Shadowborn

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Divine Orders

As we made our way towards the temple district, I did my best to keep my gaze from drifting towards the newest member of House Nocht as best I could. It was difficult, though, and not for the reasons I would have expected. I’d only met a handful of Seelie in my time, but she carried the same unearthly lure. The faintest ethereal glow came from her rosy pink skin, encouraging my gaze and making me feel like I was being pulled towards her in a way I strongly disliked. I hated any magical effect that threatened my control over my own body, which meant I’d have to be on guard around her at all times.

I very much doubted any advances on my part would be welcome in the slightest.

But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having some difficulty. Even under that Seelie glamour she was gorgeous. High cheekbones, an adorable button nose, plump lips that were just shy of being too large for her narrow face, and eyes with irises that swirled like molten silver that gave the impression someone had trapped moonlight in them. And her hair, full and shining, a sea of blue and gold tied in a thick, loose braid, caught the bright sunlight over and over, adding to the otherworldly vibe that constantly tugged at my attention. Just in her appearance, she was beautiful.

When that nose had wrinkled in anger? When those lips had drawn into a flat line? When those eyes practically glowed with the rage and frustration her position had left her in? When, despite this shit world and the circumstances forced upon her, I’d watched a fire light within her?

Fuck.

In a world without the Accords, I liked to think we’d be fast friends. As it was, I could fully understand Rolar’s need to get her the fuck out of the royal keep. Even now, after she’d calmed considerably, I could tell she struggled with upholding the demeanor expected of a demi-human servant. The girl had steel in her, and I found myself hoping we could at least find some common ground eventually.

Another reason it was difficult to keep my eyes from wandering to where she walked shoulder-to-shoulder with her friend, Jayme, was her reactions. The way her eyes had grown so wide they nearly fell from her skull when we’d gotten to the large, ornate buildings that filled the temple district told me she hadn’t spent much time outside of the palace. Her gaze devoured the world around her like she wasn’t sure she’d ever have another opportunity. I suppose from her perspective, that felt like a very real possibility.

Irritation stabbed me once again. Not at her, but at the system that left her with such an ingrained—though likely well-earned—mistrust for men like me. I wonder how she’d react if she knew the amount of power I now held over her likely made me almost as uncomfortable as it did her. But it would do no good to try and convince her of that. I knew the drill. There were no words that would earn her trust, but if I was careful and consistent then perhaps I could do it through action.

And the longer we walked, the more I realized that I really wanted that trust. Once again, my mind went back to just before we’d left the castle. When we’d been stopped by that slimy lord that made my skin crawl. I’d pulled her into me without even realizing it. Tucked her into my side and prepared to dump all my Soul Essence into my shadows if it meant keeping her safe. And in the moment where I’d realized what I’d done, between her request that had something in me threatening to snap and finding the wherewithal to release her and give her the space she needed, it had felt so…right.

I was fiercely protective of her, and we hadn’t even known one another for an hour. The logical side of me was worried about that prospect, but the emotional side was only bothered by the distance with which I now held myself. I felt the same need to protect her that I felt for any of the women who’d become incredibly important to me, which was insane. I would have protected her regardless between Rolar’s request and my apparent innate need to defend those this world has been cruelest to, but the vigor with which my body had sprung to her defense worried me.

I really didn’t like not being in control of my body.

The paranoid facet of my mind pointed out that some kind of skill could be responsible, but I dismissed that. Mainly because, in that moment where I’d pulled away, she’d seemed just as confused as I had. Surely if she was manipulating me in some way, she would be much cleverer about it.

Once again, I lost the internal battle and glanced over my shoulder at her. From the poorly concealed smirk on her face, it was something that hadn’t slipped past Serena’s notice in the slightest. I could only imagine how Rhallani would react, both when she saw the gorgeous, strong-willed Seelie who would now be living with us and when Serena inevitably snitched and told my Arelim how hard a time I was having keeping my eyes off Karina’s glowing expression.

