Page 4 of Salt & Blood (Ivy & Bone #4)

REUNITED

PANDORA

Pandora’s insides wouldn’t stop quivering with fear and dread. At any moment, she expected Mona to abandon her, or perhaps to turn her over to these fire witches. As soon as she said, This is Pandora , it would be over.

As Pandora clambered through the narrow tunnel, she paused often to check on the vines carrying Evander’s limp form. When they caught on a jagged rock, she was the first to dislodge the vine so it could continue sliding along the ground.

She was determined to be as helpful as she could to Mona as well as Evander. Not only because she wanted them to trust her—or because she owed them, which she did—but because Pandora wanted to be different. She wanted to be helpful instead of destructive. She wanted to change her story.

Inside, she felt the restless darkness churning, hungry for blood, for vengeance. It wouldn’t be long before that power consumed her entirely.

She was not strong enough to fight off this curse. Eventually, it would take her.

So she had to make every moment count while she still could.

After what felt like an eternity, the tunnel opened up to a vast cavern with torches lining the walls. In the center, a circle of benches surrounded a fire pit, upon which rested a boiling cauldron. The cavern was filled with witches, some sitting on benches, some trickling ingredients into the cauldron, while others were chatting on the opposite side next to an array of cabinets and shelves.

At Farah’s approach, each witch fell silent and bowed their head in reverence to the coven leader. Farah strode toward the crowd of witches, but Mona and Pandora lingered at the tunnel entrance. Pandora noticed the way Mona angled her body protectively in front of Evander to shield him from view.

“If Romanos is truly here,” Pandora whispered to her, “he will not let harm come to him.” From what she remembered of Romanos, he kept his head down, seeking to stay out of the power struggle between Cyrus and his brothers. But he did still care for them. And he wasn’t heartless.

But how would he react to knowing she was behind the destruction of his realm? According to him, she had only been Trivia, the goddess of pathways.

“He might not have a choice,” Mona muttered darkly. “This coven is powerful. I can sense it. And they will easily outnumber us, even with Romanos on our side.”

Pandora swallowed hard. She couldn’t sense the power here like Mona could. Then again, Mona had proven her magic was more powerful than Pandora’s when she had shattered the bindings of their bargain. Pandora had tried to keep Mona contained, ordering her to say nothing, to do nothing to stop her from putting her plan in action as Elysium crumbled. And Mona had severed that bond like it was nothing.

Pandora had deserved it. She never should have called in that bargain at all. It was yet another item on her list of reasons why Mona should abandon her and never look back.

Farah was saying something to the witches, who glanced at Mona and Pandora with interest. One witch pointed to a tunnel behind her, and Farah nodded in agreement. The first witch disappeared through the tunnel, while Farah and two other witches made their way to Mona and Pandora.

“Tell them you’re Trivia,” Mona said quickly.

“I’m not an idiot,” Pandora hissed, but she felt a hopeful warmth spread through her as she realized Mona wasn’t going to reveal her identity.

But no. Pandora squashed that hope inside her before it bloomed into something dangerous. Something she couldn’t trust. Mona would betray her eventually. It was inevitable. She needed to keep her guard up, to anticipate the moment when Mona would exact vengeance for all Pandora had done to her.

Steeling herself, Pandora watched as the three fire witches stood before them. One had curly auburn hair and a prominent chin, while the other had dark wavy hair and skin almost as brown as Farah’s. Both had glowing amber eyes that glinted eerily.

“This is Wren.” Farah gestured to the first witch. “And this is Dahlia. They will see to your needs while you are here.”

“This one has darkness about her,” Wren said, her voice blunt as she pointed to Pandora.

Pandora resisted the urge to fidget under the three witches’ scrutiny.

“We all have darkness,” Dahlia said, her voice softer and more subdued than Wren’s.

“My name is Mona.” Mona pressed a hand to her chest, then waved a hand toward Pandora. “And this is Trivia. We are daughters of Gaia.”

Wren and Dahlia both stiffened. The latter narrowed her eyes at Pandora. “Trivia… as in the goddess of three paths?”

Alarm prickled along Pandora’s skin, but she forced herself to respond. “Yes. That is me.”

“I did not realize you were also a daughter of Gaia,” Dahlia mused. Pandora didn’t like the way her keen eyes appraised her.

Farah cleared her throat, giving Dahlia a pointed look.

Dahlia smiled, the motion warming her features. “Apologies. I am a teacher in our coven, so I am well-versed in the histories of our goddesses. I would love to learn more about your history, Trivia.”

Shit. If Dahlia was a historian, she would easily be able to detect Pandora’s lies.

Which meant the sooner they left this place, the better. The moment these witches found out who she really was, they would try to kill her. Pandora was certain of it.

