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“In time, other gods were created to join us. Like the goddesses of love, and fertility, and the gods of serenity, and truth, and many more. Not as powerful as the original seven but strong and gifted. My sister Katana and Atlanta fell in love and had many children. Creed, Era and Synick mated with several of the lesser gods, even with the elves, fae, and dragons. And that’s when the prejudices began.” She frowned. “As you well know, Elora mated with Creed only to have a pair of twins and no others.”

Hel nodded. “Elora was said to be jealous of his many other lovers. So, she only had my mother, and War’s father.”

“Yes, Elora the goddess of wisdom is too intelligent to be played for a fool, but she got what she wanted out of the relationship.” Valeen pressed her lips together and looked at him but for only a moment. “I remained chaste. I didn’t want children to bring into the power struggles. It became a competition to see who could create the most gifted and strongest, all to help the realms, they claimed, but I saw it as greed, and what this power did to the others. We were supposed to be the peacekeepers among the realms, and many of the others used the realms as their playgrounds.”

“I always heard you remained chaste but,” he cleared his suddenly tight throat and tugged at the collar that felt too snug around his neck. “Don’t try to murder me again for asking but are you still? It’s difficult to imagine—it’s been thousands of years.”

She arched her brow. “May I finish the story?”

“Please do,” he said, tucking his hands back in his pockets to resist the urge to touch her. He didn’t know why but he wanted to hold her hand or brush her beautiful golden skin.

“Your Uncle Synick had long desired me. He said we’d have the most powerful children, stronger than anyone. When I refused him, he grew angry. Somehow he got ahold of the Sword of Truth, the only weapon at the time that could kill one of us immortals. Instead of using it on me, he put it where it would hurt me most, the one I loved more than anything, my sister Katana.”

Hel swallowed hard. Now that was one part of the tale he’d never heard before. There were stories of Katana’s murder, but it was said no one knew the perpetrator.

“After I lost her, I shut myself inside my territory, cut off from the other gods. I built my fortress, wards, and walls no one could cross. I hid away from the fighting, the bickering, the mating, and the scheming, and let my people, who I’d brought from other realms, prosper in peace and harmony.

“And for an age I made myself into a weapon. I learned cunning and guile, combat, and war. I studied the realms, the other gods—lesser and full-blooded alike, until I knew everything about them. I didn’t need children to be the most powerful. I would forge myself into the greatest weapon and bide my time.”

“I am—” somehow “sorry for your loss” wasn’t fitting or nearly enough. He believed every word she said, felt it all to be true. This was why she hid away for so long, why she killed Synick—it wasn’t murder, this was vengeance. “Why doesn’t anyone else know Synick killed Katana? We need to make this known so you can be absolved if anyone ever finds out.”

“They won’t believe it. I tried to convince Atlanta and he didn’t accept it. He said one of the primordials wouldn’t do it—we were all too close, too connected. And that may have been true at one time but then, we’d grown apart. Atlanta believed it to be a jealous god, who would stand to gain from her death. When a primordial dies, their powers are transferred to others in their line.”

“He thought it was one of their own children? They couldn’t have known that. No primordial had ever died before.”

She lifted a shoulder.

“But how did you know for certain it was Synick?”

Valeen looked him straight in the eyes. “Because he told me. He wanted me to know. He took pleasure in seeing me break. He said it would only be his word against mine and it’s not as if the council would exile him—he was the head of the council. If I’d had a weapon to kill him, I’d have tried right then. It wasn’t long after that Soulender was found by Elora, and Katana’s death sparked the wars between the Drivaar and the Primevar. People started placing blame on our creators for giving us weapons that could kill immortals, and we chose sides.”

“But you didn’t fight in the battles.”

“No but I do praise the All Mother and I believe she gave Soulender to us because Synick was given the Sword of Truth by the Maker.”

“That is the story, but I never understood why he would do that. As if he wanted to spark a war?”

“No one knows. The Maker isn’t evil. Sometimes I wonder if Synick got the weapon some other way. He claimed to have found it. But the Maker and All Mother haven’t shown themselves since… I don’t even remember how long it’s been. I can’t even recall their faces anymore.” Her chest rose as she took in a deep breath. “But they said we’d know pain and certainly, we do.”

“But you also know joy, happiness, and love, don’t you? The bad times make you appreciate the good more and all that… or so they say.”

She lifted a shoulder. “I am not unhappy, but I don’t remember the last time I truly felt something other than when I drove Soulender through Synick’s heart, and that was glorious.”

Hel flicked his fingers and a civar appeared between them. “These help a little with that.” Had she truly smiled or laughed or allowed anyone to love her? “Want to try it?” He brought it to his lips and breathed in.

“I gave up trying to feel better with substances a long time ago. It’s fleeting, not real.”

“You’re better than I then.” He blew out a cloud. “Who was that blond male with you at the party?”

“Presco, my dragon scholar.” The corners of her mouth curved ever so slightly. “Why do you ask?”

His eyebrows raised and he shrugged. “Curiosity.” It was much too soon to admit he was jealous of the male who got to hang on her arm. “Did you explain your story to War?”

“No, I’ll leave that up to you.” She let out a quick breath. “I also wanted to apologize for my reaction to you and for stabbing you with Soulender. I was the one who let you inside. I should have behaved differently. Since you were Primevar and so close to Synick—I prejudged you. I hope I am not wrong by trusting you enough to bring you here.”

“I am nothing like him and I wouldn’t say we were close.” He took another pull on his civar. “And no harm, no foul. I apologize for making threats as I was the trespasser. You didn’t do anything I wouldn’t have.” His gaze dropped to the lily mark on her arm, and he ran his fingertips over it. She jerked back in surprise, as if he’d shocked her. “You don’t like being touched, do you?”

“It just surprised me. It’s not customary to touch so casually in my territory.”