I tried for centuries to do just that, to show them the error of my brother’s ways. I became the most feared and respected general in all of the demon realm, a paragon of our kind’s strength and power. But still, they could not forget the stain he had left on our family, the shadow that lingered over our name.

And now the demon court’s suspicions of House Ixion have only deepened. I am under constant scrutiny, my every move and decision called into question. And while I care little for their approval, it is not a good time to be seen as weak or vulnerable.

I’m sorry, Aric. Malekith’s voice was a weary sigh in Aric’s mind. I never wanted to entangle you in this. I know the risks I am asking you to take, and I understand if you cannot⁠—

Aric’s response was instant, a fierce blaze of loyalty that seared through the darkness. “I would follow you to the end of the world, my lord. There is nothing I would not do for you.”

Malekith’s laugh was a bitter thing, laced with self-doubt and regret. You say that now. But you do not know the depths of the darkness that lies within me. The things I have done, the lives I have taken in the name of our kind’s survival. You would not be so quick to offer your loyalty if you knew the true monster that I am.

Aric’s heart ached with the weight of Malekith’s pain. He could feel it in every word, the burden of a lifetime of duty and regret. And yet, it only made him more determined, more sure of his path.

“You are not a monster,” Aric insisted, his thoughts a soothing balm. “You are the strongest, most honorable being I have ever known. You fight for your people, for a better future. How can I do any less?”

There is something I must ask of you. Something that goes against every instinct, every oath I have ever sworn. But I cannot see another path. I cannot bear to watch my people suffer any longer, or yours. And I know you, Aric. I know the goodness that lives in your heart, the compassion that you try so hard to hide.

Malekith’s gaze was a searing brand, stripping away the layers that Aric used to shield himself. It was a painful, terrifying exposure, and yet he could not look away. He would never turn from those eyes, no matter what they asked of him.

If you have the chance to return to your people, you should take it. It’s the only way to warn them of what is to come.

Aric’s breath caught in his throat. It was a betrayal of everything he had sworn to do, a betrayal of his people and his duty. And yet, as he looked into Malekith’s eyes, he could not summon an ounce of regret.

“How can you ask me to do that?” Aric’s voice was a harsh rasp. “How can you ask me to betray you?”

Because it is the only way. Malekith’s voice was a soft, broken thing. The only way I can see to end this war. Malekith’s shoulders slumped, the weight of the world pressing down on him. I cannot stand by and watch any longer. I cannot be the cause of any more suffering.

“Then let me help you,” Aric pleaded. “Together, we can find another way. We can bring your people and mine to the table, we can⁠—”

It is too late for that. Malekith’s voice was a knife, cutting off Aric’s words. I cannot stop this war from the demon side. But you, Aric. You have the power to change the course of history. You have the power to save countless lives.

Malekith’s eyes softened, the barest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. I know you would, Aric. And it is that goodness, that compassion of yours, that I fear will be your undoing.

It had always been Aric’s way, to see the best in others, to believe that even the most bitter enemies could find a path to peace. It was a naivete that he had been disabused of time and time again, but one he could never quite let go. Even now, as he knelt in the darkness of the demon dungeons, his heart aching with longing and uncertainty, he could not bring himself to turn from it.

He thought of his life in the human realm, the friends he had left behind in the mage order, their faces a painful blur in his memory. He had never truly belonged among them, a fact that had been made all too clear in recent days. But for all their flaws, for all the ways they had disappointed him, they were still his people. They were still the ones he had sworn to protect.

And yet, in the short time he had spent in the demon realm, he had felt a connection, a sense of belonging, that he had never known before. Malekith’s words echoed in his mind, a siren’s call that tugged at his soul. How could he turn from that, from the bond that was growing between them, despite all the reasons he should?

There was no easy path before him, no simple answer that could reconcile the warring loyalties in his heart. But as he looked up into Malekith’s eyes, he knew with a bone-deep certainty that there was only one choice he could make.

He had to follow his heart. He had to believe that there was a way forward that did not end in blood.

Aric reached out a hand, fingers splayed. Malekith’s own hand rose, his movements slow and careful, like a predator trying not to startle its prey. His fingertips brushed against Aric’s, a whisper of a touch, and a shock of warmth raced up Aric’s arm.

He was real. Malekith was real, and he was here, and for this one fragile moment, nothing else mattered.

“Aric.” Malekith’s voice was a tremor in the darkness, a thread of raw emotion that tugged at Aric’s heart. “I am sorry. For everything.”

