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I never understood these two. They were mates, but they had never acted like it. They hardly glanced at one another, never touched, and never kissed. They acted more like they hated each other. I gave Diath a bitchy smile when Malamay wasn’t looking. Her eyes narrowed on me.

It had all started when Malamay had accidentally killed me while trying to sever my mating bond.

He didn’t know, though, that I had let him kill me.

My first vision had shown me becoming a star and Malamay approaching me to join them.

Boy, they sure had picked the wrong fucking goddess to try to manipulate.

“When we find him, he will agree to be mates with Abarra, or he’s dead.” Diath smiled at me.

“No, he is Della’s mate, and it will stay that way. They are more powerful together than any of us,” Malamay sighed.

“Exactly, they are too powerful, Mal. We both know that she can get him to do anything. She didn’t even try to talk him into joining us.

But maybe if we threaten to kill her, he will join us.

” Her dark eyes moved over me, assessing.

Disgust contorted her pretty face. “I don’t know why he’s so infatuated with her; she isn’t very pretty. ”

Malamay released me and sighed heavily. His wife was a cunt, and he knew it.

“Maybe it is because he actually loves me.” I stepped toward her. “I know that is what makes you so upset about the two of us. Because Malamay has never looked at you like Haden looks at me. It’s almost like he doesn’t like you very much.”

She went to slap me again, but I caught her wrist before swinging my fist into her face. Malamay had to pry me off of her as I beat the living hell out of Haden’s mother.

“Did I strike a nerve, bitch?” I laughed when her eyes flashed red while Malamay dragged me back.

“You’ll fucking regret that.”

I gave her a smile that was filled with nothing but the wrath I was feeling.

“You never told us how you gave him a mating bond.” She looked at me. “You were dead when you met him.”

“That’s my secret to keep.” That was the real reason the bond was faint that day I saw Haden in Akecia, because I was a star.

But I still had duties to do in Elloryon.

The truth was, I only became a star to spy on Malamay and Diath.

After I met Haden face-to-face in Akecia, I came back here directly, never revealing what I had done, never acting any different.

Maybe if Malamay and Diath were smarter, they would have noticed that.

Maybe they would have noticed that I constantly left the stars without their permission.

“Tell us,” Malamay ordered.

“No, thanks,” I scoffed. “What are you going to do? Kill me?” I paused. “Oops, I’m already dead.”

Diath gave me a wicked smile, and I wanted to remind her just how much I hated her.

“I think the thing I am most offended about is that you thought your prideful piece of shit son, Mateo, could ever make me happy.”

Her eyes flared with anger at the insult. Mateo had been Diath’s favorite child, and I loved using it against her. Malamay didn’t seem to like any of his children, except Haden. That was always so strange to me too, but it helped me piece together the truth.

“You better watch yourself,” she warned.

“He wasn’t much of a looker for being so damn full of himself.”

She stepped toward me, but the other stars returned at that time and ruined our fighting.

We all turned toward them, and I felt relief when I realized that they came back empty-handed.

Haden had done what I told him to do. Malamay and Diath stared at them expectantly but frowned when they saw no one with them.

“None of them could be found. Even Remiah and Mikel were gone.”

Mikel and Remiah were gathering the gods and goddesses at this point.

I wanted all of them to witness what happens, even to the stars, when they cross me.

But more than that, I wanted them to see how corrupt the stars were.

We had been made to believe that we served the stars when the stars were really just a made-up ideal to try and control us.

There was only one true star, and that was Abram.

He was the one who had been in charge of the gods after they died.

He decided their fate. It took me forever to find Abram, but he had been the key to all of this.

I didn’t understand how some of the old gods were so reclusive, but Abram hated pretty much anyone he came across.

We had been destined to save the gods and realm together.

He was kind and pure; he was the balance of the realm.

Malamay and Diath reminded me of Thea’s father and Gwyn.

I smiled because they would fall just as they had, and it would be at my hands.

They all circled around me like I would be scared.

“How did you warn them!” Abarra yelled.

I ignored her.

“You are just bitter because as soon as Haden sees me, he’s going to leave you. He was destined to be mine.”

I gave her a look to let her know she was an idiot.

“I’m his wife.” I smiled. I slipped off my cloak and showed her my bonds. He had now given me two. “He loves me so much he marked me more than once.”

“Well, you’ll look pretty fucking dumb when he leaves you.”

I laughed loudly. “Abarra, you are funny.” I grinned when her lips pressed into a thin line. “Let’s make a deal. Whenever Haden is found, we will see who he chooses, and whoever he doesn’t choose will be killed for good.”

“Gods, you’re fucking psychotic.” She rolled her eyes. “But you have yourself a deal.” Diath had really convinced her that she and Haden were meant to be. I almost felt sorry for her, but then I remembered how much fun I had punching her in the face.

She was going to die regardless, but Haden would not even blink in her direction, and I couldn’t wait for her to be put in her place. She would have been a good match for Mateo.

I stood there in silence and let them all stare at me without saying another damn word. I crossed my arms and lifted my chin in defiance. Then I waited as they talked amongst themselves. They hadn’t even blinked when I took off my cloak; they didn’t notice that I hadn’t put it back on.

Without being too obvious, I pulled my cloak tighter about me. Any second, I would use its power to disappear, and they wouldn’t realize until it was too late. But they would find me because I wanted them to; it was all part of the plan. They would follow me, and then the real fun would begin.

I looked into the sky, waiting for the sign from Abram that he was ready for me.

“You found him; that is how all of this happened.” Malamay glared at me, betrayal in his stormy eyes. “You’ve been in contact with Abram this whole time.”

“Yes.” An evil grin took over.

Then I saw the sign I had been looking for. A beam of light so bright that I knew he told Haden everything.