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Her eyes filled with anger, like she knew what I was going to say.

“When he cut off Mateo's hands for touching me.”

“Malamay,” Diath seethed.

“Della, you are dismissed.” He sighed heavily. I nodded and left the room, but I paused for a moment outside of the doors. There was nothing better than some good old-fashioned eavesdropping.

“That fucking bitch,” Diath hissed.

“She agreed to go see Haden with me tonight, so you all have a limited time to figure out where the rest of the old gods are. We need the God of Fates, Goddess of Creation, God of Time, and God of Justice. We know where the rest are. Once we have them, I can start taking their souls and giving them to each of us.”

“Are you sure that will work?” Abarra asked. “You can take souls from the old gods?”

“It can’t be that damn hard,” Malamay scoffed. “We will test it on the weakest one before we take the others. Find the last four before Della catches onto us.”

“You really think she doesn’t know we are up to something?

It was stupid to just pretend like we hadn’t planned on taking over the realm.

She is smart; she is likely buying time to do something.

” Diath was completely right. “She let herself die in Hell, and I do not trust that it was just to seal it. Besides, how did she find out that a god had to sacrifice themselves in Hell with all seven souls of sin to close it?”

Abram told me.

“It had to be Abram, that prick,” Abarra snapped like she personally knew him. “I agree with Diath. Ardella is not here by chance. She wants to be here.”

Damn, she wasn’t as stupid as she looked. No one said anything, and I knew I was pushing my luck by sticking around, so I left quickly to go sit in my room.

?★★★?★★★?

I was pacing back and forth, waiting for Malamay to come get me. There was no way I could calm my racing heart. All day, I just thought of getting to be close to Haden. Even if he did not know it was me, I knew it would soothe this constant ache in my chest.

I did not know what time of day it was for Haden. Time did not work the same for us in the stars. It always looked like nighttime here. Haden had interrupted our day with fourteen more prayers, each one becoming more demanding and persistent.

My door cracked open, and Malamay poked his head inside. When he saw me, he shut the door and locked it.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.” I slipped the hood of the cloak on when he did.

“Behave yourself, Della.”

“I’ll do my best.” I smiled, and I knew him well enough to know he was giving me a warning look.

It only took a few seconds for us to fall through the floor and started plummeting towards Elloryon.

My eyes did not leave the lights as we got closer and closer.

Fuck, I was so excited to just see Haden.

When we landed on the ground, I smiled at the sight of our home in front of us.

Haden had been living here since I died.

“Haden, get your ass out here.” Malamay spoke like a disappointed father.

The front door burst open, and my breath left me immediately when I saw Haden. His eyes narrowed on us.

“It’s about fucking time,” he snapped and walked down the stairs toward us.

Fuck, how could he look so different but also exactly the same?

He had stubble across his jaw, and his hair was messy, like he was running his hands through it constantly.

My eyes dragged over him as he stared down Malamay, who slipped his hood off.

There was a rigidness about Haden. His face was now made of harsh lines, and his eyes were full of bitterness. His stormy gaze stared directly at me, and I swallowed hard even though he did not know it was me.

“You have got to fucking stop praying so damn much. You are a damn menace; we can’t get anything done when you are constantly talking.”

Haden gave him a smug smile, and I instinctively took a step toward him but stopped when he turned his glare on me, like he would bite me if I got too close.

“Glad to know my plan is working. I will not stop; if anything, I will pray more tomorrow.”

Malamay closed his eyes and mumbled, “What do you think this is going to accomplish?”

Haden glanced at me before looking at the ground. “Tell me anything about Storm. I am going mad down here.”

“I told you before, I can’t say anything.”

Haden glared at his father. “Then enjoy hearing me every waking moment of your life in the stars.”

I smiled when Malamay looked at me like he knew I was getting amusement from this.

“Tell me if she is up there. Tell me if she has been reborn. I will take any scrap you are willing to give me. I am your son, and I am suffering without her. If I know what to expect, then I can mentally prepare for how long I need to wait for her.”

