders. I knew deep down my twin couldn’t be the ice queen she’d been pretending to be. She’d been too warm, too full of life to lose it all when she’d become immortal again. “Vesta wasn’t stabbed. She was… eaten.”

Vittoria’s brows raised, looking half-impressed, half-aghast. “Gruesome way to go.”

“I have cause to believe she’s not dead. And I think you are intimately aware of that. I also believe you know who did die in that chamber.” I watched my twin, whose expression turned unreadable. “You need to tell me the whole story. Why Vesta wanted to leave. Who took her place. Where she is now. Greed called for a blood retribution. And Wrath granted it. If you don’t confess your innocence in front of Wrath soon and bring him proof, the other princes will eventually hunt you down.”

“Life would be rather dull if no one ever threatened to obliterate a rival House.” My sister grinned, avoiding giving me any more answers about Vesta’s disappearance and whose body was found. She did give me some information, which would need to be good enough for now. “I’m pleased to have caused such strong emotions in Greed. He must well and truly be put off that I’d do such a thing after forming an alliance.” She playfully nudged my side. We both knew she hated that prince for reasons she still hadn’t shared. “Perhaps it’s true love.”

“And what of Pride? Did it remain only a game to you or did you become attached?”

Vittoria’s spine straightened, and darkness fell across her features. “That demon ought to count his curses that I haven’t paid him a visit.”

I studied my sister out of the corner of my eye. I’d once felt as strongly about my wish to stab Wrath, and now I couldn’t stop myself from thinking of his troublesome mouth and all the wickedly delightful things he could do with it. Vittoria slanted a look in my direction.

“Don’t. I see what you’re thinking, and I swear I’ll slow your heart until you lose consciousness.”

“You know”—I looped my arm through Vittoria’s and started walking down the cobbled road that was nothing more than an illusion—“someone once told me hate is rooted in passion. Perhaps you ought to visit Pride and work out your issues.”