Page 62 of To Dwell in Shadows
“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Your ability to understand others is a strength. In some realms it’s a form of magick, used for gaining secrets, negotiation, and winning favor. You just have to make sure it doesn’t consume you.”
“That’s good advice. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He stood and stretched his arms overhead. “I don’t know about you, but all this noise and commotion has me ready to turn in.”
“Yes, that sounds good to me, too. Have a nice night, Borias.”
Borias bid her goodnight, and Selene watched him walk out of the stadium and back toward the palace.
Eventually, she left the stadium as well, thinking about how Borias was the second demon to hold up a mirror to her face and force her to confront the truths she’d been avoiding.
If only it were that easy.
Chapter 31
Since winning the Infernal Combat Trial, Sam had tried to keep a discreet presence in the palace to observe the other contenders, but his parents made that difficult. Earlier in the week, his father had him sit in for him during open court, the time when his parents heard petitions, settled disputes, and addressed grievances from their subjects. It was mind-numbingly tedious, yet Sam forced himself to nod along to each plea and attempt at flattery. If his parents thought the experience would make him more amenable to becoming the Dark Sovereign, it had the opposite effect. He hoped the next trial would provide a better opportunity to see a potential candidate shine.
Sam was sweeping the floor of one of the older judgment rooms, when he heard the click of the door latch shut. Quickly, he spun around to see who it was. Vanthee stood, leaning against the closed door, gazing at him with heavy-lidded eyes. She’d applied red gloss to her lips and wore a skin-tight gown made of transparent lace.
“May I help you?” Sam asked.
“Hello,” she whispered.
The sultriness of her gaze made him tighten his grip on thebroom handle. Every encounter with Vanthee felt like a chore, and he wasn’t in the mood for her games. The scent of her generously applied cherry-and-clove perfume filled the room, making him rub his nose.
“Have you come to assist me?” he asked. A recent surge in condemned souls had forced him to use a rarely visited chamber that was badly in need of cleaning. “You can start by scrubbing the floor with that sponge and bucket over there.”
“I didn’t come to clean,” she purred.
“Suit yourself.”
Vanthee watched him sweep for a moment, then crossed the room and slipped behind him. Her arms slid around his biceps, and she rested her head against his back. “I came because I want to be with you.”
Sam pulled away at once.
“I’ve tried to catch you alone for so long,” she murmured, then tried to embrace him again.
“Don’t touch me,” he snapped.
“No one needs to know. I won’t say a word.”
“Nothing is going to happen between us. Go find a Lust demon to meet your needs.”
“I saved you in the trial. Doesn’t that prove my worth to you? Don’t I deserve a reward?”
“You have my gratitude,” Sam said flatly. “There’s your reward.”
Vanthee’s dreamy expression shifted to something darker. “Stop pretending to be so noble. You’re not in Aurelia anymore. There’s no need to cling to their foolish ideas of fidelity.”
She trailed her fingers down his chest, but Sam blocked her with the broom handle.
“Haven’t you ever wondered,” she whispered, “what it’s like to be with a demoness?”
“No. You need to leave.”
She inched closer, until her breasts brushed his Sam’s knuckles where he gripped the broom. “I used to dream about you. Theshining lost Prince of Vengeance. So handsome and brave. I always knew our destinies were intertwined.”
Sam’s unease grew. He was used to confrontations where force, or the threat of it, spoke louder than words. But this was different. A female who ignored his wishes and pushed past his warnings presented a different kind of challenge. Since violence wasn’t an option, he tried a different tactic.
