Page 43

M alamay was sitting across from me as all of us stars gathered in our conference area. His eyes kept flickering to me when I did not engage with the conversations. I had hardly spoken a word since arriving here. I did not belong here.

“The gods are doing well. Mikel and Remiah are with child. Avesh and Nayla have completed their mating bond.”

Nothing flickered inside of me. I was happy for Mikel and Remiah, but I was too fucking bitter about being held here to show it.

I needed Haden to go see Avesh. Why hadn’t he gone yet?

The longer I was here, the more these assholes were pissing me off.

They acted like they hadn’t tried to destroy the realm.

Which meant they were up to something else.

Damn it, Haden. Why hadn’t the images I planted in his mind surfaced?

“Kaios and his mate Artmos—”

Malamay sighed heavily, and I immediately felt the flicker of emotion in my chest because I knew what was coming. This was the only thing I looked forward to every day; Haden had not missed a day since I died.

Malamay immediately began rubbing his forehead, his eyes closed, and started slouching in his seat. The other stars groaned when Haden’s voice surrounded us.

“This prayer is for the stars; go fuck yourselves.” His deep voice wrapped around me, and I tried to hold onto that fleeting feeling. “I hope you all are up there feeling like the slimy excuses for deities that you are. Give her back to me now.”

I smiled slightly, and Malamay narrowed his eyes on me. It was torture to see him every day because of how much he looked like Haden. He was a constant reminder of what I did not have.

“I want her back, and I’m getting desperate. In fact, I think I’m so desperate that I will start praying to you at least twice a day.” Everyone let out a sigh of disapproval. “Tell me what I should be waiting for. Is she permanently a star? Is she already being reborn? Do you not know?”

He paused, and then I heard a very long sigh.

“If she is up there, let me see her. It’s been thirty-nine days.

” I glanced up at Diath, who was watching me with a deep hatred in her eyes.

She was not a star, but she sat with Malamay in every meeting, even though she had no say in anything.

“Do you really want to piss me off? I will start causing havoc in the realm if one of your sorry asses does not get down here and tell me anything.”

“He is not bluffing,” Diath muttered.

“I know. He is hardheaded like his mother.” Malamay smirked slightly, betraying the annoyance in his voice.

“We cannot give in to the demands of one god,” Abarra said in her flat, monotone, bitchy voice. My gaze flickered to her. She was stunning with her red hair and green eyes, but I hated her with the passion of ten million suns.

“No one said we were,” I snapped back.

Her eyes narrowed on me. “Don’t disrespect me. I am much older than you.”

I stood up and slammed my hands down on the wooden table.

“Fuck you,” I hissed. “You don’t deserve my respect just because you are an old, envious cunt.”

Her mouth fell open in shock, and Diath began laughing.

“Excuse me?”

“Did I fucking stutter?” Being a star had not taken my wrath away. I wanted to fight all of them. “You know what? Stand up. I want to fucking fight.”

“Malamay, get her under control,” Abarra hissed.

“You think I can control her? I told all of you to stop provoking her.”

“She ruined our fucking plans!” Abarra yelled.

Malamay glared at her, and I gave her a look that had her shrinking back. I wanted to rip her head off. I had sacrificed everything. Now, I just needed Haden to go to Avesh and trigger his memories so I could get the fuck out of this hell.

“Malamay.” She gaped at him. “She broke laws to mate with that…”

I slammed my hands down again, shaking the table, before pointing at her.

“You better choose your next words about Haden very fucking carefully,” I hissed. The other stars were watching, amusement clear on their faces. This was as exciting as our lives ever got up here.

“Abomination from Hell.” She smiled.

I truly think she believed I would not rock her shit.

I had never moved so fast over a table in my life.

I tackled her out of her chair so hard that we both fell to the floor.

She was screaming as I punched her, busting her lip over her teeth repeatedly.

Someone was trying to pull me off, and I knew it was Malamay purely by the fact that he wasn’t trying too hard.

Taking a few more swings on her, I smiled smugly when I saw how much she was bleeding.

Malamay was hauling me up by my arms, so I kicked her once for good measure. When I glanced around, Diath was staring at me with a disapproving stare. I gave her a big grin. Wrath swarmed inside of me, and I knew that was not normal for a star.

Malamay pulled me out of the room before he let me go. He sighed heavily and paced like a disappointed father, despite looking the same age as me.

