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Sudden pain filled Arianna’s chest and she gripped the area, unable to hide her horror. “That’s awful.”

Niall nodded, his face grim. “It was, but what followed was even worse.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have to understand, she lived in a very different time and not everything was recorded as it is now. We’ve pieced together some documents over the years and heard even more stories. History claims she was in love with another before she found her mate. She’d promised herself to him and broke their promises. Some say he lost his mind and was consumed by jealousy.”

“That male killed him?”

Niall shrugged. “That’s what the stories say.”

They exited the manor and Arianna followed Niall down the garden path, past the vaults and storehouses until they stood before the quiet cathedral. She’d never visited before, afraid to run into Fina. Arianna was certain the female still didn’t like her.

Niall held the door open for her and Talon and they filed inside.

Seven statues depicting the gods and goddesses stood around the room, their eyes watching all who entered with stern expressions that raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Incense burned at their feet, giving the air a hazy glow. Light filtered in through large rectangular slats in the ceiling. Candles and a few massive braziers were lit all around the area. But it was the central statue standing on a pedestal against the back wall that drew Arianna’s attention.

The statue was massive, at least three times the size of the others, and depicted a female who was equal parts beautiful and ethereal. Powerful and calm. Her face was both serene and anguished in a way Arianna had never seen and it pulled at something deep in her heart, forming an ache so vast she felt Rion’s concern from the other end of their bond.

She briefly sent waves of calm to let him know she was all right.

Dozens upon dozens of fresh floral bouquets were laid out at the female’s feet, piled high and around as if worshipers delivered them every day. Arianna wondered if the gods were jealous of the female.

The Divine.

Niall’s voice was soft when he spoke again. “You might see her as a failure and perhaps others have labeled her the same, but there are a great many who still worship her despite her faults.”

Arianna studied the statue and the water droplets across the female’s skin. They rose around the female’s body like a wave. “What do you think of her?”

“I think she suffered a great loss. I think the world put unfair expectations on a young female and her heart was split in two for most of her life. And those are the exact things I’d like to prevent from happening again.”

Arianna glanced at Niall, but he wasn’t looking at her. She recalled all the times he’d mentioned Arianna taking her time and how he didn’t want to burden her with too much too soon. It suddenly made sense now. Niall didn’t want to see history repeat itself.

Niall continued. “She made enough of an impression that someone built this structure in her likeness. So I won’t fault her, even if she did cause irreversible damage in the end.”

“What do you mean?”

He tilted his head toward her and sun-kissed strands of hair hung over his pained expression. “Her history was burned because she, herself, set fire to it.” He turned back to the statue and Arianna waited with breath held for his next words. “She waged war across the continent, searching for the one responsible for her mate’s death. She was grieving and wasn’t in her right mind. Countless paid the price for it and her grief is what killed her in the end.”

The ache rose in Arianna’s chest, bitter and binding. Arianna studied the female’s face again. She’d lost her mate. Her tie to happiness in a world that expected too much.

A sense of obligation settled through her. Arianna could do it. She had her mate. She had her family and friends. She’d bring peace and set the previous Divine’s heart to rest.

But Arianna would do it one day at a time. She’d take up the mantle and do what the previous Divine hadn’t been able. And she’d do it with her mate at her side.

Chapter Fifty

Rion

Rion returned to the village for the seventh day in a row and marveled at everything he had accomplished in such a short span of time.

He’d completed one building and had the framework set for three others. Each had four walls, a roof, and sturdy floors. He’d finished a chimney yesterday and planned to build another today.

Ellie had dug a second well, just in case the first dried up, and he had discovered a pond not too far south, but it was so murky and foul smelling that he’d steered clear and would advise others to do the same.

It felt too much like the Harpy’s lands, ancient and menacing in a way that made his skin crawl. Rion hoped to never know what lurked in the shallow depths.

Rion jumped from his horse but paused at the unknown scents floating through the air. Footprints littered the ground as if they’d examined each structure before settling one.