Page 44

44

AT THE END

Darina

A s we walk through the palace, I frown, confused to see so many people asleep.

“Why—”

“You’ll see,” Loch assures me.

Not only are they asleep, by the way they grimace, thrash, and moan, I’d say they’re also plagued by nightmares.

What the hell is going on?

Loch takes us to a handsome room close to my library. By the smell, the belongings I can see, and the general familiar sense, I gather this is where Ryther has been staying while researching that bond-severing spell he offered me tonight.

Calreth's on the small bed, swearing as Relva reads a number of spells out loud.

Caenan's setting his shoulder.

There are various claw marks across his body, all of which disappear, slowly.

Ryther makes his way to him, pressing his palm against his chest. The many cuts seem to heal much faster.

What could have torn him apart like this?

Rather than satisfy my curiosity, I join them and ask, "How do I help?"

"No need, he's almost healed. What happened?" Ryther asks.

Calreth grunts, his eyes flashing with fury. "Eldritch. A number of them. The hunt—we were responding to an attack on the shields, pushing them back. But a few came at us from behind. They were already on Ilvaris. Are," he rewords. "I only killed one. There were six inside the shields, and another half-dozen outside; they've certainly been let through now. We're under attack."

I'm not sure I take in what that means. "By gods? Is that why everyone’s asleep?”

I wonder why we aren’t affected.

“The only people who were spared were inside your rooms,” says Loch.

“Shit. What do they want? How do we stop them? Wake everyone up?"

I remember my vows at my coronation. This is what I'm supposed to do. Protect my world against outside threats. But how am I supposed to do that?

With great difficulty, by yourself , a small voice whispers.

And I know. I know it's not mine.

"The hunt's following. We'll soon have their location." Calreth sits up, groaning. "But in all likelihood, they'll come here if they want to get to the All and Undoing."

Foolish boy. They know we're no longer contained.

"Then what do they want?" I snap.

Everyone glances at me, frowning. "Sorry, Calreth, I wasn't talking to you."

That doesn't seem to reassure anyone. I sigh, and vaguely gesture to my own head. "The goddess inside me fancies a chat all of a sudden. She said it'd be difficult to fight them. And that they know the gods aren't in the heart of Ilvaris, so, no, they're not coming here." Feeling completely insane, I ask out loud, anyway, "Any helpful insights?"

She's silent.

I roll my eyes. Bitch.

"They're heading northeast, if I'm to judge by the hunt's whereabouts. On foot, yet racing faster than any flock. I say once we have a definite location, we portal in. There's no way to catch them, the way they move."

"They're gods. Even if we catch them, how do we stop them?" I wonder.

Calreth shrugs. "The concept of divinity tends to create a divide between them and us, make them feel grander than what they are. Our father was one of them. They're just men, women, anything in between—with great power, yes, but they bleed, and hurt, and die. We hunt them like we'd hunt anyone else."

I like this one , the goddess unhelpfully puts in.

I groan in annoyance. Unless you want to actually be cooperative, shut the hell up, I demand.

Why is she so chatty all of a sudden?

You could always say please.

Please shut the hell up?

If that's all you need from me.

I wish I could tell her yes, absolutely, never speak to me again. But in actual fact, I could use her help. I'm panicking at the idea of someone capable of tearing Calreth to shreds. Please, can you tell me what they want?

It's my mouth opening, but it's no longer my voice or my mind speaking.

"If the word is finally out that we're no longer guarding your little world, I expect the first to come are the sons and daughter of Death."

Everyone's staring at her—at me—with outright fear. I don't know exactly what they see, but there's no doubt they realize I'm not the one speaking.

"Death?" Calreth echoes.

He and Ryther exchange a glance.

"Did you truly think that they'd create an entire prison world and only lock up one troublesome couple? Any of the gods that have defied the will of Olympus are stuck right here. Uranus and I were the first," Gaia says with my lips. "Then came Thanatos, Eos, Helios, Selene, Ker, Aether, Moros; so many of the old ones who did not bend the knee to that little upstart in charge. And they were so certain no one would dare break the doors open and risk unleashing us. Now that we're free…I'm certain your little realm will have a fair few visits ."

