How could she be dead?
How could he have allowed this to happen? Damn me, damn me, damn me!
"I'm sorry I failed you, akri," Xirena said.
Alexion didn't speak. He couldn't.
Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the room.
Acheron flashed into a corner, where he stood with a stoic expression.
Urian turned on him with a curled lip.
"Don't even, Daimon." Acheron zapped him out of there before Urian could speak.
"Kyros," Acheron said gently. "Go home and rest."
Then he, too, was gone.
Acheron hesitated as the demon stared at him as if he were an apparition.
Her face was ghostly pale from her fear of him. "Will you kill Xirena now?"
"No." Ash knelt by her side and healed her wounds. "Return to your master for a little while and you will meet your sister soon."
The demon nodded, then ran up Alexion's sleeve, to his chest.
Alexion still hadn't moved as he cradled Danger to him.
Acheron cocked his head as he watched them with those all-powerful, swirling silver eyes. "Why don't you question me?"
Alexion swallowed against the bitter lump in his throat that was choking him. "Because I know better." He looked up at Acheron so that he could see the sincerity in his eyes. "But I hate you right now."
"I know."
And then it happened…
Danger's body evaporated into a shiny gold powder.
Alexion cried out again as he felt her loss completely. "No!" he growled as he tried to scoop the powder up so that he could take it to Paris for her as he'd promised.
"Don't," Acheron said gently as he reached out for him.
Alexion shoved him away. "Damn you, you bastard, I promised her. I promised—"
He covered his eyes with his hands as he sobbed, realizing it was hopeless. "There's nothing left to bury. Nothing left to gather even."
Oh, gods, how could she be gone like this? How? It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.
"We have to go, Alexion."
He nodded even though what he wanted to do was attack Acheron himself. He knew it wasn't Acheron's fault, but it didn't matter. He wanted to strike out and hurt someone. Anything to ease the burning, aching hole inside him.
There was nothing left to stay for.
Danger was gone…
His heart shattered, he felt his human body melting as it shifted from the human realm to Katoteros. He found himself back in the throne room where Simi was waiting.
"Alexion!" she shrieked happily, running at him before she launched herself into his arms. "You're back!"
She pulled away and frowned when he didn't return her enthusiasm. Cocking her head, she scowled at him. "But you're so sad. Why are you sad, Lexie? Was them Daimons mean to you? The Simi will eat them if they hurt you."
Acheron gently pulled her away. "He needs to be alone for a little while, Sim."
"But…"
"It's okay." Acheron took her hand and gave him the space he needed.
Alexion didn't speak as he walked the back hallway toward his chambers. He was so cold inside that he didn't think he could ever be warm again.
For the first time ever, he hated this place. He hated everything about it. Most of all, he hated Acheron.
At least he did until he opened the doors to his room. He stopped short, his breath catching, as he saw the impossible.
It couldn't be, yet it was…
There in the center of his room, dressed in a red chiton, was Danger.
He couldn't speak as he caught sight of her there.
She was looking around as if disoriented. "Where am I?"
No words would come out of his mouth as he rushed to her and scooped her up in his arms. She felt real.
She felt alive…
Could it be? Did he dare believe that this was real?
Holding her close, he buried his head against her neck, inhaled her scent and wept.
"Alexion, you're starting to freak me out."
He pulled back with a laugh. "How did you get here?"
"I have no idea. One minute I was in a lot of pain, then everything was dark, and then I was here." She leaned toward him. "Where is here?"
"My chambers. You're in Katoteros."
She frowned up at him. "I don't understand."
Neither did he.
"You didn't really think I was going to let this end badly, did you?"
Alexion turned to find Acheron standing in the doorway, watching them with a smile.
"We learn from our pain," he said, using the words Acheron so often quoted to him.
Acheron shrugged. "But we are rewarded with pleasure." His gaze shifted to Danger before it returned to meet his levelly. "You've served me too long and too well for me to turn my back on you, Alexion. I couldn't save her life without altering too much of the universe. But I can give you this."
Alexion was grateful and at the same time stunned by it. He had never expected Acheron to do something like this… ever. "You hate people in your house."
Acheron let out a weary breath. "What the hell? I got used to you. I'll get used to Danger in time too."
Danger gaped. "I get to stay? Here? With Alexion? Really?"
"Only if you want to," Alexion said.