Page 57 of Find My Way Down to You

That small noise alerts Milos to my presence. His face brightens. Leaping from the throne, he claps his hands.

“You came back!”

His sudden mood change is jarring. Like he hadn’t just looked apathetic while condemning a woman to—eternal horror? As if she wasn’tright there. Where he stands now. Her begging still eddies in my head.

Milos eyes me, waiting.

I force myself to grin. “I did!”

A wily smile pulls at his mouth. “Could not stay away from me, could you?”

A fake laugh bubbles up my throat. I know what I need to do to keep him on my side. To win everyone over. “Well,” I say sweetly, “I’ve never met a prince before.”

Milos bows gracefully. “I am honored to be your first.” He takes my hand, pressing a light kiss to my knuckles. “And how did you find your way back to me this time?”

I pause, swallowing. Instinct calls on me to look at Cary. Say his name. But I didn’t know if, technically, he’s allowed to bring a mortal here. Will he get in trouble?

Not that I’m worried about Cary being punished. It’s just that—I need him.

“I brought him.”

Milos’s eyes cut away from me. “Did you?”

I follow his gaze to Cary. He’s still as a statue. All but his jaw as he chews out, “Did you not want to see him again?”

With a sniff, Milos says, “Yes. But shame on you for abandoning your obligations to do so.”

“I have not abandoned anything,” Cary retorts coolly. “What about you, brother?”

Silence sits heavy between them. Gold flickers across both their eyes. I chew my lip, anxious, wondering how long it’ll last.

Milos breaks first.

He smiles at me. “Never mindhowyou got here.” His tone is carefree again. “The important part is you are here now.”

“Mmhmm,” I say, tempted to sneak a glance at Cary.

Milos squeezes my fingers. Soft, intent. “Come.”

He guides me across the room. Aminta is close on our heels. When I finally look at him, Cary is farther back. Eyes averted, face stiff. But he’s following us.

It’s oddly comforting.

When we reach the other side of the room, Milos says, “Is Aides not beautiful?”

We’re standing in front of a towering window framed in gold. Light warms my face as I look out. Milos is right. It’s breathtaking. A world I couldn’t begin to imagine existing days ago.

Below, flowers bracket the dusty trail Cary took me on. Where the blue river sings. Past that, rolling green hills. Groves of cypress trees. Then something darker I can’t fully make out, onyx and mountain shaped.

My eyes fall back to the garden. To its left, I see pieces of that structure I noticed before. Overgrowth covers it. Tangly vines, a scattering of vibrant flowers.

Milos squeezes my hand. I almost jump, surprised.

“What do you think?”

“Incredible,” I manage after another swallow.

Because it is. Even just this partial view of the underworld.