I give her this moment, using the time to check on my allies. All mortals have been moved out of harm’s way, and the rodzanicas are like hardworking ants among the sleeping multitude. They give them the rot just like they hand out fates to newborns.
“I’m ready.”
I give Jaga three breaths, and the floodgates open again. I hammer at the weakest spot, pouring in more and more magic, until I hear a shout, then another.
Chors flies up to us, panting.
“Rod is back. He lost them. Perun might come any moment.”
Chapter thirty-eight
Prophecy
Fear skitters down my back and settles in my gut like a heavy stone. I’m distracted, and my magic stops flowing. Jaga huffs impatiently, feeding me more through the bond, but I’m already gathering my shadows, ready to leave.
“I knew this wouldn’t work.”
“Don’t you dare!”
She kisses me hard, biting into my lip until blood flows, and then her blood joins mine, too. She must have pierced her tongue. I swallow this wicked potion, both of us together, and forget I was supposed to leave.
“Keep going,”she tells me, her voice a sharp command that makes my pulse race.“Bring his temple to the ground. Now!”
I refocus, finding that weakest spot, so much weaker now, and rain destruction on the white walls. Jaga sucks air out of my mouth, and we keep kissing. It’s messy and chaotic, my tongue seeking hers while she pulls too many breaths into her lungs, gorging her soul on my magic.
There is a mighty crack below us. The ground shakes, and I push harder, spending the magic faster than she gives it, but I feel it, it’s almost done, and I just need a…
“WELES!”
I jerk as Perun’s voice booms through the air. Jaga hisses, pushing us to the side half a second before the space we’ve just occupied sizzles with lightning.
I stop time, spending the last of my magic. “We must go. He’ll dismantle it soon. He rules time magic, too.”
The bond between us singes hot as Jaga pushes a roaring fire into my mind, magic so powerful, it makes my vision black out. “Now! Finish it!”
I obey. My body shakes, fear riding me, but her voice rings stronger than my terror, and I find that weak spot again, sending all of Jaga’s magic into it. I have no way of checking if it worked with the time held still, so I grab her closer and whisk us away just as another lightning bolt cuts the sky in half.
We reappear in the Hall of Fires, both alive, clinging to each other. Jaga shakes, and I laugh soundlessly, breathless and lightheaded. I can’t stop even as my allies gather around us, asking what happened, did we make it out all right, did I do it, where is Chors?
My laughter cuts off, but just then, Chors appears in a flood of moonlight, sporting the widest smile I’ve seen on him yet.
“You did it,” he says, laughing. “It fell, and Perun rained lightning and thunder in his fury, turning it into a heap of steaming rubble. You won, Father. You won!”
He hugs us both, Jaga and me, and we laugh together, trading kisses and garbled words of joy, her lips on my mouth then on his cheek, his lips on mine for the briefest moment, a rare affection that I’ll treasure. Our allies rejoice, and there’s suddenly music out of nowhere, food and drink, and fires sobright, it’s almost like a sunrise in my beautiful hall made of gems.
Jutrzenka appears, golden and triumphant, looking like Jaga, yet not. Her face is her own, but freckled, her hair red, and she comes to me, bubbling with pride. When her lips seek mine, I push her away and embrace her with one arm instead.
“Good job. You did well.”
I turn back to Jaga, who pulls me in for a kiss that steals my air. Chors holds her hand, smiling that most gorgeous smile in the world, and I don’t mind it at all today, his and her kisses, their hands entwined. It’s only right. We are a family.
We won.
The music grows louder, and Jaga pulls me into a fast, rhythmic dance, her face red and joyful spinning in front of me like a sigil of my own, a brand burned into my soul. Her hands are bold and possessive, pulling me closer, and I steal kisses from her sweet lips. All the sustenance I need is right here, inside this woman.
I breathe into her mouth, making her soul grow red around her shoulders, and she feeds me the excess of her magic until we are both at full capacity, too powerful to conquer.
“You make me invincible,” I growl into her ear, this victory getting me drunk like the finest poison.