“Did you say Romanos was here?” Mona asked, and Pandora was grateful for the subject change. Mona craned her neck, as if to search for the death god, her eyes full of worry. Pandora knew she feared for Evander and wanted his brother to help him as soon as possible.

“He is coming,” Farah said. “While we wait, you can tell us what happened to your friend.” Her gaze slid to Evander, still unconscious on the bed of ivy. “None of the others who came this way looked like that.”

Pandora and Mona exchanged uncertain glances. “What did the others tell you?” Mona asked carefully.

“That the magic of Pandora’s box obliterated the realm of Elysium,” Farah said, her voice eerily calm despite her words.

Pandora felt a lump rise in her throat. Oh gods, I can’t do this. Between the dark energy roiling within her and her mounting guilt and shame for what she had done, the emotions were enough to overwhelm her. It was a miracle she hadn’t fainted from the intensity of the weight bearing down upon her.

Mona was trembling beside her. When Pandora looked at her, she found her sister was paler than usual, her eyes wide with fear. What was wrong?

After a moment, Mona said in a shaky voice, “Hestia… Your fire goddess…” She broke off with a strangled sound.

“We know,” Farah said solemnly, her eyes flaring with pain. “Hestia is dead.”

The air stilled from the intensity of her words. Chills rippled over Pandora’s body as the atmosphere around them seemed to darken. Pandora’s eyes closed as echoes of her former life rang through her.

No, she thought. It was not my life. But hers. The goddess inside me. We are separate beings.

But it was feeling less and less real. She could not hide behind the former goddess’s past. It was no excuse for her actions. Sol had been right; she still had made choices. She was still in control.

Gods, her stomach cinched at the thought of Sol the sun god, at the betrayal in his eyes when he’d found out who she was.

And it was all the more terrible because he and the true Pandora had been lovers. It was a long time ago, but he had never moved past that loss.

Now here I am, reopening that wound and destroying another life for it, Pandora thought bitterly.

“We felt it,” Wren said, her eyes haunted, and a wrinkle forming between her brows. “When she died, we all felt that loss in our very bones. Once the gods from Elysium began arriving, they confirmed it for us.”

“How many are here?” Pandora asked.

Before anyone could answer, a voice rang out across the cavern. “Mona?”

The witches all turned to find a man striding from the mouth of the tunnel on the opposite end of the cave. He wore fighting leathers and had black hair streaked with silver, cropped close to his scalp. His familiar silver eyes shone in the lantern light.

“Romanos,” Pandora breathed, her chest tightening with anxiety as the death god approached them. To her surprise, he swept Mona into a fierce hug. Mona yelped, then clutched him in return, laughing as Romanos set her back on her feet.

“I’m so relieved you’re all right!” Mona said, grinning at him.

“Likewise.” The warmth in Romanos’s demeanor made Pandora’s whole body ache with yearning and jealousy. Not that she fancied Romanos. No, she yearned for this bond that he shared with Mona. The two had only known each other for the span of a few days, and already they were comrades. Friends. They cared about each other.

Pandora had never had that. Not once in her life.

Slowly, Romanos’s gaze slid to Pandora, and his smile faded. He looked her over, then inhaled deeply. “Trivia, you…” He stilled, his face going pale. “What magic have you brought here?”

Shit. She no longer possessed death magic to disguise the blood of Gaia racing through her veins. That, and the curse of the former goddess still thrumming within her, was a dangerous combination for anyone who could sense her magic.

“I—I—” Pandora didn’t know what to say. What could she say? She couldn’t deny it, nor could she admit who she was.

She was stuck. Trapped.

“What is she doing here?” boomed another male voice.

Pandora went rigid from the sound of that voice. Gods, that voice. She never thought she would hear it again. It was both a balm to her soul and a torturous punishment.

Her eyes followed the sound, and her heart stopped within her chest. A shaky breath whooshed from her as she found Sol the sun god standing in front of another tunnel. He must have heard the commotion and come to investigate. His expression was murderous, his dark eyes narrowing and his face twisting in disgust. With forceful steps, he came closer, his fingers curling into tight fists.

Shit, shit, shit…

Pandora found herself edging backward toward the tunnel she’d come through. Could she throw herself into the portal once more? Where would she end up?

It didn’t matter. Anywhere was better than here. Even a collapsed realm would be preferable.

When Sol reached them, he gestured toward Pandora. “What is she doing here?” he repeated, his tone icy.

“She came from Elysium, seeking refuge like you,” Farah said, her gaze flicking between Sol and Pandora.

“I will leave,” Pandora said quickly. “I’ll leave at once. I shouldn’t be here, I?—”

“She is responsible for the destruction of Elysium,” Sol said, his eyes blazing. “My mother’s death, the loss of my home—it’s all her fault. She has the soul of Pandora inside her, and it’s because of her that the dark magic has been unleashed.”