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“I have an offer for you, Tessa Baran. Your sister was taken from you. Release me from my captivity, and I will return her to you. She will be restored to everything she was before.”

The world paused around me. I stared at the stone, her words echoing in my ears. For a moment, I couldn’t do anything but wonder if I’d heard her right. But then the full weight of her words slammed into me. My knees wobbled. I clutched the wall, blinking back the burning tears, hating myself for the horrid hope twisting through me.

I could get Nellie back.

“Nellie,” I whispered, her name like acid on my tongue.Nellie, Nellie, Nellie. Her bloodied face flashed in my mind. The image of her head rolling toward me and—

My hand slammed against my mouth as nausea shook my stomach. A sob choked me. Buzzing filled my head.

I couldn’t be here. I couldn’t hear this.

But I couldn’t turn away from it, either.

I had the chance to bring her back.

Desperation clawed at my gut. Everything within me wanted to say yes. The god had known there was only one thing I could say when presented with this choice. I had to take it. I had to let her out.

And loose a god back on the world once more.

My stomach twisted. I could barely breathe.

“What is your decision, Tessa Baran?” the god asked in a voice that betrayed her emotion. She desperately wanted me to say yes, and she thought she had me. Who could turn something like that down? Who would say no to saving her beloved sister, the sweetest creature who had ever walked this earth? Her life had been stolen far too soon by a monster who wanted to bring back the gods—who wanted to become one himself.

I hissed between clenched teeth. “What will you do if I let you loose? Where will you go?”

The gemstone flickered. “That is none of your concern.”

My heart twisted over on itself. “Yes, it is. If I let you out of there, I’m responsible for whatever happens next. What will you do?”

The stone rumbled, shaking the ground. “I will find a way to reunite with the rest of my soul.”

“And where is that?” I asked sharply.

A sigh. “King Oberon of Albyria has the rest of me. You, of all people, should understand why I would want this.”

Alarm flashed through me. “Oberonhas part of a god’s soul?”

“Trapped in a stone,” the god said quietly. “But you don’t need to concern yourself with any of that. You can reunite with your sister and leave these lands for the human kingdoms beyond the sea. Start a life somewhere new, far from war and mists and wicked kings.”

I leaned against the wall. Nellie’s face flashed in my mind. I could hear her laughter echoing through my ears. My heart shattering into a million pieces, I brushed my tears aside and tried to imagine a future where we took off on a grand adventure, Mother and Val by our sides. Maybe we could find an island somewhere and feel the hot sand between our toes. No one would follow us. Oberon and his cruelty could be long forgotten far away from here.

And destruction would rain down on everyone else.

I blew a breath through parted lips, pain ripping through me. “No.”

My voice echoed through the cavern.

Stunned silence was my only answer. And then a scream. So loud and so harsh, it scraped against my bones. The ground began to rumble, knocking me sideways.

I slammed my hands over my ears as I whirled away from the god, only to come face to face with a tall, muscular figure sheathed in mist. Kalen stared at me from the entrance to the cavern, his gaze hard, his eyes full of harsh fire.

Swallowing hard, I fisted my hands and braced myself for his shouted words. He’d told me, time and time again, to ignore the call of the god. Instead of listening, here I was. And I’d come so close to releasing her.

He would never look at me the same again.

“Come here,” he murmured, surprising me.

I squared my shoulders. “You can’t just order me around.”