A soft smile pulled at those plump lips, and her expression was wistful. I followed her gaze and saw she was looking at a food cart offering candied nuts. One of many carts offering foods and treats on the main street leading into the temple district proper. Her lip ended up trapped between her teeth, and I couldn’t help myself.

“Would you like some?” I asked softly.

She jumped, her face turning towards the ground like she’d been caught doing something wrong. “N-no,” she said, doing her best to sound timid. Her tone, expression, and body language took me back to when I’d first met Rhallani. I knew she was putting on an act, and I had to guess she didn’t have a fiercely protective older sister to help her nail that act down. I’m sure a part of it stemmed from having seen a glimpse of the real Karina and that I was actively searching for the deception, but her servant act had plenty of room for improvement.

I was half-tempted to buy them anyways, but I knew she’d turn them down. I exchanged a glance with Serena. Through her amusement, an understanding passed between us. She shot a flirty wink, then dropped back and engaged a very wary Karina in conversation.

I did the same, only I stepped up beside Jayme instead. She tensed, tearing her gaze from the streets around us. She was taking her job as a protector seriously, and I appreciated that. All the same, I summoned some silver from my storage and held it out. She took it before she realized what it was, then her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Karina’s damn near drooling just at the smell of those,” I said, nodding towards the candied nuts stand. “Go grab some for the both of you.”

Her lips thinned. “I’m not some errand girl,” she said through clenched teeth.

“I’m well aware, which is why I asked you get some for yourself as well. Consider it an advance.”

She frowned. “Why?”

I shrugged. “I’d do it, but I highly doubt Karina would accept them from me.”

Jayme watched me for a second, then the corner of her mouth twitched. “Got her all figured out already, huh?”

A laugh slipped out of me. “Not in the slightest.” But I’d like to.

Now it was my turn to frown. Karina was getting under my skin even faster than Jack/Vivian had, and I was positive she had no clue she was even doing it. I had to fight a grin when I wondered if I was getting under her skin just as badly.

That desire to grin faded when something occurred to me. Something I knew I’d need to test, but I’d need her trust to do it. Shoving the thoughts down, I returned my attention to Jayme. “A day like this, I’d say she needs a pick-me-up. A gift from her friend might not make it all better, but trust me when I say even a small gesture can keep you standing when you’re having a shit time.”

A myriad of emotions flitted behind Jayme’s eyes. Distrust, confusion, and curiosity were prevalent, but eventually she nodded. “Fine.”

“Wait,” I said, halting her before she could head off towards the stand. “What’s your weapon of choice?”
She eyed me warily. “Sword and shield, but I’ll grab my things once we get Karina to her new home.” I didn't miss the venom in her tone at the last few words, nor could I blame her for it. “It was my day off, and I didn’t expect I’d need to—well, I didn’t expect all this.”

“Understandable.” I stepped back and looked her over, taking note of the length of her arms and the way she held herself. Her shoulders were broad and her arms rippled with corded muscle. The evenness in those muscles told me she was either somewhat ambidextrous or that she fought exclusively with a weapon or shield in both hands. After brief deliberation, I summoned a sword and kite shield from my storage, handing them over.

She took them with wide eyes. “These…don’t suck. Hells, they might be better than what I’ve got right now.”

If she was using standard guard gear, I was hardly surprised. While they were far from the fanciest weaponry in my vault, they were of fine make and magically reinforced. “Do a good enough job and you can keep them.”
Immediately, her eyes narrowed. “And that job would be…?”

“Protecting Karina, of course.”

Her eyes flicked towards where Karina and Serena were still talking. Already my priestess’s warmth was breaking through her barriers, it seemed. “Protecting Karina is the only reason I’m here.”

I inclined my head. “And, since Rolar has loaned you to me, I can make that an official order. Protect Karina at all costs, and any blowback from your actions falls on me.”

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Finally, she gave up and closed it, strapping the sword to her hip and hanging the shield on her back. “What’s your game, here?” she asked eventually. "What do you want with Karina? How’d you get the king to toss her aside like that?”

