me?”
She shrugged. “You will continue to seek your greatest desire, but you may find that it changes.”
“Changes?” The idea was surreal. I’d worked toward this for millennia. I’d been created for this. “It can’t change.”
She shrugged. “We shall see.” She flicked her fingertips in a dismissive gesture. “Your time is up.”
Stunned, I staggered to my feet. She disappeared in a swirl of golden magic, and the tree limbs retreated, letting the cold wind roar across my face again, whipping my cloak to the side.
Change?
She said I’d already changed, and she suspected I would change even more? To the point that my goal was no longer my goal?
It was absurd. Impossible to believe.
I spun to face Horse, staggering slightly from blood loss. This hadn’t gone the way I’d expected. None of it had.
Suddenly, with Seraphia back, everything was different. Up was down and down was up, and I was meant to change?
It was absurd.
Even more absurd was the fact that I was supposed to make her care for me. If I wanted her help spreading the underworld to Earth, that was my next step?
I swung myself onto Horse’s back, fighting to stay conscious. My blood would regenerate quickly, but the next thirty minutes would be difficult.
That had to be why I was finding anything credible in Lachesis’s statement. It was absurd.
“To home, Horse.”
The stallion headed back the way we’d come, moving swiftly down the mountain as I held on. The journey passed in a blur, my head spinning from what Lachesis had told me.
When we passed through the main gates to the city, Cerberus looked at me hopefully. I clenched my jaw, riding past him.
Then I stopped.
Just because I touched the dog did not mean that I was changing. He was simply a citizen of my domain, and I was rewarding him for his good behavior, as all proper rulers would do.
I turned back and patted Cerberus on the head, my motions stiff even to my own eyes. “Don’t think this means anything.”
He made a contented noise, and I moved on, riding past him. As Horse headed back toward the city, my mind raced.
I was not different.
Irritation pricked at me.
By the time we reached the city gate, my strength had returned. Horse galloped up the hill, reaching the gate as it opened for us. As soon as we entered, I felt it.
Seraphia.
Returned.
She must have left, as I’d given her permission to do. I’d been gone long enough that she’d have been able to get to and from Guild City.
Conflicting feelings of relief and suspicion flickered within me. Relief that she was back, suspicion as to why she’d gone.
What had she gone for?
I turned Horse toward the library, seeking Seraphia. I could sense her rough location when she was in my realm, and she was still around the large building.
Not at the front, however.
I directed Horse to the back and dismounted.
The wolves were the first sign that she was in the vicinity. They sat at the entrance to the empty garden behind the library, watching the interior.
“Move.” My voice was quiet, but the wolves heard.
They parted to allow me to enter the walled-in space. It was empty save for Seraphia and Lucifer. The devil leaned against the wall, arms crossed and expression bored.
I caught his gaze and jerked my head to the exit. He nodded and left, silent as a shadow.
Seraphia had her back to me, and she knelt in the dirt, staring at something. As I watched, a plant grew in front of her, large and green.
There were more of them, I realized, tucked away. I’d had eyes only for her, so I’d missed them. But this wasn’t the first one she’d planted.
She was filling my realm with life.
Something sparked inside me, something like pleasure.
As soon as I felt it, I frowned.
No.
I shouldn't enjoy things like that. I shouldn’t enjoy anything. It distracted me from my purpose.
Anger flickered through me. Memories of Lachesis telling me I would change. That Seraphia would be the one responsible.
No. I wouldn’t stand for it.
I raised a hand, directing my magic toward one of the plants she’d put in the ground. It was twenty feet away, but my magic connected with it.
Die.
My magic wafted toward it, dark mist crawling quickly across the ground. It surrounded the plant and withered it in seconds.
Seraphia gasped and stood up, whirling around to face me. “What are you doing?”
“I didn’t give you permission to alter hell.”
“You’ve kidnapped me and want me to live here. I’m going to do whatever I