Page 37 of To Dwell in Shadows
“Yes. I said so last night as well. But they believe I will change my mind now that I know the severity of the situation.”
“It seems so archaic. Is there really no guidance on who’s meant to be the next king?”
“Apparently there was a prophecy in a book calledThe Sovereign’s Reckoningthat foretold my father’s reign, but it was destroyed centuries ago.”
Selene turned on her side to face him, propping her head up with one hand. “So if there’s no prophecy, how were they planning to find a new ruler before you showed up? What was the backup plan?”
Sam gave a small, humorless shrug. “I don’t think they had one. Perhaps a vote by the council? I hate that they’ve placed all their hope on me like this.”
Selene nodded, mulling over the idea that was beginning to take shape in her mind. “Well, here’s a thought,” she said, lifting a brow, “what ifyoumade the plan?”
He turned his head toward her.
“You don’t want the throne, right? So be part of the process instead. Use your time here to help find the next Dark Sovereign. You can be Head of Recruitment, as we say in the HR world.”
“How would I do that?”
“Interview candidates. Screen them, test them, check their references. What qualities are important for the Dark Sovereign to have?”
“Power and cunning. Decisiveness. Resilience.”
“Hmm, that’s hard to spot in a sit-down interview,” Selene said. Images began to flash through her mind of demons engaged in contests of strength, wit, and cunning, each vying to stand out. “What if you created some kind of trial or games to test the candidates?”
Sam seemed to consider it. “A tournament, perhaps. A gauntlet for those who want to rule. Something to measure their worth.”
“Exactly. You could design it, and if someone stands out, you could help them win. No such thing as cheating in the Underworld, right?”
The furrow between Sam’s brows began to soften. “This could work.”
Selene placed her hand on his chest. “Sam, you’ve worked so hard to reach a place where you don’t owe anyone anything. You don’t have tobethe Dark Sovereign.” Her voice softened. “Maybe you’re just meant tofindhim.”
Sam gave her a small smile. “Once again, you’ve put my mind at ease. Thank you,” he said before turning to kiss her good night.
Chapter 19
At dawn, Selene was woken by an imp at their door, summoning Sam for some urgent royal business. He’d barely had time to dress before being whisked away, leaving Selene to her own devices for her second full day in the Underworld.
She lingered in bed long after he left, reflecting on how quiet the space was. It wasn’t a peaceful quiet, but hollow. There was a weight to the stillness here—something that made everything feel off-balance. She took her time getting dressed into a fresh wicked sorceress gown and weighed her options for how to spend the day. Wandering the palace alone wasn’t exactly appealing, but spending the day confined to their rooms felt worse.
Desperate for a friendly face, Selene knocked on the door of Queen Thema’s bedroom across the hall. It opened to reveal a scowling imp who told her that Queen Lamia had taken Thema horseback riding for the day. Feeling a bit stung that she wasn’t invited, she thanked the imp and turned away.
Standing alone in the hallway, Selene realized that, so far, Zettawas the only creature from the Underworld who actually liked her. The thought made her smile wistfully.
I guess the kennels are as good a place to go as any.
With that, she set off, her footsteps echoing through the halls.
When she entered the kennel structure, she was greeted by chaos. The air was thick with the stench of raw meat, and Ogrin was in the middle of flinging bloody chunks into cages while screeching at the hellhounds to shut up.
Upon spotting Selene, the demoness narrowed her eyes. “Areyouthe one riling them up so?”
“They must have picked up on my scent,” Selene replied. “Sorry about that.”
“What do you want?”
“I came to see if I could help out,” Selene said, glancing around at the pens. Zetta stood upright on her hind legs, her massive head thrown back in a howl.
“Help?” Ogrin repeated, as though the word offended her.
