us, Seth," Killian mutters, and lowers his crossed arms as he takes another step closer. I should have gotten those daggers out my bag, then I'd at least stand a chance of stabbing one of them and making a break for it. I’ve messed up big time, and we all know it.
"That's fucking creepy. Is that how you find all your women? ’Cause it's not working on me, goldipops," I say, hoping my tone of voice doesn’t give away my fear. Seth stays deadly quiet while Killian throws his head back and laughs. Man, is that a laugh that could drop panties.
"Goldipops, I like that. Though, usually women just run to us, not away, angel," Killian replies, coming up with his own nickname. But he really has the wrong idea if he thinks I'm an angel. "Now hand me your bag and that charming necklace of yours, and then we can get going."
"That really isn't happening," I tell him, crossing my arms and desperately looking around for some way to escape this alleyway. I reach for my necklace, but in the blink of an eye, Killian is in front of me, and I feel Seth at my back as Killian grabs both my wrists. Usually I like a little bondage, but this isn’t the fun kind. Gold, shiny bracelets lock around my wrists as Killian sadly smiles at me. Why does it feel like he doesn’t want this to be over so easily?
"I don't want to do this, but you have been found guilty of conspiring and murdering a higher god. There is only one punishment for such a crime," Seth coldly informs me. I get the murdering part. Kinda. But the conspiracy part? I mean, I didn’t actually set out to kill him at all, so can it really be called premeditated if it was an accident? I didn’t mean any of this. I quite liked my life as it was; there was no way I would have done this on purpose. If I could rewind to the beginning of the night with Mads, I would do it in a heartbeat.
"Wait, conspiring?” I demand, struggling against the golden cuffs. “Are you feckin’ kidding me? It was an accident, you big eegits! I didn't conspire anything!" My shouts fall on deaf ears, and I continue trying to wriggle free of Killian's tight grip as Seth comes to our side. Without responding to me, he gently pulls my necklace off before giving it to Killian for safe keeping. It’s frustrating to see how easily they were able to disarm me, and it stings even more to know that they’ve taken away something with sentimental value. I'm going to get that back, one way or another.
"Proof of your crimes has been shown to the gods, do not try to talk your way out of this," Seth warns me.
"I'm being set up!” I insist. If struggling isn’t going to work, I’m not above pleading “I swear, the god’s name, Neritous Cyncus, appeared on my hand as a bad karma job. That's why I was anywhere near him, and everything went really wrong. I swear it was accident," I continue, but I can tell they are completely ignoring me as they look at each other, clearly calculating something. Killian eventually nods in some sort of agreement that I can’t understand as I try to pull my arm out of his tight grip.
"Karma Maria Kismet, you have been caught by the gods of justice. Your punishment is a lifetime in the gods’ correctional prison with no release and no visits until your natural death. This is the law …and will of the higher gods," Seth proclaims, his tone of voice stern and official.
Killian seems hesitant to continue the sentencing, making the whole situation feel pretty awkward, but he finally nods at his brother and adds, "As the gods of justice, we find you guilty. No further investigation will be taken. Do you accept your fate?"
Fuck no, I feckin’ don’t.
“No,” I bite out, and Killian shrugs his shoulders, sighing.
"I’m not surprised, they always say no. I don't think there have been more than three people that have accepted their punishment in our career," Seth says and nods his head at my bag as Killian lets go of my arm, clearly trusting the golden bracelets to make sure I don’t run off. I’m sure they are trackers of some kind, as well as a way to block my powers. I can’t feel their fears or wants at