Rather than confront Helene again, I retreated to my room, locking the door behind me. I sank onto the bed, and several harsh, gasping breaths as I tried to calm down and think. After a moment, I realized she had to be lying. There was no way she would have had me mate with Sierra if she were actually my sister, would she? And why did my dad laugh as if he’d won? It made no sense.
Except … it sort of did, from their sick perspective. Neither of them gave a damn about me or Sierra. We were just pawns in their power plays.
My thoughts churned over and over until I finally decided she was lying. Had to be. I didn’t know how she planned to sell it to the coven, but she was desperate enough to hold on to our power that she’d even face the humiliation of this “mistake.”
I snorted in disgust. They were willing to go that far after. Despite the conversation they’d had about how bad it might look if word got out that Sierra and I were possibly siblings, rather than distant cousins, back when they first told me I had to marry her.
I jumped up from the bed. I needed answers, and they were the only ones who had them. I stormed back downstairs.
“Explain this to me,” I demanded as I barged into the living room where they sat, calmly sipping their tea as if nothing had happened. “How can I be Sierra’s mate if you’re her father?”
My parents exchanged glances before turning their cold, calculating eyes on me.
An alarm went off throughout the estate before they could answer, and we all responded quickly. Was it Maroni? Or had Harris managed to escape?
After several rushed moments, it became clear that the safe house where Enzo had stashed Anna had been breached.
Fuck.
I had to come clean with my parents that we’d placed her there. The question now was, had she escaped, or had she been taken. My parents left to find out before I could stop them, and I had to warn Enzo. He wasn’t going to be happy. I texted him and the others to get here, fast, just another breach alarm went off.
Someone else was here.
CHAPTER 10
SIERRA
UNDERWORLD
“The time has come for you to face your last trial. The outcome of this test will determine not only your fate, but the fate of those who have been bound to you by prophecy.”
“I understand.” I tried to mask the tremor in my voice.
Mazarin’s eyes softened ever so slightly. “Remember, the love you share with your mates is a powerful force. It will be crucial for you to tap into that strength during the trial.” She paused, adding, “Do not let fear or doubt cloud your judgment.”
I took a deep breath, and Mazarin stepped aside, revealing an archway clad in shadows.
As I crossed the threshold into the trial area, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The darkness was thickened, like walking through a dream, or rather, a nightmare. Mist swirled around me, blurring the line between reality and illusion.
“Stay focused, Sierra,” I whispered to myself, forcing my feet to keep moving. Shadows danced and flickered in the periphery of my vision as I ventured deeper into the underworld.
Though I couldn’t see Mazarin, I could feel her presence nearby, watching and waiting. There was no turning back now.
My responsibility as the Reaper weighed down on me, making it difficult to breathe. I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions in check. Doubt gnawed at the edges of my mind, telling me I wasn’t ready or able to fulfill the role.
“Come on,” I muttered under my breath, steeling myself. I focused on the mist swirling around my feet, drawing on the powers within me to sharpen my senses. The air grew thick with tension as I ventured further into the abyss.
A sudden screech pierced the silence, and a monstrous demon lunged at me from the shadows. Instinctively, I summoned a blade of shadows into my hand, slicing through the air to meet the attacker. It let out an agonizing wail before disintegrating into a cloud of ash. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I tried to steady my racing heart.
“Is that all you’ve got?” I spat, trying to mask the fear that threatened to swallow me whole.
The trial responded to my defiance, throwing more obstacles my way. A wall of fire erupted in front of me, heat licking at my face as I searched for a way past it. Summoning every ounce of my power, I created a whirlwind of shadows to smother the flames, allowing me just enough time to slip through unscathed.
“Remember your training,” I muttered to myself, pushing forward despite my fears.
My abilities were put to the ultimate test when I faced a horde of shadowy figures, each one twisted and grotesque. Their inhuman cries echoed throughout the underworld as they charged toward me, hunger evident in their empty eyes and grasping hands.
“Get back!” I shouted, thrusting my hands forward. The darkness within me surged, creating a powerful wave that sent the creatures hurtling backward.
As I fought, my emotions threatened to unravel me. Fear, guilt, and self-doubt clawed at my insides. But I couldn’t afford to fail.
‘Focus on your mates,’ Maz had told me. Images of their faces gave me the strength I needed to keep going. If I failed this test—failed to expel the demons, as well as the Dark Ones—then my men would be lost. As would Artemis, Ethan, and everyone else I cared about.
The trial continued to test my endurance; each obstacle becoming more difficult than the last. And as I faced them head-on, I could feel the power within me growing more potent, molding itself to my will.
“Enough!” I screamed, exhaustion finally taking its toll. “What more do you want from me?”
For a moment, the underworld seemed to fall silent, as if considering my plea. And then, just as suddenly, it roared back to life, throwing more challenges my way.
“Bring it on,” I muttered through gritted teeth.
“Sierra, remember your purpose,” Mazarin’s voice drifted through the thick mist as I was nearing a breaking point. “You are the Reaper, and you have the love of your mates to guide you.”
“Easy for you to say,” I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow as I faced the next obstacle – a bridge made from interwoven shadows that seemed to sway precariously over an abyss. “I never asked for this.”
“Nobody asks for their fate,” Mazarin’s voice echoed over the abyss. “But you were chosen for a reason. Trust in yourself.”
“All right,” I whispered, steeling myself as I took the first tentative step onto the bridge. It wobbled beneath my feet, and I fought the urge to glance down at the darkness below. Instead, I remembered something I’d read once, that being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. I pictured the faces of my loved ones as if they stood on the other side, beacons guiding me across.