Malamay sighed heavily because he did love Haden. I’m sure he did not enjoy seeing him looking so sad. “She is in the stars.”

Haden sighed heavily. “She hears my prayers?”

“Yes, she heard all twenty of them today.” He narrowed his eyes.

“Can I pray to her so she is the only one who hears me?”

Malamay glanced at me for a moment.

“Yes, if you know a star’s given name, then you can pray to them directly.”

Haden smiled and suddenly hugged his father, which startled Malamay. This was probably the first time it had ever happened, and he didn’t know what to do. After a second of confusion, though, he reached up awkwardly and patted Haden on the back. “There, there, son.”

“How long will she be a star for?”

Malamay frowned. “Forever.”

Haden pulled back and stared at him. He turned away from us, his hand running through his hair. When he turned back, his eyes burned white, and I had never seen them do that. Fuck, he was terrifying—beautifully so.

“No, not happening,” he said. “Try again, because I am not letting you keep her up there.”

“You don’t have a choice, and besides, she is doing okay.”

I glared at him when he glanced at me.

“Kind of…”

Haden watched his father. “What does that mean?”

“She attacked another star today,” Malamay confessed. Haden looked at him in disbelief for a moment, then tossed his head back, laughing into the heavens. “She is quite grumpy too, even though she is the one who betrayed us.”

Was he trying to piss me off? I took a step toward Malamay and stopped.

“Shouldn’t the heavens step in and punish you for what you did? How can they let you continue being a star when you are a corrupt bastard?”

“The heavens would send the old gods after me if they wanted to punish me, and since that hasn’t happened yet, then it is clear they don’t really care.”

He was so wrong. The heavens cared. They just knew that we had it under control. If they doubted that the gods would make this right, they would intervene—no matter what.

I shifted slightly toward Haden when his frosty morning scent filled the air around me. He turned to me and tilted his head to the side, and I shrank back at his intense staring. Intrigued, he turned his entire body toward me, and after a moment of intense scrutiny, he grinned.

I watched as the light returned to his eyes with that smile.

“Were you not going to say anything to me, Storm?” He took a step toward me, and I looked at Malamay, who sighed heavily.

Haden reached up slowly, as if scared to find out it wasn’t me, and slipped my hood off.

He exhaled so forcefully when he saw me that it blew his frosty breath across my face, reminding me of our many passionate kisses.

Haden didn’t move; he just stared directly into my eyes.

After a moment, he lifted his hand and touched my cheek. His fingers traced over my lips before tears filled his eyes. Haden fell to his knees and pulled me to him as he cried into my body. I ran my hand through his hair before wrapping my arms around him and hugging him tightly.

“I’ve missed you, Storm,” he said with pain-filled sobs.

“I’ve missed you too, Haden,” I whispered. He looked up at me before standing and scooping me into his arms. Haden headed for the house, but Malamay cut him off.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to see Della without you babysitting us. Move.”

“Haden, I did not allow her to come for a private reunion with you. She cannot stay.”

I smiled at Malamay as Haden gripped me tighter.

“Then you will have to pry her out of my grip,” he snapped. “Give us a few minutes. My gods, I haven’t seen my wife in a month, and it is your fault!”

Malamay considered for a moment, then finally moved to the side. “A very short time, Haden. I mean it.”

Haden didn’t acknowledge him as he walked into the house and kicked the door shut behind us.

I glanced around, noticing it was exactly the same as it had been the last time I was here.

Haden went up the stairs and set me gently on the bed, then reached forward and slipped the cloak off of my shoulders.

“Much better.”

He leaned forward and kissed me softly. His hands gripped my face as he sat back and traced over me with his eyes. I reached for his cheek, tracing his smooth skin with my thumbs as I stared into his eyes.

“I have missed you so fucking much, Haden.” I swallowed hard. “I do not want to be a star, and I do not want to leave you.” I began crying uncontrollably.

