Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• forty-eight •

//song: guest room - echos

Dedicated to those eagle-eyed readers. Bravo. I love that you found my plot holes. I had to fix that though lol. It could have easily extended this by five chapters lol

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I looked at both men. My mouth was suddenly dry.

Julian didn't turn from Asmo, in fact, he stepped closer to him. "Asmo would stay a spy until Mal is overthrown." He repeated the words I told him. "That was what Emylin had said. Your bargain is no longer valid. You made it under the assumption that you'd stay her spy. That is no longer true."

I swallowed. I opened my mouth to speak...and was able to. My words didn't burn my throat, it didn't cut off my air. I looked at Asmo. "You can no longer fulfill your part of our bargain."

Julian turned back to him, his grey eyes full of fury. "Gods, I knew it. I fucking knew the moment she went with you, you'd pull this shit on her." He shook his head.

And suddenly, I realized what Julian had done. He had shot in the dark and hit the bull's eye.

Julian didn't know about a bargain, he couldn't have...but he knew Asmo. And he knew he would trap me again in a bargain so he could get his way. He had repeated my words from when I first told him he was our spy--had he suspected a bargain the entire time and just waited to reveal it?

"You should be tried for treason," Julian continued. "You took advantage of your queen when she was vulnerable. You took advantage of her trust."

I felt a lump in my throat. Tears stung the corner of my eyes. I stepped back and sat on the couch behind me.

"Gods, all she wanted to do was help you in a fight that was never hers to begin with." He shook his head again. "And for what? So you could be king? Back to the original terms of your first bargain?" He scoffed. "Not that it matters. She doesn't want to be queen."

I swallowed. Everything he was saying was true.

Every word.

I felt Asmo's eyes on me. His words were laced with venom. "What did you tell him?"

I looked up at him where he stood. My eyes met his, unflinching. "Nothing," I answered quietly. "How could I? Your bargain made damn sure of that."

Julian took a step forward and as he did the furniture in the room rattled against the floor. "You manipulative bastard. You took advantage of her after everything she's been through. After what's she's done for you, Damien and the Underworld. She barely knows our ways and you took advantage of that fact." His lip curled. "You absolute snake."

The light bulbs began to flicker in the room. When I looked at Asmo, his fists were clenched at his sides. His jaw was set tightly.

He was making the room shake with his power.

Mehnit growled quietly. Her nose nudged my knee as if to push me away from them.

Kymra jumped into action. "Outside, Julian. I need help setting up barriers. We need more protection around the house, just in case." She grabbed Julian's arm and pulled him away from Asmo. "Leah, show me the way outside. Oren, I need you too." When none moved, she pulled on Julian's arm again. "Come on, the Alteazor will take care of Emmy."

Damien crossed his arms. "Em won't leave my sight."

I couldn't look away from the floor.

Everyone began to move away. When I looked up, I found Kymra had stayed. She looked at us struggling for words.