Page 44

His support was like an anchor in the storm, a grounding force when I felt like I might be swept away. Not even he could erase the reality I faced, though. This wasn’t something he could stand beside me for. This wasn’t a battle we could fight together.

This was mine.

And mine alone.

Worse than that, this wasn’t a battle I could win unless I finally gave Hyrax the truth he had been trying to pry out of me.

C lay closed the bedroom door with a soft click, crossing the room to hand me a small cup of water. I accepted it gratefully, the cool solidity grounding me. His eyes swept over me, lingering just a moment too long before a teasing smirk tugged at his lips.

“You should wear that every day for the rest of your life,” he remarked, his voice low and suggestive.

I glanced down at myself, suddenly aware of the snug fit of my protective leathers.

The sleek black ensemble hugged my frame like a second skin, the long-sleeved tunic reinforced with crossing straps across my torso.

The fitted pants laced tightly along the sides, molding perfectly to my legs.

It was practical, armored elegance—battle-ready, just as I needed to be.

Clay moved to the hearth, and with a breath so casual it seemed second nature, flames bloomed to life.

The warm glow cast flickering shadows over his features as he adjusted the logs.

Then, in a single fluid motion, he tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the armchair, revealing the lean, corded strength of his chest. He turned back to me, entirely at ease, while I fought to keep my composure.

“I explained everything to Rankor and Kent before they left,” he said, his tone calm and measured, though his eyes remained fixed on me.

“Everything?” I arched a brow.

He stepped closer, brushing my hair back over my shoulders with practiced ease.

“Everything,” he confirmed, his voice dropping an octave.

“They’ll spread the word about the rebellion and should be back tomorrow with updates.

Now that we know Pasnia is in the realm, I also asked them to talk to Iris. I need to know she’s safe, too.”

I let my head rest heavily against his chest, savoring the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. He wrapped his arms tightly around me. “That was the right decision.”

He tilted my chin up with a gentle hand, his expression softening. “So, how does this work?”

I hesitated, chewing my lip. “You’re not going to like it.”

A dark laugh rumbled in his chest, the sound both amused and resigned. “I don’t likeanyof this.”

I took his hand, guiding him to the edge of the bed and pressing gently on his shoulders until he sat. His hands found my waist instinctively, grounding me as if to hold me here, to stop me from slipping away.

Which, to be fair, I was about to.

“Usually it happens accidentally when I sleep, but it’s not always predictable.”

He frowned. “So, we just go to sleep and hope for the best?”

My stomach twisted in nerves. “I actually think I might be able to open a door.”

Clay’s gaze flickered with unease, which I didn’t entirely blame him for, but eventually he nodded his acceptance.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be gone,” I admitted, my voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts to keep it steady. “But I’ll come back to this room. Try to get some sleep while I’m gone.”

His lips twitched into a wry smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “That’s unlikely.”

The levity faded quickly, replaced by a quiet intensity as he looked up at me. Gold flecks ignited in his eyes, and his voice lowered. “I don’t feel good about letting you do this alone.”

I brushed my fingers through his hair, then cupped his cheek, forcing his gaze to stay on mine. “I’ve been traveling to the Underworld alone since the day you met me. It’s not new.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it,” he growled, his grip tightening on my hips.

My hand trailed down his jaw, resting it on his shoulder. “I don’t even know if I can bring someone back through the Veil. I’m not willing to risk your soul to find out.”

His jaw tightened, his expression hardening briefly before he nodded, resigned to the truth we both understood. “We all have roles to play,” I reminded him softly.

Clay leaned forward, capturing my lips in a kiss that lingered far longer than it should have.

It was deliberate, an unspoken plea, as if he were committing the feel of me to memory.

When he finally pulled back, his expression was unreadable, but his movements were methodical as he reached for my dagger.

With quick, practiced efficiency, he tucked it into the sheath on my thigh, pulling the straps snug.

His hands lingered, brushing against my leg in a way that sent heat rippling through me.

