Sarah Z. Creates

“So it has come to this.” His voice was implacable. “You must choose. I will not accept your divided loyalties; they work against my plans. This is your choice: abandon your other masters, or die.”

Dennis grinned, a feral thing that should have made Iago flinch, but didn’t. It appeared the pup had grown up.

“Is this what our history gains me, my friend? And after all I’ve done for you.”

At Dennis’ words, a strange vulnerability passed over Iago’s face.

“What have you done for me, Dennis? Condemned me to an eternity of slavery and lifetimes of emptiness and cruelty? You’ve made me a monster, when I was a prince.”

Dennis laughed, so mocking that Iago flinched.

“You were always a monster, you fool. I simply gave you lifetimes to leash it for greater purposes. Lifetimes you wanted, I might add.”

Now Iago’s face hardened into cruelty, but his posture relaxed. His voice was soft when he spoke.

“Then choose, Dennis.” Ice filled him at Iago’s words. A hand rose to his chest at the strange sensation where nothing but emptiness had been for so long. “But know that this death will be true death.” Dennis flinched, and Iago smiled.

“Oh, yes. I’ve learned much in my studies. Things you thought impossible.” Dennis took a step back, feeling the ice consume that terrible, ravening hole in him. Iago couldn’t be telling the truth. He was owned. Iago couldn’t steal what Dennis no longer had.

“I’ll take my chances.” It was all bravado. So many of his choices were made on the edge of a knife.

Sadness flickered in Iago’s eyes, then nothing.

“Very well.”

And the ice turned to pain. Ripping, terrible agony, and he knew that Iago could do the impossible. He would die, and his soul — broken, warped and stained as it was — would fade. No one would remember him. No one who knew him would want to.

“No!”