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"Viva," Bain said again. He sounded pained. The look on his face was almost more than I could bear.
"I'm sorry," I said softly. "This is something I have to do."
"No, you don't," he said.
"It's time for you to join your friends," Seth said to Bain. He waved to the guards. "Put him with the others and keep an eye on them. I'll deal with them soon."
With every centimetre of his body, he wanted to fight back. I saw that as clearly as I saw my hand in front of my face.
He didn't though. He looked down toward the floor and let himself be led to the door. He looked like a beaten animal.
A piece of my heart hardened. It had to.
I'd made my choice.
20
Bain
I keptmy eyes down while they led me away from Viva, but I saw nothing, just a vague awareness of where we were going. My thoughts warred in my mind, twisted like my inner wolf battling the enemy. Only, there was no enemy, only Viva.
I knew there was no love lost between her and the witches, but I hadn't realised the depth of her hatred. She wasn't a bloodthirsty killer, Iknewthat, but the way her voice changed when she spoke of revenge…
I’ve heard talk like that before. Guards who loved the job because they had passion for weapons and violence. Men whose eyes and dark souls lit on fire at the idea of hunting a sand dragon. Those who would risk death without hesitation if it meant feeling alive for a few minutes.
She sounded as though she'd happily tear off heads, rip out hearts, and let the blood drip from her fingers.
I sighed heavily.
Okay, maybe I imagined she felt that way, but she sounded so fuckingcold.
"Down this way," one of my escorts growled. No one of mine, thank Hades. He looked like he knew how to use the knife in his hand.
"I know the way to the cells," I replied coolly. I could take him and his companion without breaking a sweat.
I had to wait.
My job was to protect the Keeper. If there was any chance he was still alive, I had to stay that way too. I was no use to him dead.
I had to shut off my feelings for Viva, or anyone else, even Dex. I prided myself on my ability to keep my emotions in check; buried deep, deeper than a sand dragon under the dunes.
I needed to focus on the job at hand: survive, deal with the coup. Whatever it took.
"Then you know you can't escape," the guard said. He sounded impressed with himself. Presumably, he thought he got the better of me.
Yeah, for now, asshole. Gloat while you can.I took a good look at him, committing his face to memory. If I had to kill him later, I wanted to be sure I had therightasshole.
"Yeah, they're well made." I tried to sound congenial.
He frowned, like he wasn't sure if my words had a double meaning. He could look all he liked, my expression wouldn’t give him anything. If that put him off balance, then all the better.
If anyone knew a way out of the cells, it was me. And this asshole would be the one blamed for my escape. I suspected Seth wasn't forgiving toward people who let him down. I knew Gwendolyn wasn't. She seemed ready to rip Viva in two if Seth turned his back long enough. What would she do if Seth showed a preference for Viva?
"Stop here," the asshole ordered. He drew out a key and unlocked a door before waving me inside.
I considered trying to overpower him, but I didn't know the other guards arrayed around the cell door. At least one would be hemitheos. Demigods or not, they had an unfair advantage. Unless I stank. I hadn't showered in a while; maybe I would block their access to power with my odour.
I bent my neck and sniffed. No, I wasn't that bad.