One of my brows arched. “Toss her aside?” I shook my head. “I need Rolar’s help, and his price is protecting Karina. I can do that with or without you, but she’s more likely to accept your help than mine for obvious reasons.” My eyes were drawn back to the Seelie, who seemed to be fighting a smile at whatever Serena was saying with mischief in her eyes and her mouth hidden.

When I returned my gaze to Jayme her expression had softened, though it was still wary. “What I do, I do for her. Not for you, and not even for the king,” she said softly.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She stared me down for another beat, no doubt searching my demeanor for any deception or malice. She must not have found anything, because she turned and headed towards the stand to purchase some sweets for her and Karina.

I approached the other two, and I’d barely made it a few steps before Karina tensed. She hadn’t even been looking in my direction, which meant she was more perceptive than she appeared. When she turned her body towards me, her arms were clamped tightly across her chest. Her eyes darted around, widening in panic until they locked onto Jayme at the stand.

She calmed at the sight of her friend, but I could tell she was still bothered that me and Serena were much closer than the girl she so obviously trusted. “So why are we here?” she asked, her tone harsh. Even she winced at the sound of it, adding a much softer, “sir.”

I fought the urge to grin. “Trying to see if we can talk to a goddess,” I said with a shrug.

Her brows rose. “A goddess? Have conversations with them often, then?”

This time my lips did curl ever so slightly, despite my best efforts. “Not as often as I’d like to, since I’m working for one.”

She retreated a step before catching herself. “You’re a Chosen?”

Serena sucked in her breath, but I just shook my head. “Chosen adjacent, at best. I made a deal with a goddess, but she doesn’t own me. That satisfy your curiosity?”

Her gaze was locked on mine, the swirling silver holding me captive and making me feel like something was tugging at my chest. She stared me down until Jayme returned, then seemed to realize what she was doing and blanched, averting her gaze and fixing her eyes on my feet.

I bit back the unexpected frustration that welled in my sternum and cleared my throat. “Serena, you know where you’re going, so if you would?”

With an amused nod, she turned and headed off the main street between two gilded temples. She pulled out her amulet—the one with Allura’s symbol on it—and rubbed her thumb against its worn surface absentmindedly. We hadn’t made it far, though, when I felt too many eyes on us.

I swallowed the groan that wanted so desperately to come out. The temple had just come into view—a much smaller temple than the rest, though beautifully built with red and gold fabric decorating its windows and entrance—when an all too familiar figure strolled out onto the road in front of us.

I wished I could say Iliri looked like an old hag, complete with warts and a hunch. Unfortunately, that simply wasn’t true. She’d aged, certainly, but if anything the lines around her mouth and eyes only served to make her look even sharper than she had before. Her long, aristocratic nose, narrow and neat brows, and thin, stern lips still had the uncanny effect of making me want to avert my eyes and apologize for everything I’d ever done.

Her gaze locked on me immediately, and while my companions all froze in their tracks I forced myself not to react at all past taking a few extra steps and slipping my hands in my pockets like I was hardly bothered by one of the most powerful clerics in the world.

It took all of two seconds for Iliri decide that I was exactly who she thought I was. Her chin rose, and she looked down her long nose at me with a look that anyone else would assume to be a dignified air of aloofness. I’d traveled with her long enough to recognize the way the skin around her eyes tightened and her lips curled ever so slightly. It was an expression that landed somewhere between disgust and disappointment, which was practically where I lived according to her.

“So the rumors are true,” she said in a velvety voice that really made me want to hit something. No doubt she had some kind of information network spread throughout the district that had tagged us the moment we’d arrived.

“Depends on the rumors,” I said with a shrug.

“That you have the nerve to show your face here, in this city, after you abandoned us.”

