That’s my new nickname for my sword—short for vitality. But will she be enough to give me strength?
I have to hold onto hope; that’s all I can do now. At least I’m not alone. I have Nero with me, just like I had Madoc and Grey for my last missions, and I’m so grateful.
I’m still not sure where we stand. While I do find him extremely attractive, I keep my distance, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. He has made his feelings perfectly clear; he does not want to pursue me like the others have, but he is still willing to help me defeat the Void.
If only there was a way to show him how grateful I am, but we tread to the edge of the Abyss in total silence. I’m not sure what to say. I’m too nervous to talk, but I’ve never been a fan of long stretches of silence.
I suck in a breath. “Nero...”
He glances my way, and his violet eyes seem to incinerate me. I quake in his presence.
Shit. Kind of dug myself a grave here, but I lick my lips, and he tracks the movement with his purple eyes. I know he wants me too, but he keeps his distance.
But I don’t want him to; I want him to have his way with me. I want him to make me feel dirty and remove the dull ache from my core.
“Yes,” he says.
I sigh. “Thank you for joining me on this mission. I couldn’t have done it alone.”
He stiffens, and another tense silence trickles between us. What do I say?
“You’re welcome, but... I’m sure any of the others would have been willing to help you too.”
They would have, but none would have helped me like he could. I think he truly understands what it is to grieve. He has been through a lot in the past, but he just can’t find it in his heart to fall in love with someone who he may have to let go of one day.
Who knows what will happen after all this; who knows if I can even save us all? I always believed that it was best to live in the moment, but I have to respect Nero’s choice.
Finally, we arrive at the edge of the Abyss, and my stomach drops to the ground. Holy mother of black holes.
It’s like we have reached the very edge of the universe itself. There is nothing but a black hole swirling beyond the precipice, and the last thing I want to do is go in there.
Will I even come back out? How the hell am I going to survive this?
Nero peers down once again, and I spy the rope in his hands. He ties it around my wrist. “So you can find your way back out. When it all gets too much, I want you to tug on the rope.”
“Wouldn’t that be cheating? You heard what the king said.”
He growls, and his eyes burn bright violet. “Fuck the king. If he doesn’t like my rules, then I will personally see to him myself. If you thought Madoc was insane, Belle, then wait until you see what I’m capable of.”
I swallow audibly. I’m not surprised; the quiet ones always shock you the most, but I’m still not sure if the rope will be enough. I have to prove humans are worth saving, so I can’t cheat. I need to do this the proper way.
“Belle... listen to me...”
He places his hands around my shoulders, and now I can’t look away from those swirling pools of violet. They suck me in like black holes in their own right, yet instead of misery, they only bring me joy.
“You will not survive in there. No human has ever made it out of that void. So, screw being honorable. Do what you can to survive. Just willing to go in there is brave enough. And if our uncle doesn’t like it, we will kill him. It’s been long overdue. I have my suspicions after all, and I know my brothers can sense it too.”
I cock my head. “What suspicions?”
His eyes give a manic flash, and the expression shoots straight to my core. Damn, he looks hot when he does that, and there’s no denying the psycho beneath that veneer of perfect calm.
He really wasn’t lying before. Whereas Madoc is all fiery, burning madness, Nero is as sharp and cold as ice.
I nod, turning to face the void. Yet before I take a step toward the black, swirling mass, Nero presses me close to his chest, taking my breath away with a kiss.
His tongue slips inside my mouth as I melt into his kiss, closing my eyes, and all at once, the void vanishes. It’s just the two of us now and I could stay this way forever.
But needs must. I have to go into the Void. Otherwise, the king will refuse to help me, and we will have no choice but to usurp him. He is not fit to sit on that throne, and Nero is right.