Throne of the Fallen

Envy thought Pride would never be as ruthless as he could be. He might hate the First Witch, but he loved Lucia and wouldn’t hurt her mother.

“She’s contained?” he asked.

Pride nodded. “Until I know what happened to Lucia, she stays at my House.”

“I’m going to ask you something; you’re not going to like it, but I don’t particularly care. Understand?”

Pride narrowed his eyes but nodded again.

“Do you want Vittoria?”

“That’s a bullshit question and you know it.”

“Then answer it.”

Pride’s hand tightened on his glass.

“Are you keeping something from me?”

Envy smiled. “I’ve heard rumors. Courtiers are so interesting when they’re drunk and think no one is listening.”

“Get to the point, Levi.”

Envy leaned down, lowering his voice. “I know you never fucked the goddess.”

Pride had gone perfectly still.

“I don’t know what your game is, why you let your court and wife think otherwise. I assume you have a reason. And that reason has to do with Sursea’s meddling and magic.”

He stared at his brother. Pride’s expression was carved of stone. He’d locked his emotions down entirely, not giving away any secret.

Admittedly, Envy hadn’t heard that rumor; it was a guess.

One that might prove to be true, given the way his brother had stopped breathing. If Pride hadn’t been distracted and drunk, he would have sensed the lie.

“If Lucia is alive, if she’s found happiness elsewhere, would you destroy that?”

Pride’s teeth grinded together. “Would you hurt Camilla?”

He’d sooner rip out his heart. Again.

Envy pulled the folded parchment from inside his coat, handing it to his brother. Before he let it go, he said, “Don’t screw this up.”

Pride yanked the note from his hands, then read it over.

Envy watched as the drunkenness was quickly replaced by sharpness. Pride sat straighter, body tensed, reading the note again.

“How?” His voice was barely a whisper.

“My spies have been hard at work.” Envy gave him a cold look. “Then Emilia’s ‘grandmother’ whispered a secret in my ear a few months ago.” Two, actually. That his House would soon fall, and the one he’d share now. “Lucia doesn’t remember. Any of it.”

“You saw her?”

Envy thought about the young woman he’d had kidnapped for a brief time to break the wards on Emilia’s family home, then used to force Emilia to do his bidding. Even now, his thoughts of her were muddled, like he couldn’t quite recall her face, even after their memory curse had been broken. Envy hadn’t known it was Lucia and that bothered him.

Sursea was far too powerful for his liking.

He decided to leave out the part about him sedating her with magic, no need to enrage his brother. Desperate times had called for extreme measures. “Yes, I believe so. I think she might have a glamour, though. I didn’t immediately recognize her when our paths crossed.”

Something suspiciously close to hope lighted in Pride’s gaze. “But she lives.”

Envy nodded slowly.

“Make sure you know what you want before you seek her. If it’s just your pride…”

Envy didn’t finish the thought. Pride knew.

Pride uncoiled from his chair, note clutched tightly in his fist. He ran a hand through his hair, seeming unsure of what to do next.

“Well?” Envy pressed.

“Looks like I’ll be traveling to the Shifting Isles soon.”

“You likely only have one chance.”

Pride gave him a genuine smile. “It’s more than I had this morning.”

He took off down the hall, disappearing around the corner.

Lust stepped from the shadows, his expression contemplative. “My money’s on the goddess.”

“Not a chance.” Envy snorted. “Pride will choose Lucia. It’s always been Lucia.”

Mischief flared in Lust’s charcoal gaze. “Shall we place a wager?”

“Now you want to bet?” Envy looked his brother over. “What was your bet with Gluttony, again?”

“I bet you’d be a stubborn prick. You lived by that gods-damned rule for centuries. It seemed like a sure win.”

“Looks like my coffers will be as legendary as my cock.” Envy grinned as his brother scowled. “I accept your wager. Pride wins back Lucia. Vittoria ends up with the werewolf.”

“Or the new vampire prince.”

Envy scoffed. “Blade doesn’t consort with death goddesses. And he’s already said he’s choosing a vampire bride.”

Lust tossed an arm around him, walking back toward the reception. “Not what I’ve heard. Our friend secretly enjoys dancing with true death.”

“House Vengeance and Malice Isle as a united front.” Envy shuddered at the thought. “Work your charm before we all live to regret it. If you’re not amenable, maybe we can convince Wolf to seduce her. Hell, maybe she’ll even keep the shifter, Fae, and vampire.”

“Look at you, scheming already.” Lust snorted. “This is why you’re my favorite brother.”

Camilla stepped into the hall, took one look at the brothers, and shook her head.

“Whatever you’re plotting, stop.” She leveled a cold look at Envy and his gods-damned desire for her flared. “I mean it. No games tonight.”

Envy’s mouth curved wickedly.

Oh, there would be games.

Tonight, however, he’d keep them in the bedroom.

Right where his cunning little fiancée liked them.