76. Pallas

"A

reyou sure, Abraxas?" I heard the princess whisper.

"I don't need this, not anymore. She does."

Iclimbed down the wooden ladder to the basement of the manor house we had taken over. The space had obviously been used for storage. Foodstuff and crates were stacked everywhere. Against the back wall, between two supporting pillars, Hadeon was strung up on gossamer threads of spider silk; the web held his hands spread wide.

Hischin drooped, but his head snapped up as he heard me approach. "Come to gloat, whore?"

Iignored him. I turned to the two guards on either side of him; Avlyn had wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any escapes.

"Leave us."

Theguards looked at each other but didn't move.

"Do as the lady says," Avlyn called from the room above. The guards snapped to attention and left the basement, closing the trapdoor behind them.

Wewere alone. Some of his wounds, cuts and burns by magic and beast, still hadn't healed. It reminded me so much of when I first saw him, a young, injured boy in a cell, that I thought I wouldn't be able to stand it.

"Why have you come, Pallas?" His voice, cracked and weak, still carried the venom of his bitterness.

Istepped closer. "To end it," I breathed, my voice barely a whisper. The words felt heavy in my mouth, laden with a thousand memories and a thousand regrets.

Hadeonlaughed, a hollow, rasping sound that echoed against the damp walls. "To end me, you mean. Your heart bleeds for me, Pallas. I can see it in your eyes. You still love me."

Iswallowed hard; the truth was like ash in my mouth. "I loved you, yes," I confessed. The bright and beautiful image of him had been shattered by the darkness in him; each piece was a shard that cut deeply into my heart.

"You're a fool," he spat, struggling against the silken threads that bound him. "You should have shown me your power and ruled by my side. We could have been invincible. We still could be. My love, free me. Free me and let us take back this world together."

Iflinched, not from fear, but from the pain of hearing my greatest desire and having it feel so hollow. "You chose power over me long ago, Hadeon."

Hesneered, his teeth flashing. "And you've chosen what, exactly, Pallas? New monarchs to serve, to bow to? Pathetic. You were always pathetic. You could never hurt me. At least go find me someone worthy."

Maybeif he had felt remorse, maybe if he had even tried to apologize, I wouldn't have been able to do it. I would have left it to someone else.

"I always was a fool, wasn't I, Hadeon? They molded you into their weapon, their GreatHero. Then, I expected you to just be able to come home and find that I was enough. AllI ever wanted was to be your peace."

Hethrashed against the web that held him like a rabid dog. He looked just like the boy I nursed so long ago. A boy who was so sweet and reverent. That boy had been dead a long time.

Bluelight sharpened into claws, and I rammed them into this chest. I felt them penetrate his flesh. The bone and flesh resisted before giving way. He screamed; his eyes were wide with fear as I ripped the heart straight out of his chest.

"Goodbye, Hadeon. It only seems fair I get to keep this." Blood bubbled from between his lips, and he held my stare just a moment longer despite the gaping wound in his chest. He tried to speak, but I didn't care to try to understand what he said. I just stood there and watched until the heart of the man I once loved with all of my own stopped beating.

Whenthere was no doubt he was dead, I dropped his heart, turned, and climbed out of the basement. Jun and Tori were waiting for me, arms outstretched. I collapsed into them and knew nothing but tears.