“The Emperor has been moving against me since we last spoke.” The goddess stood perfectly still, hands clenched at her sides. Her dark eyes churned with barely contained fury. “Destroying the last of my temples. Hunting down my priestesses. He is trying to weaken my power.”
Alena’s pulse spiked. “Why?”
“Because he knows I am helping the Omega. He knows you are coming for him.”
A chill slid down Alena’s spine. “How does he know?”
The Maiden turned her gaze west, towards Rasenna, her dark curls spilling over her fur mantle. “His High Priest has the Gift of foresight. He has seen my presence here. The Emperor will keep sending men until he finds my priestesses. He means to kill them and diminish my power further. We have lingered here too long.”
Behind her, the camp stirred, the air taut with urgency. Priestesses hurried to stack bundles outside the stone shelters. Goats bleated as they were herded towards the central pen.
The Maiden descended from the boulder with fluid grace, her cloak’s hem whispering against stone. She crossed to Alena and placed a warm hand on her cheek.
“We will meet again, daughter of Kallinos.” Her tone softened, reassuring. “Remember—the Mother Goddess choseyou. Do not let any mortal forget who you are. You are the Omega, and no matter the circumstances, you must prevail.”
Alena nodded, though the weight of what lay ahead dulled her urgency to leave. The path forward was suddenly shadowed with uncertainty.
“I cannot Gift you in this moment. My magic is needed to protect Tiryns,” the Maiden continued. “But should you ever need my help, send me a prayer, and I will do what I can. I will be watching.”
Overhead, a golden eagle screamed across the thinning clouds. Sunlight flooded the mountainside all at once, warming the snow-crusted stone.
It was time to leave.
And yet, one question still pressed against her ribs—a question that had haunted her since their first meeting.
“I have one more thing to ask, if you’ll allow it.”
The Maiden nodded, her expression unreadable.
“It’s about my sister, Katell.” Alena hesitated, then forced out the words she’d practised countless times in the dead of night. “I tried to help her. I tried to save her from Dalmatius and the legion, but she wouldn’t listen. Is there anything you can do? If you went to her, surely you could bring her to our side.”
For the first time, a flicker of shadow crossed the goddess’ flawless face. “I tried to reach her once, in Bruna, but it was too late. Her mind was made up.”
Alena shook her head, her voice tightening. “No. It’s not too late. There must be something we can do.”
The Maiden paused, her gaze softening as if weighing her next words. “She has made her choice, Alena. And if you fight her again now, she could kill you.”
Alena’s breath caught.
No.
They hadn’t spoken in over half a year, but that didn’t mean Katell was lost. She couldn’t be. She had made herself a promise, and she would keep it: she would bring Katell back—no matter what it took.
The goddess offered her a rueful smile, eyes shimmering with something like regret, then turned towards the camp.
“Please.” The plea tore from Alena’s throat. “You have to try again. Make her see reason. She’s Kallinos’ daughter, too!”
A sharp wind surged through the mountains, flinging snow into the air. Alena flinched, raising her arm to shield her face.
Through the roar of the gale, the Maiden’s voice cut clear— cold and final.
“Kallinos is not her father.”
The words struck like a blow. Alena stumbled back, her thoughts scattering in a tangle of disbelief.
Not her father.
The phrase echoed in her skull, hollow and deafening. Her hands trembled. A pit yawned open in her chest, swallowing every certainty she’d clung to.