How could Malekith apologize to him, when it was Aric who was about to betray everything he believed in? But there was no time for that now, no room for regrets. There was only this, this fleeting touch, and the bond that pulsed between them, strong and sure.

“It’s all right,” Aric said, though he knew it wasn’t. “We’ll find a way.”

And even as he said the words, he knew they were a lie. His path was already set, the choice made. The only question that remained was whether Malekith would be with him, or against him.

Their moment stretched, a fragile, taut thread that neither of them wanted to break. Aric’s heart was a tumult, a storm of uncertainty and longing and the fierce, unwavering certainty of his choice. Malekith’s touch on his face was a benediction, a silent prayer that Aric could not begin to fathom the words of. It was a promise, a farewell, a thousand other things that neither of them could name.

But it could not last.

The sound of cloven feet echoed down the dark corridor, shattering the silence, and they sprang apart as if burned. The guards moved like wraiths in the darkness, their pale eyes fixed straight ahead.

Sovereign Zaxos’s guards.

Aric’s heart stopped, a leaden weight dropping through him. He looked back at Malekith, and for a brief, terrible instant, their eyes met. In that gaze was everything that had passed between them, all the words and touches and promises that had bound them together. And yet, in that same gaze, Aric saw the choice that Malekith had made.

He saw the path that lay before him, if he could only find the courage to take it.

Sovereign Zaxos’s guards made a slow, ceremonial sweep of the corridor before stopping at the cell. The lead guard unlocked the door, and the heavy iron gate swung open with a rusty groan. “Sovereign Zaxos has reached his decision,” the guard said. “Follow us.”

And Aric’s fate was sealed.

Nineteen

The guards hauled Aric and Malekith to their feet, their shackles clanking as they were dragged from the cells. Aric tried to catch Malekith’s eye, but his expression was shuttered, his mask of calm firmly in place. With a sinking feeling, Aric realized that Malekith was once again playing his cards close to his chest, leaving Aric to face whatever lay ahead unprepared.

They were escorted through the winding corridors of the former ward station, the scent of blood and sulfur hanging heavy in the air. The demon guards moved with purpose, but there was an undercurrent of tension rippling through their ranks. The same uncertainty that had plagued Aric in his cell now seemed to be infecting the entire fortress.

They were brought once more before the demon court, Sovereign Zaxos’s obsidian throne looming in the center of the chamber. The ancient demon was a figure of raw power and malevolence, his eyes blazing with golden fire as he regarded them. Zaxos said nothing as he rose from his throne, but his voice echoed in the minds of all who heard him as he spoke.

“You have both been found wanting,” Zaxos said, his words a thunderclap in the hushed chamber. “But before I pass final judgment, there is one last trial to be faced.”

Tthe court erupted into murmurs and shouts. “Another trial?” Aric cried. “But you promised⁠—”

“I promised nothing. I merely offered you an opportunity. And you have done well thus far, but there is more you must prove, little mage.” Zaxos bared his teeth in a savage grin. “Will you take this chance, or shall I give you over to my torturers? They’ve been terribly impatient to get their hands on such tender flesh.”

Aric stared at him a minute longer before finally lowering his head. Vizra’s face contorted with fury, while Sylthris merely smiled, her dark eyes glittering. But Aric ignored them all, his gaze fixed on Malekith.

In the tense silence, they exchanged a look, and in that brief moment, Aric understood. Malekith’s loyalty was still in question, but he had a plan. Aric had to trust that Malekith knew what he was doing, that he could guide them safely through whatever this final trial might be.

“The final trial will test your loyalty to the demon realm,” Zaxos said, his voice echoing through the chamber. “A loyalty that has thus far been called into question. But fear not, little mage. The path to redemption is still open to you.”

Aric’s heart sank at the ominous words. Aric wanted to reach out to Malekith, to offer some kind of reassurance, but he dared not risk it. Malekith had a plan, of that much Aric was certain. But what that plan might be, and how Aric fit into it, remained a mystery.

“What form will this trial take, Sovereign?” Malekith asked.

Zaxos’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he looked at Malekith. “You will fight to prove your loyalty to me. To the death.”

Aric’s blood turned to ice in his veins. “No,” he whispered, the word torn from him. “No, I won’t do it. I won’t kill him.”

Malekith glanced toward Aric, and Aric thought he saw a flash of something in those dark eyes. Regret, maybe. Sadness. But it was gone before he could be sure, and Malekith’s mask was firmly back in place.