Lucia was gently shaken awake what seemed a heartbeat later. The gray light of morning painted the walls in stark tones. She looked up to see Talia had dressed, and a mixture of fear and love and mourning played discordantly through the Duke’s heart—and across her face.
“I’m sorry, my love, my dear Lucia. I do not have much time, and we must speak.”
The demon shivered, but slipped from the covers and pulled on the simple robes that had been given her from the Ordo. For a blessed night, she had forgotten exactly where she was, or into whose hands she had fallen. But by the clear light of morning, she realized Talia had not fully answered her first question; the question she asked the afternoon before, what seemed an age ago.
“Why are you here?” The question came gently, the hope of last night’s passion draining away through the demon’s feet. “If you were to bring me from this place, you would have done it already.”
Talia nodded stoically. “If I were smarter, if I had more time—but you were in the clutches of the cruelest man I know, held here for a full week. And …” she hung her head. “And at first I had believed the lie within my heart, that I could accept your sacrifice.”
“You … you still can,” Lucia said weakly, but she was reminded of the Library. It would not leave her so easily, no matter how much pleasure the night had brought. She steeled herself, however. “Why—what did you tell Lindell, that he let you pass?”
“That is what I wanted to talk to you about. Of the two of us, only one is walking out of here. And that one will be you.”
“What—no!” Lucia slipped from the covers and stood at Talia’s shoulder. “No! I won’t have my contract broken over this. I owe you so much more than that! And I will not see you die!”
Because she knew. She knew that, once placed in his hands, that’s exactly what Lindell would do to her beloved Talia. Without hesitation, he would put a bullet through the very heart she had come to love so fiercely.
“Dearest.” Talia’s eyes were iron. “Please. There are things that you must know, and things that I must hold from you—if we are to exact our vengeance in any form. Forgive me, please. If it could be any other way …”
She took Lucia’s hand as she trailed off, and the demon held it desperately. But Talia’s hold was tender; it held the sadness also present in the Duke’s eyes.
“The greatest vengeance I could ever have upon the bastards who took my father from me,” Talia said clearly, “has already begun to be fulfilled. It’s my love for you. The joy that thrills through me at your smile, your naked regard. The passion and the tenderness you’ve shown for me. These are my vengeance.”
“So why—why throw it all away? You’re being selfish! Forcing me to live on in this world even a day, knowing your fate … I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Of course you can. And you will not be alone.” Talia pulled a golden, gleaming thing from her pocket and placed it in Lucia’s hands. “You will have Richmond, and that damned Scarlet Spindle too, at your command. And in here, you will have me.”
Lucia looked down at the necklace. It seemed utterly unlike Talia to place any value in jewelry, of all things. But she knew that, whatever it was—had it been a loop of string, even—she would treasure it as long as she was in this world.
“When the original terms of our contract are fulfilled, look to this necklace. I can say little more. But please. Promise me you will see this through.”
Lucia closed her eyes. The tears came so quickly, now, in their heat and bitterness. “I … I promise. I will see our contract ended.”
Talia stood and enfolded Lucia in her arms. The Duke patiently dried the demon’s tears, and gifted back the comfort Lucia had freely given the night before. The demon took it without question.
“My dearest,” Talia whispered. “There is so much more I would tell you. But not here, and not now. Our every word may be heard by jealous ears, here at the center of the Snake’s burrow.”
Lucia nodded, though she did not fully understand.
There was a knock at the door. Before either could answer it, the door was pushed open, and four guards filed in before Lindell, holding a pocket watch, walked through the doorway. He looked as he always did, and Lucia felt a solid knot of hatred rising within her at his presence. She spat upon the ground.
“Your night is spent,” Lindell said, flipping his watch closed and stowing it before turning to Talia. “I trust you are a woman of your word?”
Lucia felt the familiar hum of Talia’s fury; it was stronger, now, as the Duke had no reason to hide it.
“If you are a man of your own word. Release her from your captivity, as we agreed.”
“Done.” Lindell turned his heavily-lidded eyes to Lucia. “Begone from this place, demon. In the short time you have left, you are to darken the threshold to this sanctuary no longer.”
Lucia felt a shot through the heart as Talia was dragged away.
“No!” She reached for the Duke, but was violently shoved back by one of the guards. The ground slammed into her back, and her head bumped sharply against the chair. Stars danced in her eyes as she groaned in pain. Above her, the image of two guards standing over her, ready to react at her any move, swam in and out of focus.
“Oh, let her see,” Lindell called idly as he walked down the hall, his voice echoing among the retreating footsteps.
Lucia came unsteadily to her feet and propelled herself past the two guards out of the room. Her heart hammered in her chest. This couldn’t be happening—this couldn’t be happening.
The hallway led out into the gray morning, and she saw Talia, arms shackled behind her back, standing before Lindell in the field. That snake—he pulled a pistol from his hip, weighing the weapon in his hands.
He said something, but Lucia didn’t hear him. She had to get there. She had to stop this!
“No!” she shouted. She was at the door outside. So close—
She pushed roughly past the guards at the door, but they were so far, and Lindell was already moving with intent. The snake was ready to strike.
In that moment, Talia turned her gaze to Lucia. Her eyes were on the verge of tears, but there was an iron behind them. She mouthed, Trust me, please.
“No,” Lucia whimpered again, unable to stop what was coming.
Lindell took a ready stance, aiming the pistol at the center of Talia’s being, right at her heart. He did not hesitate.
The shot rang out through the courtyard, accompanied by a flash of red mist.
Talia stood straight for a moment, the light leaving her eyes, her lips parted as if ready to speak a final word. Then, she crumpled to the ground.
And Lucia followed soon after, utterly overcome.