Page 65 of Bride of Death

“Not exactly. But their Sources—also known as the beacons of power that support each fae realm—all came from the Virtuous Fae Source.”

“Except for the Mythos Fae,” she parrots back at me.

“Precisely,” I tell her. “Because we don’t have a Source.”

“Oh. Is that… normal?”

“No,” Maliki answers for me. “All faedoms have Sources. But Mythos Fae are not really fae.”

“I think that’s up for debate,” I tell him.

“There’s a reason you’re seen as Gods and not fae,” he returns. “You’re literally walking beacons of power.”

I nod. “True.”

“And many of you have your own worlds,” he adds.

“Also true,” I concede. “I own the dream world. Hades maintains the world of the dead. Ares manages Pandora’s Box. We all have our own realms, some of which we share. Such as Hades and Orcus, though Hades is the more powerful of the pair.”

Serapina swallows, then freezes when she spies something—or rather,someone—ahead.

I smile. “Abigail, darling, thank you for ensuring my suite was ready for my arrival.”

The Beta does her best to mask her shock, but I see it in her reddish-brown eyes as she forces them to stop rounding. “Y-yes, Alpha. Of course. Shall I… ready any guest rooms?”

I shake my head. “No, we won’t be staying long.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Maliki mutters.

Ignoring him, I look at Serapina. “This is Beta Abigail. She helps maintain my palace in exchange for my protection.” Refocusing on the Beta, I add, “Abigail, this is Serapina. And the surly one is Maliki.”

Abigail nods her head, then curtsies toward me. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, my lord.”

It’s a title I don’t particularly care for, but I nod in acknowledgment. Then wait to see if she notices what Serapina is. The scent seems obvious to me, but I’m also tied to Serapina in a unique way. Just like Hades.

When all Abigail does is curtsy once more and excuse herself, I frown a bit to myself.

There’s something not quite right about Serapina’s Omega status. I’ve known this since she arrived in the Netherworld, and confirmed it when she never went into heat. But the fact that Abigail couldn’t even sense a whiff of it suggests the issue runs deeper than Serapina’s lack of an estrous cycle.

What did you do to your daughter, Demeter?I wonder as I force myself to resume walking. “You may meet a few other Betas,” I tell Serapina, then go on to explain how I’ve offered them safe haven here in exchange for maintaining the palace.

She nods in understanding while taking in the painted ceilings of the hallway. They’re reminiscent of some famous art from the Vatican in the Human Realm, though I don’t tell herthat, as she’s never been. Instead, I just let her marvel at the pastel angels and golden adornments.

It’s all rather mystical, which is intentional, as I enjoy fantasy elements and color.

While she admires the designs, I continue our discussion on fae Sources and how our kind are living beings of power.

“Specifically Alphas,” I inform her. “Alphas are therefore protectors as well.”

I elaborate by explaining the hierarchy, how Alphas are revered among the Betas.

“They’re born powerless.” I tell her. “It’s what marks them as Betas. Now, I don’t mean they’re mortal or on par with a human in regard to strength or ability. I just mean they have no inner Source. So they pledge fealty to an Alpha in exchange for mythical energy.”

All my Betas can access the dream world, something I tell Serapina now.

Then I go on to talk about the final type of Mythos Fae. The most important type. The type that ceased to exist many moons ago.Omegas.

Chapter 16