Page 14 of Even in Death (The Fragile Divine #2)

13

A SOUL FOR A SOUL

Cassian

The Past

Do not seek me out again. I mean it.

Cassian sat on his throne. He brushed his thumb over his bottom lip in a repetitive motion, mind lost in the final moments he’d shared with Finnian a few days prior.

The young god’s touch, the taste of his lips—they haunted him. How long could he stay away from Finnian? Was that truly what Finnian wished?

Cassian glided a hand through his hair and sighed.

A light gust brushed across his cheek. In his periphery, Mavros materialized beside him.

“My lord,” he greeted, reverently.

“How many souls today?” Cassian asked, continuing to peer through the long stretch of his throne room.

“One. He has come to you several times before.”

Cassian rested his head back on the stone. “Bring them in.”

“My lord, before we begin, I must inform you, there are over one-hundred souls unaccounted for today. The Errai say it is the young god.”

Cassian’s jaw set, a stone hardening in his chest. “I will deal with it.”

“Iliana has sent her boyden with a message requesting an update on the issue.”

“Mavros,” Cassian turned his head to look over at his attendant.

Mavros’s gaze flitted down at him. “Yes, my lord?”

“Please bring in the soul so I can move along with my day.”

Mavros gave an exasperated sigh and bowed his chin obediently. “Right away, my lord.”

The massive iron doors unfolded at the end of the hall. A soul flanked by two Errai entered down the velvet pathway lining their feet. The hem of the deities’ graphite cloaks swayed at their ankles as they strode. Their plated masks glistened like liquid white and black marble under the firelight.

Cassian took in the soul between them. It appeared in its human form, but Cassian could see the beaming orb of red tinges flaring at different capacities, like a ball of berry crimson, levitating in the space of its ribcage.

Once a soul entered the afterlife, they could choose to shed their human forms and scour the Land in the natural forms of their spirit. However, the trend was to do it only at night or deep within shadows of the wisteria. As the dusk fell upon the realm, glowing orbs of light filled Caius and illuminated the trees like vibrant treasures.

Cassian loved to sit and watch them on the balcony of his bedchamber, swirling around the midnight sky.

Like fireflies.

Finnian, feathered in the snowy moonlight, appeared in his thoughts.

He swiftly dismissed the image and refocused, analyzing the soul a bit longer.

Embedded within the fluttering orb’s cherry-red outer layer was an intense density. Streaks of red currant and mahogany entwined around its core. The markings of wisdom.

This soul had lived six different lives in the past six centuries, when most souls only reincarnated once every two to three centuries.

The soul yearned for something—or someone .

They stopped at the steps of the dais and bowed.

Cassian rose from his throne and descended the steps towards the soul. “You wish to reincarnate again?”

The soul did not look up. “Yes.”

Something about it beckoned his full attention. “What do you seek?”

“My other half.”

“May I check something?”

The soul lifted its chin and gave a small nod.

Cassian gently pushed his hand through the nebulous form of the soul’s abdomen and grasped their spirit. Its human form disfigured into smoke as he held the floating ball of energy in the palm of his hand. It burned brighter, a hauntingly beautiful, blood red globe. Cassian balanced it with ease.

Divine power pulsed down his arm. Dark tendrils splayed like trails of smoke from his fingertips and curled around the soul.

Show me.

Streams of achromatic light burst through the outer shell of the soul. Around it was a web, glistening and reflecting in the heavenly glow like oiled strings.

The threads of Fate.

Cassian could not see the threads of one’s Fate outside of his realm. However, in his Land, while they were one of his souls, he could glimpse it with a single touch.

Tracking the threads, he pieced together this soul’s destiny—how it would be reborn for the seventh time and finally meet its other half. His time with them would be short, and a powerful goddess would tragically end his life. It would require time to recover after such a traumatic death. When they healed, they would reappear before Cassian again and request to be reincarnated once more.

Cassian would grant it, knowing that time would be the final one. Its threads were intertwined with a soul he’d met once before. A goddess with no title who would one day bore a demigod from the Himura clan.

“Ha,” Cassian breathed out, smiling darkly. A zealous hunger wound through his insides.

He retracted the claws of his divine power and released the soul. It fabricated back into its human form.

Cassian tucked his hands inside his pockets. “You may enter the River of Eden and return to the Land of Entity to be reborn. I hope you find what you are looking for in this lifetime.”

The soul lifted its face to meet Cassian’s eyes, honed and full of tenacity. “I will find her this time.”

Cassian admired its perseverance.

The soul turned and started back down the velvet lining.

The two Errai bowed their chins to Cassian before turning to follow.

“I am counting on it,” Cassian murmured, watching the soul step through the doors.

Mavros descended the stairs unhurriedly to Cassian’s side. “My lord, you seem disturbingly eager.”

When Cassian did not respond, Mavros turned his head and stared at him.

Cassian’s cheek prickled from his inquisitive gaze. “No need to fret, Mavros. It appears a solution has fallen right into my lap.”

“Do tell, my lord.” It came out with dry enthusiasm.

“I do not appreciate your tone.” Cassian pinned him with a look.

Mavros maintained passivity as he said, “My sincerest apologies, my lord.”

“You can express your apology by delivering a message for me, to the High Goddess of the Sea.”

Cassian topped his freshly squeezed lemonade with a mint leaf and journeyed through his kitchen onto the balcony overlooking his garden. A canopy of climbing vines led to a series of pointed, arching basalt stone ruins covering the walkway.

