The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underworld #6)(85)
Author: Gena Showalter

“For thousands of years, I also labored under the belief that I’d witnessed my son’s murder. So, thank you?” She gripped and rattled the bars with so much force the entire structure shook, dust falling from the ceiling. “No again. That won’t be what you receive from me.”

“Kill me, then.” Her aunt’s chin lifted another inch. “Do it.”

Scarlet allowed every dastardly deed she’d ever committed to shine in her expression. “I already told you. That’s not how I’m going to handle you.” So she wouldn’t be killing her aunt today, she realized, even though the desire was there and she was tempted. Not for Gideon, but because the woman didn’t deserve to drift off into nothingness, no pain, no suffering.

Really?

Fine, she thought, scowling. She wasn’t going to act now because Gideon hadn’t yet given the order for the woman’s death. Scarlet wanted to be as loyal to him as his friend was. Perhaps then she would be worthy enough to be his woman.

Did she want to have to prove herself worthy of him, though?

Yes. Yes, she did. More than anything else in the world, even vengeance against her aunt. She loved him. She loved him so much she ached. He wasn’t her husband, but still she loved him as if he were. Maybe it was because of the memories she’d created, maybe not. Either way, he owned her heart. Had always owned her heart. If there was a chance they could be together, even a small chance…

“Your man came to me, you know,” Mnemosyne said with relish, drawing Scarlet from her sanguine thoughts. “He wanted to know why I hate you so much, but I refused to tell him.” Smugness joined the relish.

Scarlet shrugged. “I honestly don’t care why you did what you did to me, only that you did it at all.”

Mnemosyne blinked, composure slipping before she shook her head and schooled her features. “You care. I know you do.”

“Once, I might have. But you know what? You aren’t important. Besides, what you did drew me to Gideon, as you said.” With that, Scarlet turned, ready to go back up and be with her man. To comfort him. To give him everything he needed.

“Where are you going? Get back here, Scarlet.”

One step, two, she climbed.

“Scarlet! You can’t leave. Your mother couldn’t kill you while we were prisoners, you know that. To even try meant she would begin to age. But to succeed meant she would become aged for all eternity, no hope for the return of her once-great beauty. Therefore, she tasked me with your torment, and I accepted because…because…”

Scarlet paused. Her aunt’s cell was blocked from view by the wall, but her voice, oh, her voice…shrill, but truthful. “Go on.”

“If you wish to know, you’ll come back here and face me.”

A moment passed. Another. Could be a waste of time, but… Curiosity got the better of her, and she backtracked until she once again stood in front of the cell.

Mnemosyne nodded, troubled expression smoothing out. “One day a seer was thrown into the cell with us. That seer took one look at you and laughed, claiming you would kill your mother and assume the heavenly throne. I removed the memory from everyone except Rhea and Cronus. They deserved to know the truth about you.”

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

“They are linked in a way you cannot possibly understand, though I will tell you that when one dies, the other will automatically follow. The fact that you would kill Rhea meant that you would also kill Cronus.”

All the moisture left her mouth.

“The seer,” her aunt continued, “we killed. You, we kept busy with romance and tragedy, hoping you would end your life yourself. You never even tried, though, did you?”

But how many times had she been tempted to do so? Countless.

“So now do you comprehend the real reason Cronus gave me to Gideon?”

“No.”

Mnemosyne was the one to grin now. “It was so that I could prove my loyalty to the crown…and eliminate you once and for all.”

Before Scarlet had time to move, Mnemosyne had withdrawn and thrown three small silver stars. Sharp, they cut through Scarlet’s throat, each of them slicing veins and arteries, even her voice box. Of their own accord, the shadows and the screams shot from her head, enveloping her, crying for her.

And then, like Gideon, she knew nothing more.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“GIDEON. GIDEON!”

Torin’s frantic voice tugged Gideon from his slumber and straight into a river of pain. Burning, clawing, bones breaking apart and shooting jagged shards through his bloodstream, cutting everything they encountered, pain.“Gideon, man. Can you hear me? You have to wake up.”

Why was he—oh, yeah. He’d told Scarlet the truth. Worth it, he thought next, almost grinning. Scarlet was here, his beautiful Scarlet, and she now knew he loved her. Finally.

She knew he hadn’t slept with her mother. She’d called herself Scarlet. Not Scarlet Pattinson. Not Scarlet Reynolds. Just Scarlet. His Scarlet.

She had to want him, too.

When his strength returned, he was going to romance the hell out of her, as planned. He was going to prove they were meant to be together.

Even Lies purred with the rightness of that plan.

Don’t want to find her.

“Gideon!”

Though his mind and body yearned to sink back into unconsciousness, Gideon forced his eyelids to open. Moonlight was waning, sunlight fighting for its place in the sky. His woman would be falling asleep soon. He could hold her. He could simply breathe her in.

“Scarlet was injured. Kane’s carrying her to your room now. Should be there in less than a minute. He’s tripped a few times and twisted his ankle. That bitch goddess did something to his mind and he let her out of her cell. She’s working her way out of the fortress, and there’s no one here to stop her.”

Gideon’s thoughts locked on the first sentence, every protective instinct he possessed falling into a tailspin. Scarlet was injured. Fuck no. He bolted upright, panting, sweating, gaze savagely scanning. How bad were the wounds? Where was she?

His door flew open and Kane hobbled inside, a motionless Scarlet cradled in his arms. Blood soaked her neck, shoulders and T-shirt and matted her hair. Gideon moaned. No. No!

He scrambled from the bed, knees collapsing on impact. As he hit the ground, Kane gently laid Scarlet atop the mattress. Not a sound did she make. Gideon fought his way into a crouch, vision swimming as he peered down at his woman to survey the damage.