By visits, she means attacks. I only recognize a handful of the names she listed but all are synonymous with horror and destruction.

"But people have continued dying. How can Death be a prisoner if people keep dying?"

"Thanatos doesn't cause death, my sweet boy. He rules over it. In his absence, others have been given the care of it. Obedient servants of Olympus, all, happy to oblige Zeus. Your world is nothing but a purgatory for the gods he cannot destroy. And as they are freed, they'll reduce it to ashes to avenge themselves."

"Why are you warning us if it's so hopeless?" Calreth demands.

My lips curve.

"Because, little spawn of Thanatos, I would like to propose a deal."

"No," Ryther snaps.

Just like it's not me in charge, I know this isn't him speaking; his eyes are now all black, irises and pupils filled with shadows.

"It's time," I state.

"You have no right ."

"What do you want?" Loch asks.

"She wants to die," Ryther seethes, making my heart skip a beat.

What the fuck? What would that mean for me ? I'm only alive because she brought me back.

"Don't scare so easily, child. I'm only a shadow under your flesh. One you'll be glad to be rid of, yes?"

I would have said yes when she was annoying me a few minutes ago. And well, every day since waking up with her inside me, trying to kill Ryther in my sleep.

Come to think of it, I'll be glad for her to be gone.

But death? Why would she offer that?

She doesn't say a word, but that feeling I just experienced hours earlier when my bond snapped into place echoes inside me, followed by an endless pool of sorrow and regret, and I finally understand.

She's done with her battle, her animosity towards Uranus. She's listened to the reason behind their quarrel, and stayed silent for weeks, taking it all in. And now, she's simply done. Nothing will change the way they hurt each other for millennia, but knowing they were both tricked makes it hollow, pointless.

Do better, Darina. I leave you the power that birthed your mortal and immortal worlds. Use it for good.

I'm in charge of my body again, and I know what to do. Tears streaking my eyes, I make my way to the window, and call the little book I threw away last night, watching it float from the meadow where it lay discarded to my hands.

"Gaia," Uranus demands with Ryther's face. "This isn't over. I refuse to?—"

"It's not up to you," I tell him gently. "You had a choice back then. You could have listened. She could have listened. Instead, you've destroyed entire worlds. She doesn't hate you anymore. She just wants peace. After so long, don't you also?"

He hesitates. "I should never have doubted you. I should have listened. I failed."

The shadow fades from Ryther's eyes.

I find the page he opened for me, and say the words that were too complicated to absorb just this morning.

"I vow forever night. I promise to shadows, and blood, and ruin, until the end of ever," I recite, calling to Nyx first, then Erebus. There are herbs and chants and a time of the day when such a momentous ritual should be performed, as with all things, but they're little more than ceremony. What matters is the words.

"I swear it upon the unending darkness," I say, completing the summons.

Those words are so much more than a spell. Written by the Fates, they call the attention of all the gods who look over the vows made by mortals and immortals alike. Even the Styx is watching. I feel the deep pool of endless darkness running through her veins set on me.

The words following the incantation are a bond in themselves, creating a contract between the caster and every god with a relevant power.

"Gaia lets Uranus go."

I can't even imagine making myself say that I, Darina Thorn, let Ryther Crow go. I never could have. He was right to offer it to me, for me to learn that my bond to him is my home.

Ryther's silent for a long time, until he finally responds. "Uranus consents."

And just like that, she fades from my mind, a shower of gold lifting to the sky.

Her bond to him was the only thing holding them anchored into this world. It might have been dark and twisted and full of hatred at the end, but it kept their spirits alive even after they'd killed everything else.

"That's…good news," Loch says. "No more iron needed, I'm guessing. But how is that helping us with the eldritch, pray tell?"

Ryther smiles, and I do the same.

Then I take his hand, and both of us disappear in a cloud of dark mist.