Then he leaned back, arms braced behind him, legs spread as he reclined on the bed. His torso gleamed in the firelight, lean muscle carved in shadow and light. A playful smirk tugged at his lips, though the tension in his eyes betrayed him .

“Show me what you’ve got, princess,” he drawled, his voice teasing but edged with something deeper.

Suppressing a grin, I turned away, lifting my hand as I conjured the image of Hyrax’s throne room.

I let the power rise within me, raw and electric, before releasing it in a steady, controlled rush.

The air in front of me shimmered and twisted, splitting apart to reveal a golden thread of light.

It wove itself into a glowing portal just tall enough for me to step through.

“Impressed yet?” I quipped, throwing a glance back at him over my shoulder.

But Clay wasn’t looking at the portal. He looked only at me, and the softness in his eyes stole my breath.

“You’ve always impressed me,” he murmured, his voice quiet and full of sincerity. “Now go. Be quick and be safe.”

Commanding as always.

I took a moment to steel myself, drawing in a deep breath before stepping forward. The golden light of the Veil enveloped me as I passed through, leaving the warmth of Clay and the Mortal Realm behind.

T he bitter cold kissed my cheeks, but the protective leather clinging to my body kept it from sinking into my bones as my boot touched down on the stone floor of Hyrax’s throne room.

The darkness here felt different—thicker, heavier.

Shadows pooled in the corners like restless, living things, their edges shifting as if breathing.

Hyrax sat atop his throne of skulls and bones, the onyx crown glinting on his silver hair. The jagged peaks cast shadows over his sharp features, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine with a knowing familiarity that sent a shiver down my spine.

Nearby, Caldrius stood by the massive dining table, polishing his sword with slow, deliberate movements. The scrape of cloth against steel halted the moment he noticed me, his dark eyes narrowing with quiet attention.

The portal shimmered behind me for only a moment before it winked out of existence, leaving me alone with the two most powerful beings in the Underworld.

“Well,” Hyrax drawled, one brow arching in lazy amusement. “That was quite the entrance.”

I stepped forward, each movement deliberate, the sound of my boots echoing softly against the cold stone floor. My gaze never wavered from his. “I’m ready now.”

Hyrax rose from his throne with a deliberate grace, descending the dais step by excruciating step.

He didn’t need to ask what I meant. The words hung unspoken between us, understood by all in the room.

He knew why I’d come. So did Caldrius, his stillness charged with anticipation.

They’d been waiting for this—waiting for me to accept the truth I’d been avoiding.

“Say it, then,” Hyrax challenged, his voice smooth, calm, yet edged with burning expectation. “Speak the words, and I will happily answer any questions that remain.”

Caldrius sheathed his sword across his back with a practiced ease. His leather armor, strikingly similar to mine, glinted faintly in the dim light. He moved to stand slightly behind Hyrax, a silent sentinel, his presence commanding yet unintrusive. His gaze stayed locked on me, unwavering.

I swallowed against the tightening in my throat, my chest a battlefield of turmoil. I fixed my eyes on Hyrax, the God whose Mark had once been seared into my chest. The God with blue eyes that looked so much like my own, I’d been stupid to not realize it sooner.

“You’re my father.”

Hyrax’ s lips curved into a faint smile, satisfaction bleeding into something deeper—something almost human. “Yes,” he said simply, his tone void of mockery, laced only with certainty. “I am.”

The air left my lungs in a rush, not in panic but in an unexpected calm. The ground beneath me felt steady, yet the weight of the moment made the world seem as if it had tilted, spinning on an axis I couldn’t control.

“Which begs the question, my dear,” Hyrax said, stepping closer, his silver hair catching the faint light as it gleamed like woven starlight. His gaze sharpened, tilting his head to study me. “What does that make you?”

The answer surfaced before I could even think, rising from somewhere deeper than words.

My power responded instantly to the realization, surging through me in an untamed flood.

It was more than magic—it was pure, raw creation.

I felt my very essence shift, less flesh and blood and more unbound energy.

“It makes me a Goddess,” I said, the words reverberating through the chamber like a ripple of thunder.