That drew a laugh out of me, which startled everyone but Iliri. “Seriously? Let’s not pretend you didn’t host a revel the second you heard I’d left the city.” I shook my head. “How many times did you say, to my face, that my skill with killing was the only reason Rolar kept around? How many times did you tell me—and I’m quoting you here—that the second the threat was gone nobody would want me around?”

Iliri’s lips curled further, but she didn’t deny my words. Though her eyes did flick to Serena, whose shoulders had gone stiff as a board. Then they traveled over Jayme and Karina, catching on the collar at her throat. Her mouth twisted. “I should have known you’d be quick to take advantage of the Accords. Without a worldwide threat forcing the desperate to ally with you, I’m sure it’s the only way you can force others to remain in your company.”

The silence that followed her declaration was deafening, but I felt like something had been lifted from my shoulders. A weight that had long been compressing my lungs seemed to lift, and I smiled. Iliri’s reaction to my expression was immediate. Her brows furrowed and she took a half step backwards, which was the Iliri equivalent of screaming in terror.

“Thank you,” I told her earnestly.

Her eyes narrowed. “For what?”

“For making me realize you don’t know shit about me.” I shrugged. “It used to hurt, that the woman everyone idolized thought I was scum. I thought much the same, so I never really questioned it. Now I know differently, though. You don’t know the most basic thing about me, and all your judgments are based on who you think I am. It’s a bit of a relief, honestly.”

And that was true. When I’d sat in the room with Rolar, it was like he’d expected me to leap over the table and attack him at any moment. He’d known exactly how I’d feel about the Accords. The guild. All of it. He’d been terrified I was here to destroy everything because he understood me. Sandrel, too. Even Bennet, as rarely as we got along, understood that I wouldn’t stand for the atrocities committed in my absence. But not Iliri. Never Iliri. She made her judgments the first time she met you, and it took a literal act of a god to change that opinion. She’d written me off long before I even understood who or what I really, truly was.

But that was her problem, not mine.

Her nostrils flared in response, and I knew if she wasn’t worried about the carefully constructed image she’d accrued over the last thirty years and some change she would have blasted me already. Instead, she drew herself to her full height, which was annoyingly tall. “What are you doing here, Zaren? We both know your opinion on the gods, as well as their opinion of you.”

My fingers twitched in my pockets. “Why, Iliri, I’m here to pray of course. Surely you wouldn’t turn away a sinner such as I? One who so clearly needs the guidance of the divine? Or are you still selective on who deserves redemption?”

Her expression barely changed, but that was standard for Iliri. Her lips became a thin line and her head tilted forward, which was her own version of a murderous grimace. “I can only assume you’re here to cause trouble, and if that’s the case then I will ask you to leave. You don’t belong here, Godslayer.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but Serena beat me to it. “That isn’t your decision to make,” she said in a cool voice that made me raise a brow.

Her eyes flicked to Serena’s face once more, then to the amulet at her neck. She laughed mirthlessly. “I see, now things make sense.”

The insinuation that I was just after Allura’s boons irked me, but that was nothing compared to the flare of anger I felt through the Link between Serena and I. Serena clasped her hands in front of her, a wide smile on her face. “I see, your god must have informed you that we’re on a mission given to us by Allura herself, then. I assume that’s what you’re referring to, at least.”

Iliri gaped, but Serena barreled on before she could get a word in edgewise. “Wait, that can’t be right. If memory serves, Chosen no longer commune with their god after their conflict ends. That means Zaren has talked with more gods than even you in the last thirty years.”

The former Chosen in front of us looked like she’d been punched in the gut. “Gods? Plural?”

Serena nodded solemnly. “Oh, yes. Both Allura and Fortuna. Then Tydarr sent his Chosen to try and get information out of us, but that didn’t go all according to his plans. But then you’ve already done your duty, haven’t you? We wouldn’t want to disrupt your day-to-day. After all, you’ve got this wonderful temple district to run. It’s so much nicer than the one in the lower quarter, isn’t it?”

Iliri blinked. “There isn’t one in the lower quarter.”

