Page 96 of Devoted

And I doubted there was any turning back.

I didn’t fully understand what that meant—twelve-year-old me hadn’t exactly read the fine print before signing on the dotted line—but I’d done enough research in libraries all over the world to know I’d be bound by my supernatural oath.

An oath that would require a fuck ton of responsibility.

Would I ferry souls through the veil?

Or would I have to reap them?

Neither prospect thrilled me, and I already had a job. I’d much prefer to spend my days as a Draconi soldier than some spectral version of… Death.

“Can’t sleep?” Emberline padded out of the dark behind me—alone because she never listened—and out onto the terrace, moonlight picking out the silver edge of her pupils, beautifully bright, like twin crescent moons. “Yeah, me, neither.”

She braced her elbows on the balustrade, peered down. “Where are they, do you think?”

“A dark hole, somewhere out there. At least the villa is secure.”

“Or a prison, to hear my brother talk. Valeria stopped all deliveries. Fresh food will run out in a week, staples after that. I expect that’s Blackwood’s plan if he’s behind this. Starve us out and force us into the open.”

That was the leading theory at the moment. That my scheming father—somehow—knew we were here and had planted two Drax on the island as a way to flush us out. Force us to reveal ourselves.

Again… that explanation felt wrong.

“My father doesn’t know where we are.” This I knew for a fact. “He doesn’t know because if he did, he’d already be here, dragging me back to Rome. I don’t know where the Drax came from, princess, but they didn’t come from my father. Well, not from his guards.”

“Then from where?”

“I’m working on that.” I grit out when the hair on my nape lifted. A small, dark shadow flew across the uneven ground beneath us, and we both leaned over the edge…

“Only a rabbit.” Emberline’s heart was thumping loudly enough for me to hear every frantic beat. “Gods, for a moment, I thought it was something else.”

So had I.

“I’m going back to the fortress in the morning.” The words dragged out of my mouth, horror churning in my gut as I embraced what I was committing to. “I want… no, I have to try again.”

Emberline remained quiet for a long, long time, until finally, “Why would you take such a risk, Nico?”

“My other form can see the Drax. I have a hunch he can destroy them, and until we do, this island isn’t safe for you or anyone else, and I won’t be able to sleep a fucking wink. I have to do this.”

“Not to be a downer, but things didn’t go so great last time. You were nearly burned up, Dante was practically carved in half by those shadows of yours, and it will take an army of abjurists weeks to repair the fortress walls.”

“Wow.” I ignored the way my palms had turned sweaty. “That was inspiring. Next time I need a pep talk, I definitely know who to come to.”

“I’m a pragmatist, Nico. You explained all the reasons that was a mistake, and none of us listened. We were wrong, and, as a result, you could have been killed. So could Dante if things had gone differently. I’d rather spend my days hunting spiders than lose either of you, so I say no, I don’t think you should try again.”

“Severin told me to embrace what I was. That Dante struggled with these same fears and ended up being able to control his demon. This is me, trying to face my fears because if I don’t...” I swallowed, throat tight. “If I don’t do this, my father will come for you. With the Drax, none of you can stand against him, not even your husband. It has to be me, princess. There’s no one else.”

“And if this doesn’t work?”

I’d thought about this. A lot.

“Then I’ll do what I did before.” I managed a wicked smile that didn’t fool Emberline one bit.

“When I reach the Underworld, I’ll make a new bargain with Death.” I spread my arms wide and winked.

“I mean, come on. Who wouldn’t want me as their Emissary?”

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