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“It means Ouras was telling the truth,” I sagged in defeat. I was no closer to finding Erabas. “The gods need to be brought together.”

“You think it means the gods? But there’s four of them.” Cal pointed to the image. “And what do these drawings have to do with it?”

“What if this scroll isn’t about returning the magic?” I asked, “What if this was a clue on how to find Erabas? It’s written in Night, likely left for his children. It has something to do with the other three.”

“It sounds like they need to agree to bring him back,” Brekt suggested.

“This just got so much more difficult. How are we supposed to make three gods agree?” I leaned my head against Brekt’s shoulder and sighed. He went still, and I looked up.

He was watching me with a curious expression.

We had never been fully open before, or at least, I had never been bold enough to touch him casually.

When I travelled with them, we always had a wall between us, caused by our secrets and my insecurities, my fears.

I wasn’t like that anymore. Becoming the Ikhor had shown me how easily you could lose so much.

Becoming friends with the twins showed me how brave I could be.

Cal was looking at the text. “I don’t feel like we’ve figured it out. I feel like something major is missing. There’s a mention of crystals above here. You think the decline in crystals has to do with Erabas?”

“Maybe we can convince the gods that bringing Erabas back will be a good idea. Good for Arde.” Maev faced Cal. “The maps we found mark the shrines all over Rydavas, even Veydes. Let’s show them.”

I put my head back on Brekt’s arm, savouring him not turning me away. “What if the gods can’t convince Erabas to take the magic back? What if when he returns, things get worse?”

“Worse than an endless cycle of war?” Brekt’s deep timbre vibrated through me.

Maev nodded her head, clearly thinking about something. “You’re glowing, like Rem,” she said to me. “The Aspis has physical similarities to Ouras. And the other gods are missing, not part of anything anymore.”

“What’re you getting at?” Brekt asked.

Cal unfolded the new maps while Maev continued. “What if the histories are wrong about why you were made? What if the Ikhor never stole the magic, and you’re actually both creations of the only gods that are left? What if Mayra is gone too?”

“That’s a bold question to ask Maev,” Cal said, smiling. “What would Rem and Ouras want by creating the two legends?”

“Maybe to replace the old gods?” I asked.

“These questions are hurting my head,” Brekt complained.

“Me too,” I whispered to him. “But I think they’re doing a good job of seeing different angles.”

Brekt answered with a grunt, and I rolled my eyes at him.

He grabbed my chin and forced my face to his. “Don’t be sassy,” he said in a low tone. “I like it too much.”

I bit my lip as an intense swelling filled my heart.

Sparks of light erupted between us, and he pulled his hand away, wincing.

“Can you two stop making eyes at each other and listen,” Maev complained.

Brekt didn’t look away from me. “The Ikhor is too powerful, Aethar. I have little control.”

“As I was saying,” Maev continued, ignoring us. “These maps show shrines all over the world. They are older than recent maps and show more shrines than what exists today. I want to go search them, see if there are ruins, and look for clues on where the gods might be hiding.”

“Look, Erebrekt,”—Cal pointed to a new map he unrolled—“there are shrines of Night. Several of them. They no longer exist on modern maps.”

“When did you find this one?” Maev drew closer, face lit with excitement.

Cal’s smile was proud, yet his cheeks flushed when Maev was at his side. “You have been gone a long time, Maev. I’ve been on a few of my own adventures.”

Brekt went to Cal’s side and crossed his arms, studying the map. “I’ve never laid eyes on a shrine of Night. You said we can have this map?”

“I can make a copy for you. I only made one for Maev and Liv.”

“I go with Liv,” Brekt said, giving Maev a hard look, daring her to argue.

“What about the Guards?” I asked.

“They can have the second map.”

There seemed no point arguing with him.

“Is it safe for you two to travel together?” Maev asked, fidgeting with papers.

“I go with Liv. End of discussion.”

“We need a Sea-leg to go to Mayra’s shrines. One of her children.” Maev bit her lip.

“He’s one,” Brekt pointed out, nodding to Cal.

“Mayra wouldn’t answer me,” Cal said, studying his map, hair falling in his face. “I’ve never been dedicated to my legacy. I never prayed or worshipped my so-called mother. If she still lives, she will not come for me.”

“I’ll get Nuo on it then.”

Maev made a sound in the back of her throat. “Like he’d help.”

Brekt went stiff, and I stepped between him and Maev, holding a hand up. “Nuo’s been … he’s not the same. Since you left.”

The tension bracketing his mouth melted away. “I’m sorry to bring this to an abrupt end …”

“But you feel the Aspis coming?” My heart sank when he nodded—I hadn’t noticed before how strained he’d become.

