"You hesitate, Artemis."
The words slithered through the darkened chamber like a serpent, curling around Artemis like an invisible noose. Nemesis leaned against her throne, watching him with an amused smirk as she swirled a dark liquid in a crystal goblet. The flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows across the stone walls, making the place feel more suffocating than it already was.
Artemis stood rigid, his hands clenched at his sides. He shouldn't be here. He knew that. But here he was.
"You summoned me," he said coolly, keeping his expression neutral.
Nemesis chuckled. "And you came. That says something, doesn't it?" She tilted her head. "Perhaps you're not as loyal to them as they think."
His jaw tightened. "I don't betray my own."
"Don't you?" Nemesis mused, setting her goblet down on the armrest. "Then tell me, Artemis, why did you come alone?"
Silence.
Her smirk widened. "Because something inside you wants to hear what I have to say."
He hated that she was right.
