Page 79 of The Frost Witch (The Covenants of Velora #1)

“I am not your wife,” I bit out as I pushed up to stand. The less time I spent kneeling before this particular god, the better. “Not yet.”

“We have a bargain.” His voice was exactly as it had been before, the first time he’d ripped me from my world and brought me to his dark, frigid hell. Too melodious for a god of death and darkness. A siren’s call in the night.

I’d begged for his help and he’d answered.

The scar on my inner thigh burned. The ancient runes inked there were a constant reminder every time I invoked his name. Garrick had not seen them—I’d been careful. The darkness before the Memory Gate, the heavy furs in the temple, they’d hidden the Dark God’s true claim on me. More than witch.

Bride.

“I am well aware of the bargain we made.” It haunted me every night when I went to sleep. But I would not take it back. My worst memory was that night in the cave when Kyrelle was captured, but there was nothing I wanted to change. Until Xyta got involved.

The Dark God leaned forward on his obsidian throne, dark hair falling over his brow. “You seem to have developed a fondness for bargaining with gods. Are you regretting your dealings with Xyta yet? They are not as straightforward and trustworthy as I am.”

He did not smile even as he made what could only be a twisted attempt at a joke. The most powerful being in existence did not need to indulge in such mundane human niceties.

I exhaled slowly, biting down on my tongue to keep it in check. I’d learned the first time we’d played this game—he loved to hear himself talk.

“Our bargain was simple. You killed your coven sister to protect your blood sister’s descendant. I did exactly as you asked. I spirited the human woman away to safety.”

But as usual, even in the most fraught situations, I could not keep my mouth shut. “They would have killed her if I had not asked for your help. I could not defeat them all.” I advanced on the throne as I spoke.

He was right—and I hated it.

I’d killed McKean. That was the part of the memory that Xyta wanted to compel me to change. The vengeful Deity of Sacrifice wanted me to kill Garrick instead. Not that either choice would bring back McKean, dead almost a year now.

I’d killed McKean to stop her from killing Kyrelle. But that had still left me to defend an injured woman against three other witches. And while I’d always struggled with my power, Maura, Elodie, and Aurienna had perfect control over theirs.

So, I’d begged the Dark God for help. He’d offered his terms, and I’d accepted them.

He saved Kyrelle. I was cast out from my coven for my crimes.

And when that second death finally came for me, I would spend my eternity here—in hell.

“The terms of our bargain have not changed,” he said, drumming his fingers on the arm of his throne.

“I want to make another bargain.”

The Dark God stilled.

I refused to let myself flinch as he stared down at me. His dark eyes, black as his crown of hair and the throne on which he sat and the kingdom around us, watched me for any change. He’d gifted the witches with their heightened senses. He must possess them too.

Could he hear the blood thundering through my veins? Smell my desperation?

“You wish to save your bonded.”

More than anything .

But if he could not read my mind, I was not giving him any extra insights. “If you save him from Xyta, I will… I will come to you sooner.”

His mouth twisted in a sneer. “How much sooner, Koryn? A year? A decade? A century?”

My life was the only thing I had to bargain.

Maybe I should have been more careful with it.

But I had to get through the Seven Gates first. If I got through the gates, I would be reunited with my coven and restored to my full power.

I would be able to save Kyrelle not just for a few weeks or months, but for the rest of her natural life.

But to bargain away a decade or a century, when I did not know how many remained to me… it doesn’t matter . Not if it saved Garrick.

It mattered to the Dark God.

He stood from his throne, descending the stairs that separated us in three easy bounds. His thick brows curved slightly above his deep-set, dark eyes. He advanced until I was close enough to see the stubble on his upper lip. What a ridiculous affectation for a god.

“You will sacrifice for him, even knowing he will always be beyond your grasp?”

My stomach clenched at the threat. But if he could have undone the Lifebind, he already would have. And the terms of our bargain stated he could not bring about my second death to hurry me along to the place that waited for me at his side.

“I am not promised here until my death,” I said.

“I am not a forgiving god, Koryn,” he sneered. “For the wellbeing of your bonded, you had best remember that.”

“I did not choose the bond.” But I would protect it and treasure it for as long as I could.

“No, it was gifted to you by Seraxa.” His dark face curled with revulsion.

I did not care about his petty infighting with the other gods. I cared about Garrick and the future of Velora—not for its own sake, but for the ones I cared about who were cursed by it. “You have not given me an answer.”

He lifted his chin. “I cannot interfere with the bargains you make with other gods. If Xyta demands your bonded’s life as their due, then that is what is required.”

Anger rushed in, cold as the ice that this very god had gifted to me. “You are supposed to be the most powerful of them all. Yet you won’t do it. You won’t bestir yourself to help me.”

I did not hold it back. I couldn’t kill or hurt him. I let the ice flow from me, coating the floor around us. I hated that his dark hell made my frost glitter. Like they belonged together, like I’d been made for this place.

The Dark God closed the space between us, leaning down so that I could not avoid his dark eyes as they bored into me. “Haven’t I been with you, through all of the gates? How many times have you whispered those words… Dark God, help me. Dark God, be with me . And I was. I always was.”

“I got through the gates on my own,” I said through my teeth.

“Of course you did. I would expect nothing less of my future queen.”

It physically pained me, but I forced the words out. “Help me.”

“No,” he said simply. “You must choose between your lover and your coven.”

Lover was worse than bonded.

I remained rooted to the spot as he walked around me, his black eyes dissecting me as he went. I would have felt less exposed if I’d been naked. If I thought he’d accept that offer, I’d have removed my clothes right there. But I knew his answer in whatever remained of my soul. My heart.

Just like I knew not to flinch away from his touch as he lifted the curtain of hair away from my neck. As he pressed his lips to the hollow of my throat.

“I will see you again soon, sweet Koryn. Very soon.”