Page 12 of Ivy & Bone

“But if we are truly married, then . . .” She trailed off as an echo of that dark coldness resonated in her chest. She wasn’t sure she wanted his power to come back. But she needed it if she hoped to reach her sister.

“I said we are married in the eyes of your Triple Goddess. But in the eyes of my kind, we are not fully joined until the marriage is consummated.” Once more, that lethal grin spread across his face.

Prue fought the urge to retch. “No! Absolutely not.”

Cyrus shrugged, still looking amused. “Suit yourself.”

Prue’s mouth opened and closed. What game was he playing? Was he seriously suggesting this? There was no way—he had to be toying with her.

At long last, she found her voice. “Are you saying we have to make love in order for me to bring my sister back from the dead? You’re insane!”

Cyrus’s humor vanished, and something akin to anger flickered in his gaze. Was he . . . upset? As if she’d rejected him? “No matter whether we are fully joined or not, you will never be able to bring your sister back.”

An entirely new wave of coldness crept into Prue’s heart from the severity of his words. “Why not?”

“Several reasons. For starters, depending on what river she was sent to, I may not even have access to her soul. Besides, you cannot bring her back unless you go to the Underworld yourself.”

“I know,” Prue said at once. “I plan to.” She had already anticipated this.

Cyrus stilled, his eyes meeting hers with an unreadable expression.

“And as for which river, I know she didn’t go to Tartarus, if that’s what you mean. Her soul was pure.”

Cyrus snorted. “You humans and your concept of purity. It’s pathetic. You have no idea the extent of darkness in someone’s soul unless you can peer directly into it.”

“I know my sister,” Prue bit out.

“Knew. You knew your sister.”

Heat flared in Prue’s face as she took a step forward. Only when Cyrus’s eyes gleamed did she stop herself, realizing she was inches away from entering the summoning circle.

“Let’s say Mona’s soul is in a river you can’t access,” Prue said, fighting to keep her fury at bay. “If I travel to the Underworld with you, can you find her?”

Cyrus’s jaw worked as he considered this. “Perhaps. But I cannot guarantee your safety in my realm. It’s very possible you won’t be able to return.”

“That’s fine.”

Cyrus arched an eyebrow. “So cavalier about losing your own life? I must admit, from a human, that’s surprising. Usually your kind is desperate for an elongated lifespan.”

“Well, I’m not.” Prue rubbed her arms, unable to look him in the eye. There was this otherworldly sense about his eerie silver eyes that made her feel as if he could see directly into her soul. And maybe he could.

A shrill shriek echoed from outside the crypt. Prue jumped, the noise much closer than the other haunting sounds from the ceremony. This one felt . . . different.

Cyrus’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and he glanced around. “Where is the book?”

“What?”

“The Book of Eyes!” he hissed. “Where is it?”

Prue blinked, glancing at the dusty floor. The book had sat in the center of the summoning circle, but now it was gone. Perhaps it had vanished when Cyrus appeared. She almost suggested it had returned to the Underworld, but she knew that was impossible. Polina had explained that the book had to remain in the mortal realm as an access point to the Underworld.

“I—I don’t know,” Prue admitted. “It was here when I summoned you.”

“Shit.” Cyrus ran a hand through his silvery hair, his fingers brushing over his horns. “You really have made a mess of things, haven’t you?”

“Where could it have gone?”

Another scream pierced the air, and awareness prickled along Prue’s skin. Her third eye was already open, but it twitched slightly from the magic churning in the air. Whatever power lingered in the air was far more potent than an ordinary Samhain.

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