“Tell me how I can save you, Storm. I will do anything.”

I swallowed hard and pulled him to me so I could whisper in his ear. Fear that Haden would be harmed if Malamay was lurking raced through me.

“You need to go see Avesh,” I whispered. “You should have gone by now, but you didn’t get my clues. My magic did not work.”

“Why? Can’t you tell me?” he asked.

“No.” I paused. “The stars are acting stranger than normal. They are planning something, Haden. They act like nothing happened, like I did not betray them by killing the souls of your siblings. At some point they will no longer need me and will try to kill me.”

Haden pulled back and stared at me. “What the fuck, Della. How am I supposed to let you go with my father after saying that?” he asked.

“Because you must.” I frowned. “Do you trust me? If I told you I will be alright, would you believe me?”

“Yes, I trust you.”

“I still have secrets that you have not uncovered,” I confessed.

“Storm…” His eyes filled with worry.

“This plan has been in place since I saw you being exiled to Hell, Haden. I have been patient. I have made sure all outcomes were thought of. I had to die.” I paused.

“I had to be in the stars because I need to keep an eye on them. It is my duty. I should never have allowed your father to be a star, but I showed him mercy because he was your father. I must set things right again. My fate has always been to destroy the stars—to correct all of my mistakes.”

Haden stared at me for a moment as he processed my words. “You made my father a star?”

“Yes, me and a few other gods. You’ll find out soon, after you visit Avesh. You need to go tomorrow.”

“I promise I will find a way for you to come back to me. There is no way in the heavens I am letting you stay up there. You should be here with me.”

“We're running out of time. Kiss me.”

He leaned forward and kissed me again. This time I pulled him to me and let him consume me. Haden hummed against me and gripped the back of my neck so I couldn’t move from him.

There was a knock on the door outside. “You have one minute!”

Haden sighed as he pulled back.

“He snuck me out so I could see you.” I watched Haden. “Truthfully though, he needed me gone so the others could leave and try to find the old gods. That is the only reason he allowed this. They shouldn’t be able to leave the stars, but somehow, they figured out a way.”

“Gods, I hate my fucking parents.” Haden kissed me.

“I will find anything I can to free you. I’ll pray to you, so you know I am thinking of you always.”

“Honestly, your constant praying is grating on everyone’s nerves. When you pray to us, your voice projects all over the home, and we all hear it, no matter what.”

Haden’s eyes gleamed.

“Good to know.” He pushed my hair off my forehead. “I am all in.”

“I love you more.” I smiled. “I should go.” I began crying immediately, and Haden hugged me tightly, kissing my forehead.

“I missed the way you smell.” I smiled as I buried my face into his chest.

Haden immediately pulled his tunic off and slipped it over my dress.

“There, now you’ll have a piece of me with you.” He smiled before picking up my cloak and helping me slip back into it.

He held out his hand as he stood up and gripped mine tightly, then he slowly led me downstairs. When we opened the front door, Malamay was watching us closely, like we would tell him what we had discussed.

“Is there a way I can get her to come back—to be reborn?” Haden asked Malamay, changing the subject to throw him off.

Malamay looked confused for a moment before sighing. “I doubt it, but Avesh might know.”

I smiled because Malamay didn’t know that my magic still worked. He thought he was safe from me, but he never would be. I hugged Haden and kissed him again.

“Please let her come back again,” he said quickly. Haden turned to me. “I will bring you home to me. I love you, Storm.”

“I love you.”

Then Malamay and I were pulled back to my room in the stars.

He looked at me and sighed. “What were you discussing?” He narrowed his eyes.

“We weren’t talking,” I said suggestively. “We made the most of our five minutes.”

Malamay’s face was not amused as he left the room in an offended huff.

I sighed heavily and locked my door. Tomorrow Haden would go see Avesh, and I would finally fulfill my duty so I could live in fucking peace with Haden.