Page 148 of The Never List
I swallow the emotion clogging my throat as I look at him, then the rest of them. They all look at me with such sincerity, such support.
They’d do it.
They really would deny the Athanry and have their powers remain locked up for the rest of forever to spare me.
“I can do this,” I say, knowing they deserve to be at full strength.
The door to the carriage opens—
And Baydel is standing there, one hand on the door, a smug smile stretched over his lips. The other kings are behind him, waiting patiently, and behind them rests the grand Temple of Evaluna.
“Well, there you are,” Baydel says, reaching for me with his free hand. “I have the honor of escorting you up the temple steps,” he continues. “Seeing as how it’s my son’s choice and my mate’s temple at which we’re conducting this Athanry.”
I spare a glance at the Legends, silently telling Jax to relax. He looks as if he might slice Baydel’s hand clean off, and that would certainly delay things.
I take Baydel’s hand, my already shot nerves tangling up even more as he leads me away from the Legends and toward the bottom of the temple steps.
There are hundreds of them we have to climb, the sparkling obsidian temple massive enough to hold the resting statue of the goddess Evaluna.
Baydel falls silent as we ascend the stairs, and it takes all of my willpower to not look behind me to ensure my Legends aren’t far behind.
My skin tightens, every single instinct in my body roaringthat something is terribly, terribly wrong, to the point I can’t take another second of silence, of the unknown.
“No wise counsel for me today?” I ask, doing my best to keep the fear out of my voice. I’m stripped thin—not sleeping combined with all the fear—it’s left me feeling raw and exposed and so fuckingtired.
Baydel’s smile is eerie in a way that makes my stomach turn. He knows something, but fuck if I’ll be the one to figure out what it is or give him any information of my own.
“Whatever do you mean?” he asks, all charm and elegance.
I want to puke on his shiny gold shoes. We’re now ten steps away from my fate, whether that be survival or death, and I’m sodone.
“Every time we’ve met, you’ve given me barely veiled threats or openly voiced your dislike of me. And now, the last time we may ever meet, you’re silent?”
A giddy little giggle escapes him, a sound that doesn’t match the evil in his eyes. “I have no need for threats now, little bug,” he says, dismissing me as we reach the last stair at the temple’s entrance.
Cold dread sinks in my gut.
“All is already determined.” He takes a step forward into the temple, his body blocking my view as he gives me a final look over his shoulder.
The breath catches in my throat, and anger slices through my veins.
He thinks I’m going to die.
No…he’s acting like heknowsI will.
I shiver, unable to stop the fear streaking through my body as he enters the temple, leaving me standing there,unable to even appreciate the intricate design—the way the moon hangs high in the sky, the stars bathing the massive obsidian statue of Evaluna in silver. She’s at least one hundred stories tall, her face severe. A balcony wraps around her near her chest, offering worshippers a closer view.
There’s a small fountain of sparkling black near her feet, and the rest of the temple is open space filled with the same crowd as the Choosing event, only this time, their eyes areonme instead of me trying to blend into the shadows.
Goddess, that feels like a lifetime ago.
I sense Jax beside me before he slips his hand in mine, the kiss of his power rippling against my skin. Then Axl’s and Kal’s and Pierce’s as they join me at the entrance of the temple.
Fear melts into courage as I look at them. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for these men.
They look as magnificent and godlike as ever as we head farther into the temple. The kings move ahead of us, climbing more stairs that lead up to the balcony near Evaluna’s chest. The rest of the people remain on the ground level to watch, drinking champagne and eating delicacies as if this was any other party hosted by the royals.
But it isn’t.
