Page 38 of Evermore

“Fair enough.”

We’d start with a test. See how truthful she was with information I’d already figured out. “The veil. Was it over Wisteria or was it over Requiem? The twin cities south of here.”

I knew the veil was over Wisteria. It was the reason magic felt muted beneath it when I was here before, and it was the reason no one from the north could control their power. Something about the veil kept it suppressed. I watched her eyes first, to see if she would dig for a lie or if she’d be honest.

“The veil was over Wisteria. The entire northern world. Requiem was the worst of the worst. It’s where the wars of this world began and ended. It was built on bloodshed and battlefields and no matter which gods stepped in, there was no saving the vile mortals that rotted down there. We tried. Fates know we tried, but this world was falling to ruin. So, Reverius stepped in, using his power to end the war, by veiling off the rest of the world. Giving everyone under it a chance to find peace. We went back to Requiem, me and some of the others, Bellatora even stepped aside, and war feeds into her power. But Requiem was dying all the same. And then, as you know, Cytheronia was banished to Requiem for her crimes, and thus the gods were told they could never return.”

“Well they did,” I scowled, picturing Ezra’s face as he stood before me and lied about who he was. Who I was to him. Exactly as Reverius had done.

“Some, yes. But with great cost, I assure you.”

“Since they still exist, the cost wasn’t great enough,” Archer said, staring down at Aeris. “How long was Thorne in Stirling? How many of my memories with him are lies?”

“That I cannot answer,” she said coolly. “The Keeper is quite fond of his hunt and keeping the Huntress away from the other gods.”

They’re all lying.

Destroy them before they destroy you.

Oh, fun. Now the voices in my head were handing out murder tips. Because that was healthy and not at all a compounding problem. Alastor’s damn marks on my wrists flared to life and a searing pain shot up my arms. I fought to maintain my composure as the agony intensified. This was completely fine and no big deal. But the Remnants responded to my distress, pooling at my feet like living shadows. They writhed and twisted, their inky tendrils reaching out as if seeking something to destroy.

Aeris’s eyes widened slightly as she stepped back. The mask slipped for a moment, revealing something ancient and powerful beneath. Her voice took on a soothing tone that set my teeth on edge. “Perhaps we shouldn’t discuss the Keeper right now. It seems to be causing you some discomfort.”

I rolled my eyes. “No shit.”

“I’m a bit concerned about these Remnants of yours. They seem to be affecting you more than you realize. I’ve seen this once before. They will poison your mortal mind. They will separate you from everyone you know. Everyone you love if you let them.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied. “It’s not like they have voices.”

Almost believable.

Lie to lie.

Lie to breathe.

Lie to bleed.

You could kill a god. With a god.

All the gods.

All the children.

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t react or flinch or those keen eyes would know my plight.

“Okay, Fingers?” Archer asked, staring down at the growing shadows on the pantry floor. “Maybe we should get out of here now.”

Aeris stepped to the side and Archer led us back into the kitchen. The air was cooler. The walls farther away. The voices quiet.

“The knocker,” Aeris said, so only I would hear when I passed.

“What?”

“The knocker was always a pig. Perhaps your power is already corrupting your mind. You really must consider going to Alastor. He might be the only one that can help you.”

I started to retort, to tell Aeris exactly whereshecould go, when a blood-curdling scream shattered the stare down. We bolted from the kitchen, racing through the house.

Quill stood frozen in the oversized entryway, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the floor. A thin, jagged line had appeared in the polished wood, no wider than a hair at first glance.