Brekt’s obsidian gaze warmed. “I will come back. Promise. Maybe I can catch up with the others before I see you again.”

I hugged myself, watching him head out of Cal’s door.

“Go,” whispered Maev.

“What?” I spun to face her.

“Give him a better goodbye than that,” she said, as if I were stupid.

I ran out of Cal’s door and up the stone steps that led outside. “Brekt,” I shouted, shielding my eyes from the daylight, finding him several feet in the trees.

“Couldn’t even wait a day,” he teased. “I promised I would come back.”

I swallowed my growing nerves. “I wanted to?—”

Shit. How was I supposed to be brave when I didn’t know how to do this?

“I wanted to know if Nuo has been more himself since you’re back.”

He scratched the back of his head. “I know him well. I’ve seen him in his dark moments. Despite Nuo’s casual behaviour, he feels things deeply. He was never shown love and was told it was a weakness. It might be the reason he has that poem on his back—because that’s all he ever wanted.”

“It was him that told me of soul-bonded lovers.” My face heated, not daring to ask Brekt about the subject. “I knew that about him. He’s a romantic, and he was a good friend.”

Brekt was quiet for a moment. “Was he awful to you?”

I blew the hair from my face, my mood souring. “I’m not trying to get him in trouble. Did your dreams not warn you of what would happen when you died?”

Brekt ignored my clipped tone. “I only ever saw things I was present for.”

“Oh, right.”

“But I know him. I know what to expect. Nuo should have never become a Guard. He should never have grown up in the North. He excelled only because I forced him. He should have been like the Sea-leg inside there, your new friend. Nuo should have been a scholar. And he’s suffered for it.

Kept that suffering to himself. He’s likely lost control of his own head. ”

“He could use an apology,” I admitted. Perhaps I was ready to give him one.

“Sounds like he could use a kick in the ass.”

I bit back my smile. “Be nice.”

Brekt walked back to me. “I’m only nice to you, love. You take up all of my capacity.”

I shoved a hand into my pocket and passed several glowing crystals to him, putting something between us before I forced him to stay. “For the others,” I said.

He opened and closed his mouth.

They used to search caves and risk their lives for crystals. Now, I could make them without a thought.

“You’ll come back soon?” I searched his face, looking for that hesitation, the signs that Brekt was hiding himself from me. But I didn’t see it. He hid nothing, and it made me feel bolder. Could I say it?

“If you’ll be here.”

My heart thundered. “I will be. As well as the map of the shrines.”

Brekt touched the side of my face, sending a thrill over every nerve ending. “The only reason I want to search those shrines is to get that magic out of you.”

“So you can stop being forced into being the Aspis?”

He barked a laugh. “I love being the Aspis.” He took a step back. Then another. His smile grew wolfish. “I just want to be able to touch you with my own hands. To not be struck by lightning when I fuck you.”

My heart stopped.

My mind—everything just stopped. I forgot what I had wanted to say.

Shadows swirled around his feet, horns grew from his head, and fangs sprouted behind his wicked grin. No, Brekt was not hiding anymore. The Aspis burst from the smoke and took off into the sky, and I staggered back—the size of it was getting bigger still.

My chest rose and fell, my face heating. Hearing Brekt say those kinds of things—though I had berated him before, saying he was acting like a beast … I liked it when he talked to me like that.

“Wow.” I turned to find Maev standing at the door, facing skyward. “Your photo really didn’t do him justice. Brekt is really hot,” she said wistfully.

I laughed. “First Bastane, now Brekt? You like the whole enemies-to-lovers, don’t you.”

“I read a lot of romances.” She played with the end of her braid as she walked closer. “I’m not thinking of the Shadow Guard that way, but I wouldn’t mind running into the golden Day-leg again. He was actually sweet.”

“You forgot how he betrayed me.”

“I remember how he apologized. Took a hit for you in the canyons.”

“You don’t think I’m crazy? We are walking a fine line, Brekt and I. Half the time we are uncertain of the other.” I leaned against a tree.

“No, you’re not crazy. Not for the feelings you have. Crazy in many other ways. Others might say to stay away from him, to protect you. But I respect the Shadow Guard. He’s fighting the Aspis for you.”

I was surprised. “You’ve seen him when he has no control.”

“Sounds like someone else I know.” She put a finger to my forehead and pushed. “Yet you’re fighting every day to survive and to return the magic.”

I puffed the hair out of my face. “Neither of us is who we were before. What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to take him to your room next time and get him into your bed.” She pinned me with a look. “You need it.”