Page 129 of The Devil's Trials

“Well, um, congratulations, I guess?” I offer, at a loss for anything else to come up with.

His lips twitch briefly. A ghost of a smile.

Something feels off. He’s standing right in front of me, but this person seems like a stranger. Cold and detached. I’ve never been to hell, but I didn’t think a visit to where Xander grew up would do this to him.

What happened there? What did he have to do to pass the trial?

I take a tentative step closer, searching his eyes for something,anythingI recognize. I come up empty, and my chest tightens once more.

“You’re probably exhausted,” I murmur. “I’ll leave you to get cleaned up and rest.”

Before I make it a full step backward, Xander snags my wrist and pulls me in, quickly gripping my chin and capturing my mouth with his. Between one moment and the next, he has me pressed against the wall, his free hand wrapping around my hip as his lips devour mine.

I’m kissing him back before I even realize what’s happening, but when my head catches up to my heart, everything in me screams to stop this. It’s primal and possessive and devoid of any semblance of care.

This isn’t the Xander I fell in love with—it’s the king of hell.

I shove hard against his chest until he concedes a step. “What are you doing?” I breathe, my lips tingling.

He chuckles softly, rubbing his thumb over his bottom lip. “I thought it was clear. My mistake.”

Shaking my head, I say, “I don’t know what happened while you were gone but I’m here to listen if you want to talk about it.”Come back to me,I want to say, but the words get stuck in my throat.

Xander shrugs. “There’s nothing to say. The trials were a formality and now they’re done.”

“Okay, fine. So why are you acting like—”

“Like what, Camille?” he cuts in with a jagged tone.

“Like everything I hate about you,” I snap.

“Have you considered that perhaps this is who I truly am?”

My brows lift and I can feel my heart beating in my throat. “Do you hear yourself?”

“I think it’s you who isn’t hearing me. I’m simply showing you who I am. I haven’t pretended to be anyone else in some time, and I won’t start now just to make you feel better about who you’re fucking.”

His words are as sharp and violent as a slap to the face. I stare at him, incredulous silence hanging between us. My heartbeat thunder crashes in my chest and my lungs struggle to fill with even breaths. Because how could I be so fucking wrong about Xander,again?

All of a sudden, we’re back where we started. The whiplash of betrayal burns, making tears prick my eyes, and I quickly blink them away. The urge to disappear from this encounter is strong, but I swallow the emotion clogging my throat and straighten my back.

“You’re a coward,” I say in a low voice, meeting his darkening gaze. “You can’t handle a little trip to the underworld without suppressing your humanity?” I shake my head. “I thought you were stronger than that.My mistake.” I throw his words back at him and then I walk away, willing myself not to shed a tear until I’m behind closed doors.

THIRTY-ONEXANDER

The rainfall shower head pelts me with hot water, washing away the dirt and blood, but it won’t erase what happened, no matter how long I stand under it.

You’re a coward.

Camille’s words play on a loop in my head as I scrub my skin raw.

I haven’t shut off my emotions completely, but they’re certainly subdued. I need to keep a clear head from here on out or people—my people—will be in danger, and I won’t allow that. Which is why I must keep distance between Camille and me, now more than ever. I can’t let myself be vulnerable, and when I’m around her, that is more difficult than I care to admit.

With a sigh, I rest my forehead against the cool shower tile, letting the water hit my back as I take a few shallow breaths.

Marrick is a bigger problem now that I’m taking the throne instead of handing it to him. Dealing with that prick will be the first order of business to discuss with my council after I’m sworn in.

The ascension summit is in two weeks, during the winter solstice. There will be drinking and dancing and a very comical presentation of the crown by the royal guard. They adore any opportunity for spectacle within our world, so there’s no chance I’ll get out of all the ridiculous pomp and circumstance.

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