Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• thirty-two •

//Song: Sex & Candy - Unions

I recognized where he spectered us to as soon as I felt the sensation stop.

He didn't let my hand go, instead he pressed his lips to my fingers, closing his eyes.

I watched his expression as he did in stunned silence. I was right. He was relieved. There was no mistaking the sudden calm I saw wash over him now that we were alone together. There was no one to watch us, no one to judge and Asmo despite what happened between us, was relieved.

It should have moved me. To see him so relieved to see me alive and well, I should have been moved.

Instead, it did the opposite. Everything Julian and Damien had warned me against was brought screeching back to the front of my mind.

He thought I was dead.

And that I had at one point actually defended his actions made me furious.

"Thank you for meeting with me, my queen."

At that, I pulled my hand away harshly, stepping back and toward the large window that overlooked the city. As mad as I was, I still wanted information. "You wanted me here." I turned towards him, shrugging. "Here I am."

"I am grateful for that." His eyes darkened, seeming to burn into mine. Was he trying to intimidate me?

I stood my ground, crossing my arms, unwilling to show any sort of weakness. Even though I defended him and his actions to the others, I would be stupid to just trust him willingly. "Give me the information you promised before your new queen calls back for you."

He scoffed as if I had insulted him. "The girl," he said the word with malice, "is fine. She is not expecting me anytime soon." He waved his hands over a small table next to him. A small glass full of an amber liquid appeared along with a wine glass full of dark, red wine. "Drink?"

I only looked at his outstretched hand with the wine glass as he handed it to me. How did he know that it would probably be the only thing I would drink? "This isn't a social call, Asmo. I'm not here because I want to be."

"Yes," his lip quirked. "You're just like Persephone. Whisked to the Underworld kicking and screaming."

When I wouldn't take it, he shrugged, placing it back on the table. The sound of the glass clinking against the wooden table echoed in the small, quiet room.

I watched him as he moved from the table to the kitchen. He plucked grapes from a bowl in the kitchen. "Grapes, Alteaza?"

I crossed my arms. "Stop calling me that."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you not queen? Is that not the stone from our sacred river on your finger? My mistake."

I tucked the large ring I was given when I was named queen out of view.

He noticed. "Yes, you are queen, Emylin. No child with a tantrum and some claim to the throne changes that. Silvertongue or not."

I relaxed only slightly but I hoped he didn't notice. I still didn't want him to think I truly trusted him. "You are on my side, then."

He chuckled looking at the bourbon glass in his hand. "That would be telling." He popped grapes into his mouth. "If I tell you what I know, you will leave and I am not ready to let you go just yet."

Indignation flared inside me. "What do you want?" I almost spat.

He set his glass down and leaned back against the counter he stood next to with his arms crossed. "I will give you the information you want. But it will not be free."