The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underworld #6)(50)
Author: Gena Showalter

First, the bitch was going to pay for that. Second, Scarlet was regaining her memory with surprising speed. Gods, he wished it were that easy for him. Just think about something and boom, it was all there. Every last detail. So badly he wanted to relive his every moment with Scarlet and Steel. “Worry, Scar.” Don’t worry. “You won’t get to talk to her.”

“Thank you.” Such intense longing radiated from her, his chest started hurting. “There’s a lot I want to ask her about. The pushing and the kicking. You. What if…what if she’s the one who hurt you?”

What if. Yeah, he had questions of his own. And damn it. While he could wait for answers, he didn’t want Scarlet to have to. There had to be another way inside that room.

He looked down the passage, where they had yet to go. Several more doorways loomed. “Stay here,” he said, an idea hitting him. Come on. He pulled her with him. The next room was occupied by several servants, but the chamber after that was empty. Perfect. They could exit the secret passage with no one the wiser, backtrack to her aunt’s room and enter through the front door. That way, if a quick escape became necessary, running back into the passage would still be an option.

Gideon twisted the knob, relieved when the door opened soundlessly.

Inside the new quarters, he closed the door and watched as the paneling blended into the mirrored wall. Then he faced Scarlet and placed a finger at his lips. Quiet. This room might be empty, but he hadn’t forgotten that the one next to it was not.

She nodded in understanding.

Avoiding the immaculate feathered bed was tough—he could just imagine Scarlet on top of him, grinding on his always-hard cock—but he managed to place one foot in front of other. Eye on the prize and all that shit. As planned, they backtracked. In the hall, several sprites bustled past with their cleaning supplies. Gideon acted as if he belonged there and they ignored him. With all the immortals that passed through this palace, they were probably used to strangers.

Mnemosyne’s door was closed. And damn, he was growing tired of trying to pronounce that name, even in his mind. He’d never be able to say it out loud, anyway, thanks to his truth-curse. NeeMah would have to do instead. Besides, Scarlet thought she remembered this woman pushing her down, so that made the bitch an enemy, as far as Gideon was concerned.

“Let me do all the talking,” he said.

“Thank gods. I wasn’t going to say anything to you, but since you mentioned it…she wouldn’t understand you, so you’d be doing everyone a favor, letting me take over.”

He pressed a hard kiss on her lips, a silent thank-you. Then, with his free hand, he palmed a dagger and burst inside.

The goddess gasped as she spun to face him, a hand fluttering over her heart. “What—”

“Hello, Auntie,” Scarlet said at his side. “Did you miss me?” He was proud of her. There was iron-hard determination in her tone.

Blue eyes widened. “S-Scarlet?”

“The one and only.”

“How did you get up here?” She couldn’t mask her outrage. Or her fear. “Your mother—”

“Doesn’t matter,” Scarlet said. “We have questions, and you have answers. Answers you will give us.”

Good girl.

NeeMah gulped. Laughed shakily. “Yes, of course. And of course I missed you. I love you so much. You know that. I would do anything for you, just as I did when you were a child. Do you remember?”

A moment passed. Scarlet’s head tilted to the side, and she rubbed her lips together as if she were pondering something important. Her warrior-stance relaxed. “I— Yes. Yes, I do. You were so kind to me.”

Gideon squeezed her hand. Don’t lose focus now, sweetness. She was looking at the goddess; her mind shouldn’t be fuzzing. Should be clearing. Right? That’s how it had worked in the hallway.

“I’m so glad you remember.” NeeMah’s arms opened, the very picture of love. “Now come over here and give your favorite aunt a hug.”

Scarlet tugged from his hold and rushed forward. “I’m so sorry we scared you. We’re not going to hurt you, I swear.”

Gideon tried to grab her, but she danced out of reach, threw herself at her aunt, and he was forced to watch as smug satisfaction filled the goddess’s eyes. Definitely a bitch, he thought. Besides that, his demon was suddenly going batshit crazy. In a good way. The demon liked her.

Pathological liars always had that effect.

“I’m just so happy to see you,” Scarlet continued, oblivious. Looking at NeeMah must not matter when you were in the same room with her. Or when she purposely wove a deception.

“And I’m so…happy you’re alive.”

Lie. Both he and his demon recognized it.

The bitch would pay for playing with his woman. He’d thought it before, but now, now it was a need.

“Now. Tell me about the man you brought me.” The goddess’s gaze landed on Gideon, intent, studying this time. Recognition—followed by shock—claimed her features. “You. Wh-what are you doing here? With Scarlet? What questions do you have for me?”

He ran his tongue over his teeth. Such a telling reaction. She knew him, and she had expected him to stay away from Scarlet. “Scar, devil,” he said, waving her back to his side. “Don’t ask her if she screwed with my memory.”

Suddenly panic overrode every other emotion on the goddess’s face. She straightened, stiffened. “Scarlet, my sweet. Your friend is being very rude. And sadly, he’s acted this way before, hasn’t he?” She caressed Scarlet’s temples, rubbing her thumbs in circles. “Even though you try so very hard to instruct him with his manners.”

“Gideon,” Scarlet admonished, releasing her aunt and turning to him. Her eyes were glazed but narrowed. “How dare you treat my favorite aunt that way? You know better. I’ve told you and I’ve told you to treat my family with respect.” Uh. Excuse me?

NeeMah remained behind her, taller than Scarlet and towering over her shoulder, but using her as a shield nonetheless.

“Don’t ask her!” he shouted.

Scarlet blinked, the glaze fading from her eyes. “Ask her…”

A now-trembling NeeMah laid a hand on Scarlet’s shoulder. “Scarlet. You know I love you. You know I would never hurt you. And now you know, much to my regret, that Gideon used you to get to me. He and I were lovers, and he’s always wanted me back. Isn’t that right? We’ve talked about this.” Liar!