Serena’s smile widened. “I’m aware, I just wasn’t sure you were. Though I guess I can’t blame you or the other priests and priestesses here. After all, anyone who can’t make it up to your district probably doesn't have the money to make any real donations.”

Iliri glowered, and I resisted the urge to step between them. Serena could handle herself, and I had to have trust in her. Besides, this was one of the most entertaining things I’d witnessed in a while. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen anyone other than me rankle Iliri’s feathers quite so effectively.

“What exactly are you insinuating, girl?”

She spat the last word, but Serena didn’t so much as blink. “Oh, nothing at all.” She stepped close enough to wrap her arms around mine, resting her cheek on my shoulder. “With Zaren’s resources, I’m sure we can figure something out. You can keep your district nice and…clean. But, if it’s all the same to you, I wish to go to my temple. Surely you wouldn’t turn away a priestess for personal reasons, would you? From all the stories, I figured the great Iliri, Chosen cleric of Eelia would be above such worldly pettiness. I wasn’t mistaken, was I?”

I fought to keep my amusement off my expression while Iliri ground her teeth so hard I could hear it across the way. There were more than a few people who had found a reason to stop and watch the spectacle, and if Iliri chose to kick us out now then the whole city would surely know by sundown.

“Of course not. All are welcome in the houses of the gods, as long as they do not mean to incite strife. You wouldn’t be opposed to an escort, would you? After all, Zaren and I have such a rich history, it would be an insult to let anyone else do so.”

Serena didn’t so much as miss a beat. “That would be lovely. Please,” she gestured.

A vein had started to throb in Iliri’s forehead, but she stepped aside to let Serena and I walk through. I risked a glance at our companions, who were both staring between Serena and Iliri with barely concealed expressions of shock and awe. Karina saw my glance and shot a flabbergasted look at me, her eyes demanding answers. I shot her a wink and her mouth snapped shut, her cheeks darkening ever so slightly, before pointedly looking away.

When we finally made it to the temple, a tired looking woman with frazzled hair doing its damnedest to escape a once-tight braid met us with a shallow, hurried bow. “Welcome to the temple of Allura.” Her eyes, which had deep bags under them, flicked between me and Serena. “My name is Sel. I assume you’re here for a rite, will we be setting up for fertility, virility, or a blessing for an unborn child?”

Serena’s grip tightened on my arm and I was powerless to stop the deep belly-laugh that bubbled out of me. The priestess jumped, and I could feel Iliri’s stare burning into my back, but I didn’t care. Poor Allura, it seemed everyone really had decided she was a sex goddess.

I got my laughter under control. “None of the above. We’re just here to pray.”

She swallowed, her brow furrowing in confusion, but eventually she nodded. “Of course. Right this way then, my lord. I’ll be around should you need anything else.”

We entered the temple, and I took a good look around. While many of the other temples I’d seen or been in—especially those on the main road—oozed wealth and opulence, Allura’s temple was cozy. The adornments were fine to be sure, but they were much more muted than the in-your-face glowing gold and jewels that filled the other temples. Walking in, to my great surprise, felt right.

“Oddly enough, I don’t hate it,” I said out of the corner of my mouth.

Serena swatted my arm. “It’s a wonderful temple, but it isn’t often Allura gets much recognition.” She grimaced. “Even from people who treat her like a sex goddess. Yrena, the goddess of Lust, gets a lot of that traffic nowadays. And with the way things have…gone over the last three decades, family and love are almost more of a luxury than anything else.”

I patted her hand. “Well, we’ll have to see if we can fix that. Come on, I assume there’s an altar?”

With a nod, she pulled me to the front. Karina and Jayme stayed near the entrance, looking uncomfortable, and I nodded to tell them that was fine. At the front of the room was a statue that was surprisingly accurate to Allura. In the face, at least. Some of her other features were a little exaggerated, though not by much. Serena lowered her head, her lips moving silently, but I kept my eyes raised.

