“You should be terrified.” His gaze practically pinned me in place. “Vengeance is a potent emotion. It makes you easy prey to both humans and demons alike. Never let someone know what your true motivations are. If they know what you want more than anything, they’ll craft all sorts of sweet lies and half-truths to manipulate you. They’ll know exactly how far they can push, what to offer, and what you would never refuse, giving them the upper hand. Your first goal should be to remain alive. Figure out everything else as you go.”

“You know my true goals.”

“Yes. I do. And it was an extremely foolish mistake on your part to tell me. Make no bones about it. All it takes is a bit of prodding, a tiny push to annoy you and you immediately fall into the trap of lashing out in fury. And in that burning rage you told me everything I need to know about what you want.” He shook his head. “What will you promise me, Emilia, in exchange for your deepest desire? What wouldn’t you do to achieve justice for the sister you love? Now I know there’s no price too high to demand. I can ask anything, and you’d give it.”

We were standing very close now, each of us breathing very hard. I hated that he was right. He didn’t even manipulate my emotions like Envy had; he didn’t have to. He’d simply goaded me into telling him my deepest desires out of anger. And he only had to push a little bit to get me to snap. Furious with myself for being outmaneuvered by a demon, I did the best thing I knew how—I lied like the devil.

I stuck my finger in Wrath’s chest and poked him hard. “If you think that’s everything that motivates me, you’re sadly mistaken, demon. And why do you care anyway?”

He slowly wrapped his fingers around mine, halting my assault on him. He didn’t let go and I wondered if he realized I’d stopped poking him the second his blazing skin touched mine. Now he was just holding my hand against his chest, his heart hammering beneath my touch.

And I was allowing it.

I regained my senses and stepped away.

“That’s the fourth time you’ve lied to me, witch.”

It really stoked his anger, too. I smiled demurely. “Maybe you should tell me more about the curse. I’d like to know more about that part.”

“Fine. You want to know the bloody details? The curse—”

“Signore, is . . . should I return in a little while?” A man somewhere between thirty and forty stood a few feet away, wringing a letter in his hands. “Your brother said—”