Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• sixteen •

//Song: Dark Side - Bishop Briggs

Julian and I spent the following hour talking to Damien about the best town to specter into that was closest to Elysium.

Nyxiem, it was decided, since it was closest and had an entrance to Elysium that Julian remembered. All others he did remember had been sealed or destroyed by Robyn in the ensuing fight.

"Wait, if dark magic can't get in, how will Julian?"

Julian shook his head. "As long as you have some Light magic, you can step into Elysium." When he saw my furrowed brow he added, "The armies killed the half-breeds too. They were offered sanctuary."

I swallowed. And to think, I was the queen of the murderers.

Once the city and entrance had been decided, Julian spectered away, leaving to speak to Brom, his right-hand man, that the Guard would be in Skryen temporarily while he was gone.

Damien tried to avoid me too but I blocked his path to the door, using my magic to close it behind me. "What the hell was that?"

He smiled innocently. "Em, I don't know what you mean."

I shoved his shoulders as hard as I could. He barely moved. "You told Julian about the apartment on purpose!"

Damien shook his head. "Talk to the man, Em! For the sake of the gods, you are single-handedly sabotaging anything that could be!"

I crossed my arms. "Anything between him and me was over long before I saved you. He's always been hung up on Vy."

Damien's fury flared. "You're so stupidly stubborn! You can't see that the man is in love with you!"

I scoffed. "He is not in love with me."

Damien shook his head. "How do you know? How do you possibly know? Is that a Light fae power too? Or is it the power to make yourself a martyr?"

My fists shook at my sides. My power was humming through me and it took everything in me not to unleash it on him.

Damien scoffed, shaking his head. "I swear Em, you want to be unhappy."

After years of being miserable, of being alone because I had to keep him a secret...I never wanted to be unhappy. I didn't want to be alone.

But that was all I would ever be. Alone.

I thought I loved Damien only to find that I didn't want to lose him. The man I did fall for was hopelessly unavailable. And every time I saw him, I felt my heart break a little.

It pained me to smile and know that he was closer to being married to the woman he loved. He was with someone that made him happy. Someone that didn't lead him on. Someone that would be with him as wholly and unreserved as he deserved.

And Damien saying it out loud...he might as well have crushed my heart in hand.

I pushed against Damien's shoulders, unleashing my fury. "How dare you!" I screamed. I felt my power push from my hands against my will, binding itself with my anger. Damien stumbled back, colliding against the bookcase behind him several feet back.

I was hyperventilating as I watched my hands, tears brimming. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

He groaned as he pulled away from the bookcase. "Ow," his sarcastic, dry tone clued me into his plan.

"You-" I stopped with a hand in my hair. I was ready to pull it in frustration. I sighed finally steadying my breathing. "You pissed me off on purpose?"

"Of course I did," he finally said as she brushed a speck of dust off his jacket. "I rather you take it out on me than another poor bastard in the dungeon. That man was weak already, Em. What you did to him wasn't very fair."