He took a sip of his drink and admired the night embers and black pansies encasing the entrance of the arch, dangling with eucalyptus.

Mavros materialized behind him and scooted out a chair tucked underneath the outdoor table.

“Cassian,” he greeted, his tone less formal than usual.

While Cassian appreciated Attendant Mavros greatly, he favored Friend Mavros.

“I take it this is an off-duty visit.” Cassian sat across from him and offered a drink of his citrusy beverage.

Mavros shook his head and settled back in the chair. He crossed his arms over the dreadlocks resting on his chest and fixed Cassian with a look. “It’s not entirely an off-duty visit, but my formalities have run dry for the day. I suppose we could chat as friends would.”

Cassian lifted an eyebrow while taking another swig of his drink. The tang and mint washed across his tongue. A delightful combination. “Did you give her the list?”

Mavros reached for Cassian’s drink, apparently changing his mind. After taking a sip, his face twisted in a grimace. “Yes.” He slid it back across the table and refolded his arms. “That is truly disgusting.”

Cassian wiped the lip smudge on the rim of the glass. “And?”

Mavros released a ragged exhale. “Mira agreed to take responsibility for her son’s necromancy. Malik will take the list of souls you’ve given and slaughter them.”

The list contained individuals in the Mortal Land who were corrupt and failed to learn empathy and compassion, even after multiple reincarnations. Cassian only gave a soul so many chances before casting them into the Serpentine Forest for the Achlys to feast on.

Cassian took another swig, noting how Mavros purposely avoided his gaze. “Is there more?”

“Balance will be restored in our realm for the souls we are losing because of the young god, but…” Mavros fidgeted with his lip between his teeth.

Cassian folded his hands in his lap, a physical attempt to cling to his patience. “Mavros, I swear on my title if you do not spit it out?—”

Distressed, Mavros rubbed at his forehead. “For Lady Mira to oblige, reciprocity is required . Her words.”

Cassian gave a satisfied smile. “Wonderful.”

Mavros looked up and his face fell at the sight of Cassian’s approval. “How dare she propose a bargain with you ?” He sat up straight in his chair, planting the heel of his fist down on the table. “The goddess is absurd if she thinks?—”

“Mavros.” Cassian lifted a hand to stop him. “Do you honestly believe I sent you to request something from Mira without a proper plan in place? The High Goddess is obsessed with power and control. I knew she would use the situation to her advantage, which is why I sent you to her. Now, I assume she requested I curse an individual of her choosing?”

Mavros slouched back in his chair, baffled. “That is exactly what she requested.”

“Lovely.”

“What plan could you possibly have to involve such a disgraceful excuse of a goddess and her unhinged son? I don’t feel an inkling of guilt for the souls Malik will slaughter, but you and I both know whatever he does to them, the souls will come back utterly broken.”

Cassian gave a breathy laugh, amused by Mavros’s nervous rambling. “Do you recall the soul who came to visit me the other day?”

“The one who reincarnated for the seventh time?” Mavros drawled. “Why yes, Cassian, I was there.”

Cassian rolled his eyes at Mavros’s sarcasm. “I glimpsed into their Fate, and it appears that I am braided within its threads.”

Mavros shook his head. “How so?”

“The soul will find its other half in this life. Shortly after, it will be murdered.” He paused and took another quick sip of his drink, let out a satisfying sound, and continued. “When it is reborn for the eighth time, it will be a member of the Himura clan. When it turns twenty-eight, it will find its other half and together, they will have a child.”

“Who is its other half?”

Cassian smirked. “Naia.”

Mavros’s eyes grew in realization. “A demigod child within the Himura clan.”

“I presume you are aware of the Himura clan and what demigods in its bloodline can do to us?”

“That means the goddess will leave Kaimana.” Mavros rubbed a hand over his face, exasperation tugging at the corners of his eyes.

“When Mira drags her back, that is when I will be summoned to curse her to Kaimana.”

Mavros reached over the table again and grabbed his drink. “What do you gain from cursing her?” He took a giant swig and then hissed between his teeth.

“To give her a reason to summon me on her eight-hundredth year and ask me to remove it.” Cassian snatched the half-empty glass out of his hand.

“Which you cannot do.” He coughed, his eyes watering. “The only way you can null a curse is to replace it with another.”

“Exactly.”

“The child,” Mavros twisted his head at Cassian, suddenly aware. “You want it.”

Cassian nodded subtly. “For its blood.”

“To use against Ruelle,” Mavros finished.

The mention of her name soured the pleasant aftertaste in Cassian’s mouth.

He watched a bead of condensation trace a path down the side of his glass, feeling pressure mount in his chest. A sudden solemness befell his mood. “It is time I deal with Ruelle and the war she decided to wage between us. I refuse to allow her torment to continue any longer.”

“What of the young god?” Mavros asked. “I do not think he will take it well when he figures out you intend to curse his sister.”

Cassian’s gaze flashed up at the mention of Finnian, meeting the concerned look of his attendant.

A dull ache reverberated through his middle. Distance was the last thing he desired, but he would respect Finnian’s wishes. To do so, it was best if they remained enemies.

“I do not plan on seeing him again.” Jaws flexing, Cassian stared beyond the balcony’s ledge at the dark botanicals of his garden. “Therefore, it really doesn’t matter. Let him loathe me.”