Page 56 of Ivy & Bone

Between worlds. Cyrus knew a space existed between life and death, but souls did not reside there for very long. He’d never actually been there before.

But Vasileios had.

Before Cyrus could ask a follow-up question, Prue asked, “What happened between you and Vasileios?”

“He was the heir to my father’s throne. When I gained my powers, I took the crown from him by force.”

Prue’s eyebrows lifted. “Well, that would certainly be reason enough to want revenge, wouldn’t it?”

“It would indeed.” Cyrus glanced at her. “What is Mona like?”

A mixture of sadness and affection filled her face. “Bookish. She loved to study and find new spells. She was clever and imaginative with her magic. It was better than mine, and Mama always loved her more because of it. I think it’s because she saw more of herself in Mona than in me.”

“So Mona was powerful? Like you and your mother?”

“Oh, yes. She always had a stronger affinity than mine, and she was constantly seeking for ways to grow and improve. But her curiosity wasn’t always a good thing. It prompted her to—” She faltered, her face paling slightly.

“What?” Cyrus urged.

Prue’s breath trembled as she inhaled, her gaze fixed toward the road. “I believe . . . that requires another question.” She smirked at him, but it lacked her usual snark.

Cyrus chuckled. “As you say.”

“What is Vasileios like?” Prue asked.

“He’s strong and clever. Father favored him because he possessed all the qualities of a great ruler. Power. Wisdom. Confidence. He wasn’t obnoxious with his strength like Marcellus or sly and sneaky like Leonidas. But he anticipated threats before they came, and he was strong enough to keep the souls within the river Styx.” Cyrus shook his head, grimacing at his own lack of foresight. “He was quiet and unassuming, and I never gave him much thought. I was so focused on my own bitter feelings about his birthright that I didn’t really see him for who he was. But now I understand he was always crafting a careful plan. He’s more cunning than I gave him credit for.”

Prue was silent for a moment, her gaze distant as she considered his words. “Mona and I were meant to converge our magic. It was foretold that the Gemini twins, with the power of Janus, would join together, leaving one twin dead and the other fully empowered. Our coven—our mother”—she spat the word like a filthy curse—“lied to us our whole lives, withholding this information from us until right before our powers were supposed to converge.”

“Why would they keep that from you?”

“Because we would’ve fought it if we’d known! But that’s no excuse. Mama should have told us from the start. She’s powerful; together, we could’ve found a way around it, I’m certain. We could’ve prevented—” She broke off, her eyes moist as she gritted her teeth in obvious frustration.

Cyrus stilled as he watched her. “And what happened?”

“We refused. We tried to find another way. We discovered the Book of Eyes, and . . .” She took a shuddering breath. “It was Mona’s idea to open it.”

Cyrus stiffened. “What?”

“She thought it was a grimoire that could provide us with new spells. A new way to undo the prophecy of Janus’s powers. We cast a spell together, and instead of saving us from that fate, it unlocked the gate to your world.”

Cyrus grasped her arm, stopping them both. His chest roared with terror. “Prue. Did Mona open it with her blood?”

Prue nodded, her lips trembling. “We both did.”

“Shit.” Cyrus ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. “Then you are both bound to the Underworld.”

Prue sucked in a breath. “What exactly does that mean?”

“For you, not much, since you are now bound specifically to me. But for Mona . . . Gods, it all makes sense now. Of course Vasileios would find her right away.”

“Cyrus, you aren’t making any sense! I thought the Book of Eyes was bound to you. Doesn’t that mean you and Mona are connected?”

“Not necessarily. Blood can be manipulated in different ways and for different kinds of magic. If the spell you cast unlocked the gate to the Underworld, then Mona’s blood could’ve been used to bind herself to any one of my brothers.”

Prue’s face drained of color. “I—No, Cyrus, she can’t—”

Cyrus lifted a hand, his ears prickling. In the distance, a horse whinnied and the sound of wheels on the ground made him straighten in alarm. “Someone’s coming.”

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