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Odd choice of words,Layala thought.

“I hope this is to your liking, Mr. Black.”

Hel finally tore his gaze from Layala and tipped the wine back. It was gone in moments. “It is.” Then he pushed Piper off his lap and stepped away. His hand ran through his dark, shaggy hair and shoved the empty glass at the tailor.

Layala watched him carefully, his tense shoulders, the slight narrowing of his eyes, the hard line of his lips. He was upset, but why? Maybe it made him think of who she was and the goddess he lost.

Still smiling, Mr. Drenovan said, “I will have the dresses packaged and sent to the castle at once.”

“Thank you, Mr. Drenovan,” Hel said and headed toward the exit. Hopefully he’d keep walking and leave them alone. The door opened with the chime of a bell, but he paused in the doorway, looking over his shoulder. “Get changed, ladies. We need to get back to the castle. I’ll be waiting outside.”

* * *

THANE

Thane satat the desk in his office, leaning over the book he discovered behind a hidden bookshelf in his father’s old bedroom. It was the first he’d found with tales of the gods and goddesses of Runevale.

The curtains were pulled wide, allowing an abundance of light into his office. The smell of fresh-cut lemons for the tea in Fennan’s hand lingered in the air. Fennan sat in a leather chair with his feet propped up on the side table and a book in his lap, a white teacup in one hand. The final matches for the new group went well. Most of the recruits were ready to go out and join the ranks save for a handful. So, the three of them bathed and changed into fresh clothes filling the room with a variety of fragrant soaps.

“What if we put a large dose of katagas serum in his drink? The smaller doses on the barbs aren’t enough but something more?” Leif asked as he paced back and forth. The sound of his boots hitting the floor had become calming rather than irritating. “And we want him dead, right?”

Thane looked up from the page. It would be difficult to explain to them why they couldn’t kill him in a way they would understand. To them he was the Black Mage, the creator of the pale ones. To him, Hel was his family.

Fennan scoffed. “Of course, we want him dead. What kind of question is that?”

Leif stopped at the window and sat on the ledge. “What if he dies and magic disappears entirely from everywhere?”

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Fennan argued. “He’s given the title because that’s his affinity, not that he created all magic.”

“You don’t know that,” Leif fired back.

“I believe Fennan is right in this regard,” Thane said, rubbing his scruffy chin. He needed a shave. “Mages can use his spells but not everyone can. He isn’t in charge of who is born with magic and who isn’t, but he can gift magic to others. Hence the runes.”

“So, when he died, elf mages stopped being born?” Leif crossed his arms.

“That’s part of our curse,” Fennan said. “The Maker took away our magic for what we’ve done. And we thought Layala and Thane were mages, but they’re not, are they? They’re elves with the power of gods.”

“Yes,” Thane agreed. “But I think it would have been the All Mother who took magic away, as she is the balance in all things. It wasn’t Hel’s doing even if he played a part. The large dose of katagas serum will not work. Besides, trying will only anger him enough to kill someone I care about, and at this point he’s playing nice.”

Thane glanced back down at the page.Only two weapons can kill a god of Runevale, a dagger known as Soulender, and the Sword of Truth. Soulender was given to the Drivaar from the All Mother and the Sword of Truth to the Primevar gifted by the Maker to keep the balance between the two sides. During the wars the Primevar attained both weapons, effectively calling a treaty between the sides where peace lasted until the Great War of the Realms and both went missing.

Thane’s body stiffened. Hel was looking for something. Something Valeen had… Did she know where one of these weapons was?Was that why the assassin wanted her dead? Another thing Thane couldn’t figure out was how the gods were able to end their lives the first time. It was evident the gods didn’t use either weapon or Layala, Thane, and Hel wouldn’t be alive here and now. They’d have been gone for good.

“Listen to this,” Thane said. “Remember I told you he wants to go back home and that he was being punished. This says it right here, “and Valeen, Hel, and War had their immortality bound up and were slaughtered for their mutiny, murder, and crimes against the council, forever punished to live and die as mortals but never go to Serenity, the realm of everlasting peace where souls go to rest. Never privileged to be gods again,” he held up his finger, “Unlessthey prove themselves worthy.”

“According to whose standard? What is worthiness?” Fennan asked.

“It doesn’t go into more detail,” Thane said, and leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and got lost in what felt like a dream…

The Past

A single tear rolled down Valeen’s flushed cheek. She was on her knees before the eleven council members, and he, beside her. Rows and rows of levels went up toward the golden, domed ceiling where people from all over Runevale hung over railings to watch their demise. It was unprecedented to see gods being punished, and to have a primordial goddess bound by magic and on her knees was unheard of. His mind raced on how they could get out of this. Every exit was covered by guards. Hundreds surrounded them in the rows of benches and even people standing in the aisles. If he had more time he would work his way out of the bonds around his neck, wrists, and ankles.

War turned his head slightly to his father standing in the front row to the left; not a member of the council but they wanted to vote him in to take the place of a member Valeen had killed weeks prior.Look at me, Look at me.But Balneir wouldn’t meet his eyes.Don’t let them do this,he silently pleaded.

War leaned forward slightly, to peek at Hel on the other side of Valeen. Hel’s spine was erect, his chin held high. Not an ounce of remorse or fear showed in his features but when did he ever show how he felt? If anyone could get out of these bonds and escape it would be him, but it wouldn’t matter. He wouldn’t help War or Valeen, not after everything…

“You will answer for your crimes,” said Percillia, the council leader. “You were ordered to stand down. Your wars spilled over into Ryvengaard, Adalon, and Vangra, not to mention the chaos and destruction you have caused here in Runevale. You were ordered to hand over Soulender and you refused. All three of you are sentenced to exile by execution.”