Allura knew when she made our deal that I wasn’t one to prostrate or grovel. If that ended up being the only option, then I might consider it, but I had to think after the way our initial conversation had gone she wouldn’t want to piss me off so greatly. She would hardly cater to my whims, but she was willing to deal before, so why not now?

With Serena’s arms still wrapped around mine, I took a breath. “Look, Allura,” I said quietly, “I’m not sure what—”

That was as far as I got before light exploded in my skull, obliterating the world around us.

# # #

The searing pain and disorienting spinning sensation faded eventually, and when I finally opened my eyes I realized I was sitting on a plush chair in a room that most definitely wasn’t the temple we’d just been sitting in. Serena was tucked against my side, murmuring as she pushed herself into a sitting position and cradling the side of her head.

A soft gasp slipped past her lips when she finally managed to look around, but my attention was squarely on the familiar woman sitting in the vaguely throne-shaped seat across from us. She smiled warmly at me when she realized I was awake, and I heard a second gasp come from Serena.

“You certainly took your time,” she said, her voice silken smooth.

I scoffed. “Yeah, that tends to happen when you dump me in the middle of nowhere a month away from your nearest temple.”

Amusement glittered in her eyes, but it hid something else. Another emotion she was concealing that set my teeth on edge. “Beggars can’t be choosers, but we’re here now. That’s what matters.”

Serena opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Allura pursed her lips. “Sorry, love, but you’re not quite strong enough to host these conversations and participate in them. Not yet, at least. Someday, you will be.” Then she returned her attention to me. “You’ve been busy, Zaren.”

“So have you, it seems,” I shot back.

Something flickered in her eyes again. There and gone again so quickly I couldn’t decipher what, but I couldn’t help but think she leaned forward ever so slightly at my words. “How do you mean?”

“My allies?” Her eyes narrowed a fraction, and I knew I was on to something. “You’ve put a number of them in my path, haven’t you? Manipulated their skills and classes? Led me to a couple of them? Or are you going to lie like you did the last time?”

Her expression hardened, but only for a second. “I did not lie. I will hold up my end of our bargain, just as I hope you will hold up yours. You’ve been doing an admirable job so far.”

But I shook my head. “You said you couldn’t intervene because Karn was playing both sides. Fortuna said it was because he’d made some kind of divine blindspot. Which is it?”

“Fortuna?” Allura demanded, then caught herself. “Neither are lies, neither are fully true. However he created the blind spot, his actions with both the light and dark sides of the conflict factored in. That’s the extent of what I know, though. Much of what Karn did as well as why he did it is still shrouded in mystery, but that isn’t important.”

“Isn’t it?” I challenged. “He’s connected to everything that’s happening now. The collars and the slavers are from the things he did. I’m not so sure he’s done affecting things.”

She crossed one leg over the other, interlacing her fingers and leaning back. “I see. I’ll take your word for it.” I tilted my head, frowning. Something about this whole conversation felt…off. I just couldn’t quite put my finger on what. “But we should really talk about what must come next.”

“I’m already working to undermine the guild’s current practices and dismantle the Accords, as well as figure out who exactly is still using Karn’s techniques and artifacts.”

She inclined her head. “That’s a good start, to be sure. You also need to find the other Primal classes and win them over.”

My brows rose. “Win them over?”

“That’s right. Six classes built from the original six Primal magics that this world used to defend itself long before the System was ever put into place.” She nodded, as much to herself as to me. “In the conflict to come, the victor may very well be determined by who has the most Primal classes on their side. Six who are not bound by fate or balance, they will be the ones to tip us into chaos or order. You’ve already found two on your own, which is phenomenal, but you have to keep searching for the other three.”

Serena’s arms tightened around mine, and I could read her gaze as easily as if she’d spoken. “Two counting me?” I asked.

Allura shook her head with a small smile, and I frowned. It wasn’t a large leap to assume Jack was one, Her flames called to my shadows in a way that meant we had to be connected, but who could the other one be? I’d have to figure it out quickly, it seemed.

