Page 43 of Thorn & Ash
But he didn’t.
Her cheeks heated as she remembered the last time she’d been in this room—straddling Cyrus as they took each other with a raw, feral desire that consumed them both.
Now, it was completely different. The throne room was full of subjects, and Lagos stood alongside the throne. Prue wanted to fidget, to wring her hands together or shift her weight, but she forced herself to remain still.
The doors opened, and Prue stiffened, alarm racing through her. Trivia led a crowd of several armed demons. Behind them was a chained creature Prue had seen once before: on the day of Mona’s death. It had emerged from the Book of Eyes, unleashing its death shadows on Prue’s village. To stop the carnage, Mona had given her life to seal the Book of Eyes once more.
The creature had the face of a boar with tusks protruding from his snout. Two ram horns were atop his head, and his entire body was naked, the skin rough and coarse and bumpy like the hide of an alligator.
Screams filled Prue’s mind as the memories of that day in Krenia threatened to consume her. To jerk her free from the trauma, she rose to her feet, the motion jolting her and awakening her senses. “Is this the wraith?” Her voice boomed in the throne room.
“It is, my queen,” Trivia said, bowing deeply, a smirk forming on her face. Prue knew the goddess was teasing her with the elaborate bow, but she said nothing, knowing the subjects before her might not recognize it as sarcasm.
“Bring him forward,” Prue commanded.
The armed demons shoved the chained wraith forward. His long tail slid along the marble floor, the chains clinking as he moved forward.
Prue lifted her chin, glaring down at the creature. “Why are you terrorizing Erebos?”
The creature emitted soft grunting noises. After a moment, Prue realized it was laughter. Seething, Prue gritted her teeth and gestured to the closest armed demon. “Stab him, please.”
What she wouldn’t give for her own magic. She would unleash hell on this foul beast.
The demon obliged, jerking his spear forward until it pierced the creature’s side. The laughing stopped, and a feral howl echoed in the chamber.
“Answer the question,” Prue snapped.
The throne room was deadly quiet, everyone holding their breath in anticipation of the wraith’s response.
At long last, in a gruff voice, the creature said, “It is not just Erebos I will consume… but this entire realm.”
“Why?” Prue bit out. “You serve the crown. You serve the Underworld. Why would you turn on your own kind?”
“I only serve him,” the wraith growled. “My master. The father of my death shadow.”
A chill snaked over Prue’s skin. Somehow, she sensed what his next words would be just before he uttered them.
“I serve Kronos.”
* * *
Long after the wraith had been hauled off to Tartarus, Prue was still shaken from the entire ordeal. She had to redirect her mind often, trying not to dwell on that awful day in Krenia, but the memories kept flooding her thoughts.
She couldn’t stop, though. There was still work to be done. This evening she had the blood bargain ceremony where she would officially induct Lagos as a member of her court.
Trivia had taken it upon herself to be Prue’s lady’s maid, at least until her official coronation. Prue didn’t object; for now, she only wanted to surround herself with those she could trust. And despite her reservations about Trivia’s motives, the goddess had proven herself helpful.
Trivia helped Prue into a gleaming silver gown that shimmered with each movement. The fabric itself was sheer and magnificent and reminded Prue of starlight.
“Be careful,” Trivia murmured after she finished twisting Prue’s hair into an elegant knot. “Blood bargains are serious and very binding. If there’s anything in the agreement you don’t consent to, don’t go through with it.”
“I know.” Prue had learned her lesson with Cyrus in the mortal realm. He would’ve slit her throat immediately if she hadn’t forced him to swear in his blood he wouldn’t harm her. She found herself smiling as she remembered how much they had loathed one another.
Thank the Goddess we didn’t kill each other, she thought, or we never would’ve fallen in love.
A hollow sadness filled her chest as she thought of her husband and how much she missed him. She yearned to track him down, even if just for another quick dalliance atop his throne.
But she had to give him space. He promised he’d fight for her, and she believed him. Seducing him had broken the enchantment once before, but Prue had a feeling Kronos would only let her get away with it so many times. She had to save the strategy for when she truly needed it. Or for when Cyrus truly needed her.