It wasn’t black like that of the human I’d killed a few weeks ago, just gray with hints of murky spots. Something about it had drawn me to him, then I’d recognized his scent and pulled out the knife Grigory had gifted me earlier.
Not the brightest move—something I could admit now—but at the time, I’d failed to understand or comprehend reason. I’d wanted to slaughter him. To hurt him the way he had hurt me.
Except Grigory changed everything I thought I knew about that night.
Yakariah had helped me.
And I’d nearly returned the favor by slicing his throat.
In front of a roomful of demons.
“Good job, Zaya,” I told myself. “Brilliant work.”
I fisted my hands against my eyes and swallowed the urge to scream. Grigory had gone into my head to compel me to cooperate. He’d never done that to me before. I hadn’t even truly known he could do that. And now that I’d felt it, I never wanted to experience it again.
It terrified me how easily he’d taken control and forced me into action.
I knew Grigory was powerful, but the ease with which he’d persuaded me escalated that knowledge to a new level.
He was the future King of Noxia. And tonight, he’d shown me why.
In over a year of knowing him, he’d never used his gifts on me in that manner, something I had never truly appreciated until now. He could have forced me to be easy to work with, turned me into a shell of myself, yet instead he constantly exuded patience in his teachings.
I frowned. All this time, I thought I knew him. Tonight, he’d opened my eyes to a brand-new side of him—the side that could so easily force me to my knees but chose not to.
The marks of a true leader.
My respect increased for him with each passing second. I should have hated what he’d done to me—the violation of breaking my mind—yet I understood the need for it. He was right. I’m not ready.
I blew out a breath and shoved away from his couch to start pacing his rooms.
How could I attack Yakariah like that? I had my list of three names, and he wasn’t on it. I knew that. Yet I’d reacted without thinking, his scent driving me into a frantic need to destroy.
I paused before a mirror decorating one of Grigory’s walls and stared at the woman before me. Short blue hair. Gleaming gaze. Toned arms. Svelte midsection. Curvy hips.
Who am I? I wondered, seeing the vixen beneath my dress.
My Graystall heritage required me to wear black—Graystall demons hated colorful garments. Yet I stood here in a vibrant sapphire gown with sequins that blinked beneath Grigory’s lights.
The woman I knew before had broken. Shattered. Become a shell of a female who once fancied the prospect of a happily ever after. I nearly laughed at that woman. How naïve she’d been.
The person standing before me now had heart. Strength. A resolve to kill. But what happened after my revenge? Did I become yet another new demon? Continue to evolve into some sort of revolutionary? Live a life alone with a blade as my only companion?
I heaved a sigh and shook my head, uncertain of my path.
One day at a time, I told myself, refocusing on my dress. And I can start by changing out of this gown.
Grigory told me to stay here, but surely he wouldn’t mind me popping into my room to grab a pair of pants. It was next door and technically within his quarters.
Rather than overthink it, I walked into the hallway and paused upon finding two guards waiting for me. “Erm, hello.” I guessed Grigory put them there. Because of course he didn’t trust me to stay put.
I held back a sigh, disappointed. We’d discuss his distrust later. Although, it was warranted after my behavior of late.
“You’re not allowed to leave,” one of the guards said. His name began with a C. Cyprus, maybe? I really did need to start paying attention when Grigory made introductions.
“I’m just going to my room to change,” I informed the bald male. His shoulders were seriously twice the width of mine. Giant summarized his form nicely. “It’s still part of Grigory’s wing and literally next to his room.” I pointed to the door nearly five feet to his left and arched a brow as if to say, See?
The two guards shared a look, then glanced back at me.