“That’s not all, either,” Allura said. “There’s something else you need to find, but I can’t tell you much about—what the fuck!?”

She shot to her feet, her eyes fixed on something next to me. Frowning, I looked to see the Jailer’s Blade leaning against the chair Serena and I were sitting in. The Link between me and Ash thrummed, as if she was asking, where’d you go all the sudden?

“How did that—” Allura asked in a voice that didn’t belong to her. Her eyes widened, and she spoke again, this time in her normal voice. “You were meant to keep the sword from falling into your enemies hands, not bond with it to the point where it could barge in on our conversations.”

“You knew when you chose me that I don’t really follow instructions well,” I said dryly. I reached out and wrapped my hand around the blade. Only then did I realize it had joined us without the scabbard that kept it from devouring me. The second I touched the hilt, something ripped through the core of my being. Like something had been ripped from me, only to be jammed back into place in a way that fit better than before.
This time, when the impressions passed through our Link, I understood them. They weren’t quite words, but they made as much sense as if the sword had grown a mouth and started speaking with me.

Whatcha doin’? Ash asked.

“Talking with Allura,” I answered.

Excitement trilled between us. Really? Where is she? I like her, she took away the wall!

“What wall?” I asked, ignoring the incredulous looks Allura and Serena were giving me.

You know, the wall! The one that kept you from hearing me before? It was the least she could do though. She was the one who put it there in the first place.

I blinked, trying to decipher what the fuck Ash was talking about. The wall that kept us separate? She could only be talking about [Cursed Existence]. The skill had protected me from the harsher effects of the blade, but it had also acted as a barrier to keep us from truly being connected. I’d elected to forgo the skill this time around, and that was the sole reason my bond with the sword had grown to the point it had. But then, if Allura was the one who put it there…

Cold fury ripped through me, obliterating all rational thought. Serena made a pained sound and the world around us seemed to fade before snapping back into reality. I struggled to get my emotions under control before I did something to hurt Serena, then turned my attention onto Allura. If she was the one who gave me [Cursed Existence], the very skill that had allowed me to escape Karn’s collar, then—

So, where is she? Ash asked again.

I frowned. “She’s right there,” I said, tipping the sword towards Allura.

Really? Is she hiding behind that other goddess? I don’t sense her anywhere.

My anger settled into something icy. I turned my gaze on ‘Allura’ and she paled. Suddenly the sense of unease I’d felt made sense. This Allura had been almost exactly like the goddess who’d I’d made a deal with what felt like an eternity ago, but she wasn’t quite right. It was the smallest things. Tiny mannerisms. The way her lips sat when she wasn’t speaking. How her hands moved when she was idle. Her reaction to the sword.

“You aren’t Allura, are you?” I asked.

Serena stiffened, but ‘Allura’ only shot a dirty look at the Jailer’s Blade. “Spoilsport,” she muttered, waving a hand. Her visage melted into a slender woman with raven-black hair that fell down to her waist, her skin the color of the moon and her eyes a warm violet that carried the divine weight of a goddess.

“So who are you, then?” I demanded.

She crossed her arms. “Keona.”

I frowned, trying to recall the name. “That’s a minor goddess, isn’t it?”

That was the wrong thing to say. “I’m as much a minor goddess as my mother is a sex goddess!” She collected herself. “Though, technically, my domain is somewhat narrower than what you would call a major god or goddess.” She waited for me to fill in the blanks, then her expression grew more frustrated. “Lost children?”

“Right. Again, not a fan of the gods, so you really shouldn’t be surprised.” I shook my head. “Lost children. I should hate you most of all, then, for failing the others.”

She looked away, her expression twisted with loathing that I wasn’t entirely sure was aimed outward. “And why do you think I’m here? She put me in charge of—well, that isn’t important right now.” She sighed, rubbing her forehead.

“Where is Allura, then? Or am I not worth speaking to in person?”

