"Good. He could have killed you and deserves a harsh punishment."

The anger radiating from Jace is so clear, from the tinge of pink in his cheeks to the harsh set of his jaw. But beyond the rage is a glint of concern deep in his gray eyes. He may want to see Cannon brought to justice for what he has done, but that doesn't change that he was once his friend.

I reach over and brush Jace's hair off his forehead and turn his face toward mine. "I know. But I really think we should consider his side and feel out Angelo's side of the story before we judge Cannon too harshly. I just don't believe that he actually set out to hurt me. Before you busted in the room like the Incredible Hulk, he was asking me why I looked so sick, and what was wrong with everyone else. He was genuinely confused. Do you really believe he could hurt me?"

"I don't know what his intentions were, but I know what could have happened if he became your eternal partner. I'm struggling to see past that, Desi."

"But did he know what could've happened? That's the part I truly don't know. I think he just thought he was going to fuck things up for my dad regarding the bet and get on his daddy's good side. I don't think he would've come down here if he knew it would physically harm anyone. Least of all me. Cannon knows I was never going to love him like I love you, but he does care about me, Jace."

He tangles his fingers with mine and brings my knuckles to his lips. "And that is why you were made to be a queen. I can't judge fairly when it comes to your wellbeing. I've come to discover that I'm blinded by love." He flashes me one last charming smile before the coachman opens the door.

I squeeze his hand and we crawl out of the carriage, attempting to not appear like we just got done making out, but of course, Lux is right there climbing out of the carriage in front of us, grinning like the asshole he is.

"Well, well, looks like our little royal couple got reacquainted on the ride over," he mutters, leaning in toward me and Jace with a teasing smirk on his full lips.

My face burns and I shoot him a glare, tucking myself in close to Jace's side. "Shut it, Lux."

"Come on, little sister. Own your lust because you two sure as hell can't contain it when you're around each other."

Images of Jace and I making a spectacle of ourselves at the family dining table flash through my head. If I'm being honest, the thought of us acting affectionate in front of my family isn't as repulsive as it once was. I want them to know that I can't keep my hands off Jace, and it is another extension of the love I feel for him.

Jace surprises me by leaning in and nibbling at my earlobe. "I'll be happy to help you show them all up," he whispers against my neck as if he were reading my mind.

I grin and bump him with my hip. "You're naughty. We have extremely pressing matters at hand right now, sir."

"I can't believe you were going to bond yourself to this piece of shit for the rest of your existence," Colére says, pushing a restrained Cannon forward.

The remorse written on Cannon's face tugs at my heart. It isn't the type of regret one has when they are caught doing something wrong. The sadness radiating from him is like a heavy weight causing his shoulders to slump and his face to contort in pain. Perhaps I'm mistaking his fear of his punishment as something deserving of my pity. Knowing Dex may sentence him to the In Between and set his soul on its final journey could trigger his regret. It's hard to decipher what the true state of his emotions is.

"He's not a piece of shit," I mumble under my breath, and Jace looks down at me, squeezing my hip. I glance up at him and lift one shoulder. "I just can't believe he did this on purpose." I hate the tears that fill my eyes as we walk toward the atrium where Dex presides. I don't want to shed a tear for Cannon, but I can't help it. All the memories we made together are rushing back to me—all the Star Wars movies we watched on the couch, the trips to eat fried pickles, ice skating, target shooting—was all of that a ruse and I am that foolish? I just can't believe that.

"I know," he says, placing a kiss on top of my head. "It is hard to believe that my little hurricane is a soft-hearted demon queen."

My lips turn up into a reluctant smile and as we stop behind the rest of my family, I turn to him and press my body flush against his. Raising to my tiptoes, I whisper, "I may have some soft spots, but don't worry; I have plenty of rough patches that I save especially for my king."

"Rough patches?" One side of his mouth quirks. "I'm very interested in seeing what those parts entail."

"And I'm happy to show you."

Jace places a hand on either side of my face and presses his lips to mine. "You are all over the place in this moment. I think you can't figure out if you want to ravish me in the back of the carriage or do your duty and get to the bottom of what Cannon was really up to when he came here."

I smile against his mouth. "Oh, no, I have figured it out. I want nothing more than to take the carriage back to the palace, ravish you in my bed, and then figure out Cannon's motivations in the morning. Unfortunately, that's not an option."

He shakes his head and guides me into the atrium behind my family.

My father leads to the way up the white steps leading to enormous stone doors. The moment we step inside, the atmosphere changes. It becomes lighter, as if nothing resides in the space, not gravity or air. We are no longer in Infernis, or Pax, or the human realm. This is the In Between–the place the most powerful being in the universe calls home. Images depicting the creation of the realms are chiseled into the towering walls and arched ceiling of the judicial building. A woman sits behind a raised desk and peers down at us.

Her dark-brown almost black eyes rake over each of us. Her dark hair is pulled into a tight bun, placing her sharp nose and round cheeks on perfect display. The golden robe she wears contrasts with her red lipstick but complements her brown skin.

"Chaos," she says, and her voice is steeped with authority, even more so than my father's. "My clerk has filled me in on the gist of the story here, but I want to hear directly from the parties involved—namely Desideria and Cannon." She looks around the room, her bottomless eyes landing on all of us before saying, "Where is Angelo?"

My father opens his mouth to answer, but his words are cut short.

"Sorry I'm late. I was in the middle of this relax fest and just chilling to some psychedelic tunes. Man, there is nothing like some shrooms and great music to help you find your zen."

Dex raises a sculpted brow and clicks her tongue on the top of her mouth. "If you're done enlightening us about your latest mental trip, we have a problem that must be addressed. And surprise, surprise—it is your son involved, Angelo."

The older angel flashes a look that has his son flinching.

"Father," Cannon says, the normal certainty he speaks with muted into a timid greeting

"How and why did you end up in Infernis?" His voice is so buttery smooth, and if I didn't know better, I'd think he was actually confused. "Do you want to kill every demon in Infernis, including the demon you nearly bonded yourself to. Explain. Now."

Jace shifts beside me and crosses his arms over his chest. He lifts his brows and turns to our friend, giving him his undivided attention. The next words that come out of Cannon's mouth will make or break them; these two men who have formed a fast friendship built on so many common interests. I don't think any of that was fake, and at worst, it was a coincidence of Cannon's ulterior motives.

Cannon's eyes harden with rage. "Your directives were clear the last time we spoke. You told me to do whatever it took to keep Desi from finding her partner. You didn't care if, and I quote, 'I had to marry the demon.' I did what you asked to prove myself. Where did you think I'd have to go to marry her, Dad?"

Angelo shakes his head and laughs. Laughs. "Cannon, you must've skipped school on the day they talked about what happens if an angel comes to Infernis."

Cannon's eyes narrow. "You know damn good and well I never missed a day of school. They never—"

"They did; you just weren't listening. Or you don't care about the order of things. I raised you better than this, son."

"You were hardly there for my upbringing!"

Cannon fights against his restraints and takes a step closer to Angelo. Like he is reining in an angry dog, my father calmly grips the back of Cannon's shirt and holds him in place.

Jace elbows me and I look up at him to see his eyes as wide as saucers. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"He's lying."

My heart sinks. Everything is about to come to a head and boil over. Cannon played me. He was never my friend. He never cared. Worse than that, even, he played Jace. He made Jace think he cared about him, that he was his friend. Jace has already been abandoned by so many people in his life. Now his best friend?

"Fuck, I think Dex will put Cannon to—"

Jace grabs my arm, leans down and hisses in my ear, "No. Not Cannon. Angelo."