“You could be what?” he asked. When I didn’t answer, he turned sideways and settled down next to the bars. What, Alex?

Having him switch to talking that way was always unnerving. I don’t know. I think…Aiden thinks I’m… I shook my head. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change anything.

Seth stared at me so long I started to worry that he could read my thoughts. Then his eyes widened slightly. Are you…? A strangled sound came from his throat. “I can’t even think it. Are you pregnant?”

Unable to confirm or deny, I said nothing, and that must’ve been answer enough because Seth swore under his breath. Squeezing my eyes shut, I dropped my head into my hands. My fingers curled into my hair, and the thin, raised scars on my face felt rough against my palms.

Alex? His voice was a thready whisper, and then out loud, he said, “I’m sorry, Alex, for everything I had a part in.”

I shook my head without lifting it or removing my hands. I was unsure of why he’d apologize after that. It wasn’t like he had anything to do with my potential babymaking shenanigans with Aiden. That was all us.

We sat like that for a few minutes, neither of us speaking. I searched inside of me for…for something more than a twinge of sadness, an emotion beyond anger and confusion, anything more substantial than vast emptiness.

There was nothing.

Seth’s sigh shuttled through my thoughts. “I saw your father, Alex.”

CHAPTER 9

I didn’t think I heard Seth right at first.

Slowly, I lifted my head and locked my gaze with his. “What?”

“I saw your father when I was at the Catskills,” he repeated quietly. “Not before you Awakened. I didn’t see him when I was there at that time, but when we arrived about a month ago, he was there—is still there.”

My mouth worked, but there was no sound. I scooted forward, coming closer to Seth than I probably should have. I drew in a breath, but it got stuck. “Did you…how is he?”

“I didn’t talk with him, Alex, but he’s there with the other servants. The Elixir isn’t working, and he seems to be keeping them safe. He can’t leave. None of them can with Ares there.” He paused, and my heart dropped. “He appears to be okay, but Ares knows who he is, Alex.”

I stared at him as those words sunk in. “But he’s okay for now?”

For now. Seth reaffirmed silently.

Closing my eyes, I squirmed under the sudden pressure in my throat. And Ares knows he’s my father?

“Yes.”

“Does he have any plans to use him against me?” I asked, already knowing and fearing the answer.

“I would like to give you the answer that would make it better.” There was a pause, and then I felt his fingers graze my arm. Electricity passed from his skin to mine, and my head jerked up. I backed out of his reach, watching the marks of the Apollyon glide up his arm and onto his neck. Seth pulled his arm back through the bars. “He will use any means necessary, Alex. He can’t get to you right now, but the moment he can, he will dangle your father in front of you.”

I looked away, pressing my mouth closed until my jaw ached with the effort. I knew I wasn’t feeling everything I should be considering how much danger my father was in. I let out a ragged breath. “It’s not just me he’s going to come at. It’s you, too.”

“I know.” Seth laughed dryly, and my gaze fell back to him. “But what does he have to hold over my head other than you?”

And I got it then. Once Ares realized Seth was batting for the opposite side, he’d force Seth’s hand by forcing mine, and he’d use my father and everyone I cared about to make that happen.

“Shit’s bleak, isn’t it?” Seth said.

I huffed. “You have no idea.”

“Then why are we doing this? Seriously? We could leave.”

I pinned him with a look.

He laughed again, and this time, he sounded more like himself. “You could bring St. Delphi along.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate the invite.” Truth was, the idea of running away was tantalizing as hell. It wasn’t like I hadn’t considered it before, and we could hide for as long as we could, but it wasn’t right. “There’s enough of me left inside that knows I can’t do that.”

Seth cocked his head against the bars but said nothing.

“I especially can’t after what Ares did, but it’s more than that. There are so many innocent people who will end up enslaved by him or dead. I couldn’t live with myself.”

“I could.”

One side of my lips tipped up. “Of course.”

There was a stretch of silence, and then he said, “You’re so different.”

I didn’t know what to say.

“It’s not because you’re crazy, but I know what you went through.”

The muscles along my back tensed. “I wanted to die.” There. I said it out loud, and it sounded just as horrible as when I thought it.

Seth lowered his gaze. “I know.”

“Part of me wishes—”

“Don’t say it.” Seth stood quickly and backed away from the bars. A niggle of shame rose like a weed, and he looked away. “I know you’re not going to let me out. It’s probably better if you don’t until we have a plan that we can act on immediately. It will make everyone else feel better.”

“Would it make you feel better?” I pushed to my feet.

Seth backed farther into the shadows of his cell. “It should make you feel better.”

I was pretty sure I belonged in a cell, too, like the one Seth was in.

“You don’t,” Seth said. I must’ve thought that at him. “You’re not crazy, Angel.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Seth didn’t respond. The conversation was obviously over. I lingered for another moment, unsure if there was anything else to say at this point. I ended up not saying anything as I turned around and headed toward the titanium door I’d left cracked open.

One thing I knew for certain: Seth wasn’t going to trick us. And if he came after me, it would be like a daimon going for aether and for no other reason. It didn’t mean he was safe, but it was better than him working with Ares.

Opening the door, I spied a lithe form leaning against the wall. It wasn’t Solos.

Crap.

I closed the door behind me, took a deep breath, and faced Aiden. Locks of dark hair fell over his forehead in uncontrollable waves. His hair was starting to curl like Deacon’s, and I favored that wilder look. Right now the edges of that hair brushed equally dark eyebrows—eyebrows that were currently slammed down. His lips were in a taut, tight line, and his eyes were a gunmetal gray. He was not a happy camper.

“Hi?” I said lamely.

The muscles in his folded arms rippled under the black shirt he wore. He was so still he was almost a part of the wall. “You left in the middle of the night.”

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “I did.”

“Without saying a damn thing,” he added in voice that was too calm. I knew him well enough to know how misleading that was. I was entering the danger zone. “Especially after what happened between us? Did you stop and consider what I would think when I woke up and found you gone?”

He had a point. “I’m sorry, but I’m okay.”

“Obviously, you’re not okay.”

I opened my mouth, thinking he was referencing the whole gun thing, but then I realized something else. Knots formed in my stomach. “How much did you hear?”

Aiden unfolded his arms. “Enough.”

My brain winced. Doesn’t sound possible, but it was. “Aiden—”

“Hearing you say that you loved him was…well, there aren’t many words for that.”

Heat rushed my face. “I said not in the same way I feel for you.”

“Wait.” He held up his hand, silencing me. “For days I’ve been trying to get you to talk to me about everything. I figured you weren’t ready, so I haven’t pushed it, but then you leave me in the middle of the night to go talk to him.”