He stopped and smiled softly. “Did that make you feel better?”

“Only for a moment.”

Malamay frowned at me, and I could see the wheels of his mind spinning.

“If I let you go with me to see Haden, will you be able to behave?”

My heart pounded violently in my chest.

“Yes,” I lied.

Malamay gave me a pointed look, telling me he knew I was full of shit. I could tell he was up to something because there was no way he would allow me to do this without an ulterior motive. But I would take it; I didn’t care.

“You will have to keep your cloak over you so that he does not know it's you.”

“Okay,” I said eagerly.

I missed him so fucking much that I did not feel any sort of happiness anymore. My world had lost its color since I had lost Haden. Malamay sighed heavily and pinched his nose. “My son is driving me insane,” he muttered.

I smiled when I heard Haden’s voice begin to echo around me. He was praying again.

“I think I will start praying to the stars every single time I think of Della. So be prepared to never hear another thing in your existence but my voice. I pray that each of you dread hearing my prayers. I pray it haunts you in your dreams and when you are awake.”

“I am going to find a way to punish Avesh for telling Haden that the stars can hear their prayers. It is meant for serious issues.”

“This is a serious issue.” I glared at him.

“You know what I mean,” he replied as he gave me a sassy look. Malamay finally laughed. “You can’t go around punching the stars, but I'm surprised how long it took you to finally snap.” He grabbed my shoulder. “Don’t tell anyone I am taking you to see Haden.”

“I won’t.” I smiled. “When can we go see him?”

“We will go later when everyone is doing their own thing—for the love of the fucking heavens.” Malamay closed his eyes when Haden’s voice drifted everywhere around us.

“Guess who it is? That’s right, it’s me, God of Wrath. I hope you all enjoyed your few seconds of quiet. I vow you will not know a day of peace until you give her back to me.”

I smiled. “I like hearing his voice.”

Malamay gave me a pointed look. “I love my son, but I am about to muzzle him when we go down there.” He glanced back at the doors to the council chambers before looking at me. “Let's go finish the meeting, and I will come find you later so we can go tell Haden to knock off his pestering.”

“Okay,” I agreed. But I watched him closely as we entered the room again. I knew that they were up to something. Did they really think I was so stupid that I would not notice that they just forgave me for deceiving them or the fact that they seemingly stopped trying to take over Elloryon?

Malamay’s back was toward me, but I watched where his head turned, to Diath. He gave her a very subtle nod, and she nodded back once, like I wouldn’t notice. They were all watching us. No one said anything, but I knew they had discussed something while I was out of the room.

Everyone stared at me as I sat down. What the fuck were they up to? It was hard to focus on them or the bullshit Malamay was spewing to distract me. All I could think of was being close to Haden later tonight.

“The old gods are pleased that we stopped the Gods of Hell.” Malamay and everyone’s eyes shifted to me.

“The old gods think it was you?” I asked.

“Technically it was, since you made sure they were damned to Hell forever, wandering down there with no way to be reborn. And since you are a star now…” Malamay’s voice was trying not to give away his irritation.

I scoffed at him when he said that. I was not a star.

“The old gods told you this?” I asked. Malamay nodded. “Which gods?”

“Most of them. Abram was missing.”

I smiled, knowing he was lying to me. “Interesting that they all came at once. They never appear together.”

“Well, we are important. They come when we call.”

“They are more important than you and will not come when you call them. Remember that they put you up here as a punishment, not a reward. The old gods are not fans of yours, but they especially think Diath is lower than dog shit.” I turned my eyes to her and smirked.

Gods, I loved being a bitch to her. It was too easy.

“And you are below the stars being just a goddess,” Diath sneered.

“Oh, I think we all know that Malamay is technically the only star with power, and it is not much.” She clenched her jaw and watched me, trying to decide if she wanted to continue this argument.

“You are such a bitch. I can’t believe my son fell in love with such a worthless whore.”

I threw my head back and laughed at her insult, which only pissed her off even more. She finally stood up and glared at me.

“I told you we should just lock her up.” Diath looked at Malamay. “She is still playing you.”

I was. Diath was right about something for the first time in her life.

“Diath, we aren’t locking up Della. She is on our side. Right, Della?” Malamay watched me closely.

“Sure.” I rolled my eyes and looked at Diath. “Do you want to know what my favorite memory of Haden is?”