She shot me a glare. “There’s much you don’t know.” She collected herself, then sat back down. Ash sent a trill of disappointment, apparently upset that Allura wasn’t here after all, but remained in the room. “Allura went missing about seven years ago. I waited as long as I could before I put her backup plan into action.”

“Backup plan? What backup plan?”

She paused. “You, Zaren. You were always her trump card.”

Well.

Shit.

“So if she hadn’t needed me…” I ventured.

She just shrugged. “You’d have to ask Allura. I was told that if something happened to her, I needed to bring you back into play. One of your—er, Rhallani, who was a part of Allura’s plans in a way I can’t get into right now, was going to die. I put you in a position to save her and turned you loose on Kasidiel, and so far I’m starting to understand why Allura held you in reserve for so long.”

My anger was starting to rise again, but a hand on my thigh stopped me. I looked down to see Serena’s eyes, wide with emotion, looking up at me. She anchored me, using our Link to pull me down and away from the fury I really wanted to unleash on the goddess in front of me.

I took a long, long breath.

“So then why are we talking? Why now?” I asked.

“You have no real connection to me. By bringing your priestess into the temple, you created a strong enough connection to my mother that I could piggyback off it. Until now, I couldn’t contact you.” She sat back, rubbing her temple again. “You need to find Allura. She has a plan, but she didn’t know who to trust. She trusted me with more than anyone else because I was the only daughter who stood by her all these years, but even I don’t know everything. Our enemies could win the war while we’re trying to play catch up.”

I had a number of other reasons I really wanted to have a conversation with the goddess of love, bonds, and family, but I wasn’t dumb enough to say those out loud. “And I don’t suppose you have any idea how we do that? Where to start looking?”

“You’ll have to do much of the legwork, unfortunately.” Her brow furrowed in frustration. “The other gods have been looking, and as impossible as it seems the fact that nobody has had any success so far makes me think mortals are involved. If a mortal has found some way to restrain Allura, only a mortal can free her.”

“You think this whole conspiracy we’re trying to unravel is involved somehow?” I asked.

She shrugged. “It’s as good a place to start as any. But I can give you some help. A marker.”

Serena stiffened, her mouth agape, but I frowned. “Care to explain?”

Her head wobbled side to side. “A marker is a physical manifestation of a god’s will attached to a mortal, connecting them for a specific purpose. Allura left a marker behind for your priestess, and I can…alter that marker. Reverse its polarity so that instead of using her divine magic to serve its original purpose, it’ll use the cosmic energy generated by your deal to seek her out instead. It’s built with what was left of the levels you gave Allura to cement your deal, which makes it powerful.”

“I’m guessing you won’t be answering the dozens of questions that explanation raises?”

Amusement flitted across her features. “If you want to know the marker’s original purpose, you’ll have to find Allura. Only she can fix it, and finding her is more important than what it would do without my tampering.”
“You won’t even tell me what it’s supposed to do?”

“Sorry, Zaren, but if I did you’d demand I leave it be, and that simply isn’t an option. I’m certain that, once you know everything, you’ll agree with my decision. If I’m wrong, then even gaining you as an enemy would be a worthy sacrifice when compared to the fall of our world.”

I say let’s do it! Ash chimed in. I gave the sword an exasperated look, and she shot the mental equivalent of a shrug through the Link. Allura gave you hope. You didn’t have that before, and I like you a lot more when you’re hopeful. So let’s go find her, squeeze all the answers you need out of her, then destroy all your enemies!

That drew a chuckle out of me, which served only to baffle the other two in the room. “Sorry, talking to the sword.” I looked down at Serena. “Well? You’re the one who has to wear the marker. What do you say, want to go save your goddess’s ass?”

Serena nodded vigorously, and Keona let out a breath. “Good. After everything I’ve seen, you might actually have a chance at finding her.” Her lips quirked upwards. “And undoing the horrors our enemies have forced upon this world along the way should be child’s play for a fatebreaker like yourself.”

Before I so much as had the chance to ask her what the fuck that meant, my vision went white again.

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