“I did what I had to do.”
“Why?”
“It was…” She tried to say, “my duty.” Or, “burden.” But the words stuck in her throat.
“For me?” he asked in soft tones.
It was. She’d leaped at the opportunity to be reunited with Javad, risking everything just to see him again.
Rattled by the realization, she pulled out of his light grasp to walk across the cavern. Undeterred by her silent warning that she was done with the conversation, Javad quickly walked up next to her.
“You asked me if my new life made me happy. What about you?” he asked. “Are you happy?”
Happy? It wasn’t a word she thought about. She had a destiny. It didn’t matter if it made her happy or not.
“I can answer the same as you,” she said with a shrug. “When I first returned to the temple, I felt relief. And peace.”
“Because you accepted your place in the temple?”
She shook her head. “Because I realized the Matron was right. The world was a big, scary place that destroyed the innocent.”
He grimaced, but he was too smart to try and convince her that it wasn’t so bad out in the world. After all, they were currently being held prisoner by a vampire who intended to force Javad to fight. Perhaps to the death.
“Why do I sense a but?” he asked.
“But eventually, my original frustration returned.” She hadn’t intended to confess her inner turmoil. This male had no connection to the temple. But there was something in his dark, steady gaze that made the words spill from her lips. As if she were purging them. And maybe she was. “I might have accepted that the Serafs were safer behind the magic of the temple, but that shouldn’t stop us from helping the demons who need us.”
“I thought demons could petition for healing?”
“Yes. And the Matron decides if they’re worthy or not.”
He looked confused. “Worthy?”
Terra’s lips twisted. That’d been her reaction when she discovered that the demons she healed had been chosen by the Matron. And hundreds, perhaps thousands of others were turned away.
“I’ve asked her to define the term.”
“And?”
“And I spent a month locked in my bedchamber.”
Dust filtered from the low ceiling as Javad’s burst of temper shook the cavern. “You were imprisoned?”
“Not really,” she hastily reassured him. Javad could topple buildings when he was in a mood. Now didn’t seem the best time to get him riled up. “I was in a comfortable room with plenty of food and a beautiful view of the gardens.” She smiled. “Certainly, it wasn’t enough punishment to stop me from nagging about our isolation from the world.”
He made a visible effort to control his emotions. “The Matron clearly wasn’t prepared for a Seraf like you.”
His dry tone made her chuckle. “That’s true. I’ve heard rumors that the Matron sends out scouts to ensure I’m not around when she leaves her private rooms.”
His lips parted, but before he could speak, a portal opened over their heads, and something dropped out of the darkness.
Javad shoved her out of the path. “Terra, run!”
She stumbled, grabbing a stalagmite to keep her balance. Whirling around, she watched as the silver net landed directly on top of Javad. He screamed in pain, going to his knees as the metal strands seared deep into his flesh.
“Javad.”
Leaping toward the net, Terra was abruptly halted as a humungous troll dropped through the portal, landing directly in front of her. A second later, an icy blast of power filled the cavern as Vynom appeared along with a small fairy, who was no doubt in control of the magical opening.
“Don’t let her escape,” the vampire snapped, pointing toward Terra. With a grunt, the troll grabbed Terra’s arm in a grip hard enough to leave bruises. Vynom narrowed his eyes as he studied her. “And I warn you, Seraf, don’t try any funny tricks like the one that has my guards snoring outside the cells. Unless you want Javad fried into a crispy pile of ash.”
“No.” Her heart lodged in her throat. She didn’t need to hear his moans or smell the charred skin to know that he was in gut-wrenching pain. It vibrated in the air. “Please, let him go.”
The large vampire ignored her plea, strolling to tower over her. “Ah, sweet Terra. It’s been a long time.”
She tilted back her head to glare at him. “Not long enough.”
“Don’t be that way,” he chided. “I thought we were old friends?”
“Friends?” She spat the word. “Is that a joke?”
“You were my guest, weren’t you? I fed you, clothed you, provided a roof over your head.”
“You held me captive.”
Vynom clicked his tongue. “Such a nasty word. Besides, it wasn’t personal. I needed your skills.”
Terra shuddered. She didn’t know exactly how long she’d spent in the pits. It’d seemed like centuries, but in reality, it’d probably been less than a year. But during that short time, she’d been forced to heal thousands of fighters, along with whoever happened to be at Vynom’s establishment with enough money to pay for her services.
With effort, however, she resisted the urge to remind him of all the horrible things he’d done to her. The male was a ruthless, cold-hearted monster. He didn’t know the meaning of regret.
“How did you use my medallion?” she abruptly demanded.
A strange expression tightened his blunt features. “What does it matter?” He motioned toward the troll. “Take her to the main cavern.”
“Wait!” Before the oversized demon could haul her away, Terra glanced toward the silver net. “What are you going to do with Javad?”
Vynom curled back his lips to reveal his fully extended fangs. “I’m going to give him the opportunity to become the legend he was supposed to be.” He turned his head to stab her with a glare of pure hatred. “Before you.”
Terra didn’t flinch. Which was impressive, considering the male could crush her with one hand.
“Before me?”
“Javad spent centuries earning his reputation as the most feared fighter in a dozen different dimensions,” he snarled. “Demons traveled thousands of miles just to see him in
