Page 65 of Truth Revealed

Truth froze, his blood turning ice cold, before he slowly turned around.

Daria stood at the edge of the pavilion, her eyes wide and brimming with tears she refused to let fall. To either side and behind her were the others, including Pain, Persy, Sofia, and Wrath.

His heart stopped.

From an outsider’s perspective, this looked like exactly what he’d intended it to at one point. As if he had betrayed everyone he cared about. But as shock and denial raced across Daria’s features when she stepped forward, he completely disregarded his grand plan.

Already, it was falling apart, since Youth was convinced he’d been discovered. But it was the dawning horror in Daria’s gaze that made him take a step forward and hold his hand out. He’d put that pain in her eyes and he couldn’t take it.

“Daria, I know what you’re thinking. That isn’t what this is,” he insisted, almost begging.

The thorns that had sprouted and latched onto his internal organs retreated a bit, giving him a moment’s relief from the cramps and pain of his own lies.

“Then what the fuck is it?” she snapped. “They were at the warehouse. With Pandora.”

“They were in our house,” Betrayal growled.

“You’re right. They were there. It’s kind of a long story, but—”

“But you did exactly what you were supposed to,” a darkly satisfied voice purred from their left. Chills crawled over his skin as he glanced in that direction.

The tiny, pitiful groan of panic that choked off in Youth’s throat was exactly how Truth felt in that moment.

Pandora, with her merry band of demons behind her.

* * *

DARIA

Daria thought it was bad when she first saw Truth meeting with two demons she recognized from the warehouse fight.

But it was nothing compared to the way her heart cracked when he stepped in front of the young blond demon and the other female. Putting himself between them and Pandora.

Still, he didn’t face her, continuing to talk to Daria.

“Daria, no. I’m not—”

“Working for me?” Pandora interjected smoothly, taking a step closer. “You don’t have to lie anymore, Truth.”

“I’m not,” he snarled, tone darker and deeper than Daria had ever heard. “I’m not working for Pandora. I’m helping Youth,” he explained, his gaze sliding to the left to indicate the blond demon behind him.

Daria recognized him. He was the demon who’d stepped on her wrist and kept her from getting the blade in the warehouse. She didn’t recognize the female demon behind him at all.

“You’re right,” Pandora interrupted again. “You did help Youth. Very helpful, sharing the location of that game you all played—what was it called? Laser tag?”

Truth’s eyes slid closed, jaw clenching as he gnashed his teeth. Meanwhile, Daria’s heart sank so low she didn’t know if she’d be able to find it again.

Truth had told Pandora where the guys would be? It was incomprehensible—Truth responsible for the guys’ attack. Betrayal could have died.

He murmured something too low for them to hear, but Youth’s gaze darted to Daria and her demons before he nodded. The younger demon grabbed the girl’s hand and slowly, all three of them made their way to Daria’s side of the pavilion.

“Hey! Get over here,” Deceit called out, rage painted on his features.

The tension in the air burst with action as he darted across the space and tried to grab Youth’s hand. Truth saw him coming and shoved the younger demon at Daria, knocking away Deceit’s hand in the process.

“Don’t fucking touch him,” Truth gritted out, and balled up a fist to throw at the demon.

He blocked it with his forearm and then charged.