A hint of fear traveled through the line as his words settled over them both.

“But I can’t put you both out of commission; otherwise, it won’t be nearly as fun.” His gaze flickered to Sethios, and malicious energy poured from him. “I’ll compel you to forget her and only allow you to remember when I require amusement. Meanwhile, she will be dropped into the deepest depths of the ocean, where she will remain powerless and die over and over again. For eternity.”

Power rolled through Sethios as he tried futilely to break the spell his father had woven over his gifts, while the monster before them merely smiled.

Caro grabbed Sethios’s hand, squeezing hard. A vision of their vows to one another flashed inside his thoughts, a reminder of what they promised.

Sometimes love requires the ultimate sacrifice, she was telling him. We will find each other again. Eternity.

Her acceptance of their fate both enraged and enthralled him. While he would do anything he could to protect their child—a being Osiris was clearly unaware of—to give up his memories of his time with Caro and allow her to be buried beneath the waves…

Fuck.

He refused.

But he was helpless to stop it. His talents, as strong as they were, barely rose inside of him. Because Osiris had snuffed out his inner flame.

“I really expected more of a fight,” his father murmured. “Pity to see you’ve yet to tap into your full potential after all these centuries.”

“Why do I think you have something to do with that?”

“Because you’re my son,” Osiris replied, his lips curled. “And you know me better than most. Now. Shall we get on with it?”

Sethios opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, but in the blink of an eye, he couldn’t remember what the retort he had lined up was or why he even had one to say.

Odd.

He glanced around, confused by their surroundings.

Montana.

Right. He owned property here. An escape when he wanted to hide. Must have been one hell of a night.

A warm palm against his hand had him looking down and then up at the most beautiful creature he’d ever laid eyes on.

Ah, he’d spent the night entertaining this beauty. Pity he couldn’t remember their time together. It must have been painful, if the glint of hurt in her gaze was anything to go by.

Hmm. Why did that suddenly elicit a deep sadness inside his chest?

She stared at him with such torment that he actually felt it. How bizarre. He wiped the tear away from her cheek and smiled. “It’s all right, gorgeous. I promise to be nicer next time.”

Her lashes fell as her shoulders hunched with inscrutable suffering. What had he done to her last night? She appeared unscathed enough. Perhaps the marks were hidden by her clothes. He did enjoy hiding his love bites between a woman’s thighs.

Another pang sliced him wide open, confusing all his senses.