Hmm, a black soul like his didn’t deserve a second chance.
I ignited the charm around my neck to transport us both to the Underworld, right next to the River Styx.
“A fitting end,” I mused. “Your soul even matches the color, just as your hateful essence suits the purpose of this place.”
I tossed his body into the inky water. Beasts surfaced, their talons digging into the fresh meat and dragging the male deep under the dark ripples to feast upon the human’s flesh.
I glanced up at the three moons overhead, admiring their luminescent appeal.
The sun never rose here. I liked that about Noxia. Sunshine denoted happiness, an emotion I didn’t quite understand anymore.
Did I feel pleased at Paul’s death? Not really.
Did I feel fulfilled? No.
I didn’t even feel all that accomplished. Just… alone. Perpetually alone.
Even Grigory would leave me soon. Which was fine. He didn’t owe me anything and had done more than enough to save me. I honestly should have left Noxia months ago, but I didn’t know where to go. And a tiny part of me just wasn’t ready to leave him behind yet.
The slight dependence on my savior rankled a bit. It was a side effect of having his blood inside me. Just like the dreams.
At least, that was what I kept telling myself.
I studied the moons for longer than I should have, eventually glancing down to the calm black water of the River Styx once more.
Inky.
Dark.
Reminding me of the souls who’d tainted mine.
Vengeance clawed at my instincts, urging me to recall my renewed purpose. Grigory might not think I was ready, but I had to do something. I couldn’t just stay here and watch him marry—
“No,” I told myself, cutting off that thought. “He’s not yours.” And he never would be.
I couldn’t hold that against him. Even though I wanted to.
Just focus on the future, I thought. One day at a time.
I glanced down at my ruined outfit, noting the bl
ood soaking into my clothes. Apparently, I also needed some work with the neck-slicing bit.
I’d perfect it before I found Braun.
Using my necklace, I teleported back to the palace.
And found Grigory waiting for me in his favorite chair in the main hall, his long legs crossed at the ankles and a glass of blood mixed with wine in his sturdy hand. His black eyes watched me as I approached, his full lips remaining in a stern line of disapproval.
It wasn’t that he disagreed with my quest for revenge; he just didn’t feel I was ready.
But I wasn’t weak.
What happened to me changed me for the better, erasing the timid maid of my past and turning me into a demon fueled by the need for revenge.
“Enjoy your evening, little warrior?” he asked, his tone heavy with annoyance despite his version of an endearment tacked onto the end.
“Yes,” I muttered, accepting the drink he held out for me. I gulped it down in one long mouthful to quench my budding thirst. “You?” I returned, glancing at his disheveled hair. Grigory had a penchant for entertaining females through the long hours of the night, so I suspected he’d just risen recently after an evening of fucking.