Childhood friends. Boys drawn together by chance. Boys whose positions and responsibilities pulled them apart before fate forced them back together again.

A king. A prince. A slave. And a revolutionary.

A broken crown.

A traitor.

A free man.

And Erevan. The future of Aphelion.

He watches us with a wary look before he stares at his hands as if unable to believe what he’s just done.

“You fucking asshole,” I half growl, half choke out.

That breaks the tension in the room and then we both start laughing.

Erevan falls to his knees, throwing his arms around me and Tyr as the sky booms with the promise of another storm. We all look up to witness streaks of silver lightning flashing overhead, and a scream echoes in the distance.

We did it. Whatever Lor and Nadir are up to, they’re on their own now, but at least we helped with this. I say a silent prayer that they survive, and I see them again.

Erevan looks at me, and we both smile.

Finally, we can move forward.

Only three of us are left, and I hope we survive this too.

I think we all deserve that.

That’s when the clouds roll in to the crash of thunder, and the sky opens up before the rain, once again, starts to fall.

CHAPTER 64

LOR

THE UNDERWORLD

With my hands gripped around the bars of my cage, I watch in horror as Herric paces back and forth, his cape streaming behind him while he riles up the crowd. He’s like some evil court jester, but instead of making everyone laugh, he’s tempting out the very worst parts of themselves.

“What do you think?” he shouts with an arm raised. “Should we start now? Or give them another moment to contemplate how absolutely fucked they are?”

A chorus of screaming mixes with frenzied chants of “nows” and “laters,” and my head feels like it’s been stuffed with cotton and lit on fire. My heart thrashes in my ribs, my breath coming in tight gasps. This shit can’t be happening again.

Lor. Calm down.

The voice enters my head, and I look at Nadir.

Don’t look at me.

What?

Lor. Look at Herric.

I shake my head, trying to form coherent thoughts while the Lord of the Underworld continues circling his arms as he stirs up the crowd. They’re loving every moment of this.

He doesn’t know we’re mates. This is our advantage, Lor.

I grip the bars tighter, my fingers aching, and drop my head against my hand, inhaling deep breaths, trying to clear my head.

Keep looking at him, he says as I sneak a peek over my shoulder. Nadir watches Herric before he turns his gaze to Rion, who’s regarding all of this with a strange sort of hollow detachment. Why has he done this to us? I wish I could walk over there and rip out his spine.