“Just tell the truth,” he murmured to me, and then he was striding away.

A short woman I hadn’t noticed stepped out from behind the man, giving me her rendition of a smile—a tight-lipped affair that set me on edge. She gestured to the front of the mostly empty benches.

“You can wait here.”

I took a seat at the edge and Donovan slid in beside me. Thane took the seat behind us and reached forward to massage my shoulders.

“This is just a formality,” he said. “You are very clearly on Team Kieran. They just want to make it official, no biggie.”

Zorn stood just off to the side, and when the same woman tried to get him to sit, she ended up backing away slowly, as if sensing a predator.

“They have to know we wouldn’t let anyone take you from us,” Zorn said, clasping his hands behind his back. Somehow, his freshly pressed and expensive suit made him seem more dangerous rather than less. It was obvious he’d be plenty happy if things went sour so he could operate without rules. “Even if they bamboozled Demigod Kieran with their prestige, they could never sway us. We know what’s right, and we’ll fight for it.”

Time slowly ground by. Each minute lengthened into an hour. My gut churned, my stomach queasy.

“Think those battles in the halls would have gone down differently if we’d been out for blood?” Boman asked.

“We were out for blood,” Dylan replied.

“No, I mean, actually fighting. Fighting to kill.”

“Yes, the fighting would’ve gone much differently.” Amber’s voice was a low hum. She’d sat behind me and to the side, a little removed from everyone else. “You should know that from when you battled Valens. I believe this team would’ve still done exceptionally well. You have recent experience in do-or-die situations. However, some of these Demigod crews have been around since time turned over. They are cunning and brutal and specialize in killing. Fighting here is a game. When you strip away the rules, you reveal the true nature of magical people. It’s why we have the rules in the first place.”

I stared at the large double doors in front of me, sick with worry. I had no doubt the ruthless crews Amber had spoken of were within striking distance. If this went south, there’d be a blood bath.

“Ma’am.”

I nearly jumped out of my skin, so wound up that I hadn’t seen or felt the short-legged man approach. His grim expression did nothing to pacify me. Was I about to walk into a hostile situation?

“They’re ready for you.” The man motioned me forward.

“You’ll be good,” Boman said, standing as I did, followed by the rest of the crew.

“No sweat, Lexi, just be yourself.” Bria winked at me, which might have been reassuring if I hadn’t seen her fingers turning white where they held the back of the pew-like bench in front of her.

Breathing was difficult. I should’ve brought the kids to calm me down. We’d been through hell together—they were used to putting a good spin on things.

The door groaned as it opened, echoing into the cavernous space within. High ceilings and muted tones of wood and cream greeted me, along with seven men and women in black robes seated on a high bench. Had they stolen this getup from the non-magical world, or vice versa? Either way, their elevated presence was incredibly imposing as I took a seat in front of them, my table of average height but seeming so much lower.

Kieran was absent, which meant he must’ve exited through a side or back door, out of sight. Someone had set out a glass of sparkling water for me, and I contemplated taking a sip. My intensely shaking hands would have given me away, though.

“Alexis.” Zander sat in the prime position, directly in front of me. Magnus sat beside him, leaning back, his face unreadable. The stately woman I’d seen on the first night’s walk was next in line. I recognized a few other faces, but thankfully, no other Hades Demigods were present.

“Yes.” I nodded, my fingers digging into the backs of my hands where they were clasped.

“Do you know why you’ve been called in?”

“Yes. Because of the mark Kieran put—applied to me. Put on me, rather.” I wiped away the sweat collecting on my brow.

“Correct. We are going to ask you a few questions to get to the bottom of it. Now, do you know the significance of a Demigod’s mark?”

I took a deep breath so I wouldn’t pass out halfway through my explanation. “In the past, Demigods marked people to claim them as property. Now marks are usually only used in love connections, which is to say they’re not used very much at all. It is basically branding a person with the Demigod’s signature.”

Zander clasped his hands on the desk. “In essence, yes, you get the gist of it. How did that mark come to be placed on your skin?”

I explained my version of events, revealing that I’d actually known about the mark (from the guys) before Kieran had, and that I had also established a permanent soul link between us. While it didn’t show on the surface, it claimed someone just as thoroughly. Maybe more so.

Throughout my explanation, Magnus leaned against the arm of his chair, watching me silently.

“Can you prove this soul link exists?” Zander asked, and a man I did not know at the far right grinned, his eyes hungry. He thought I couldn’t.

I used air magic to whip his tie, and then let it blow across the others. “The soul link allows us to share some of our powers. I can feel a person’s power level now, too, not just their soul. Kieran can use my magic enough to see spirits.”