Daisy inclined her head. “Yes.”
“Put her down, Tarianthiel. She is strong enough now.” The female waved her hand.
In a blink, Daisy appeared beside him. She felt refreshed, as though she hadn’t just come back from the dead.
Tarian reached out his hand to her. She took it and scooted closer, glancing behind to make sure her family and his were all intact.
“Well, I am impressed.” The female smiled at Daisy. “Call me Equilas, child. As I was saying, I am impressed. We have known all the crystal chalices, of course. Even if they were never discovered, and most were not. Hardly any ever learned their magic. They didn’t have a guide, like you did. So few ever realized their true potential. Their inherent power. None, notone, has ever survived the magic they were able to boost. Until now.”
Elbow braced on the arm of her throne, she leaned, bringing up her hand to partially cover her simpering smile.
“And this is the most power we have ever seen come out of a crystal chalice,” she continued. “Isn’t it?”
She turned to the others. All of them reacted in some way, to maybe lean, or sit back, or narrow their eyes in thought, but none answered the question.
“And that is because of the Ancestral Magic of Sevens.” Her shining eyes switched to Tarian, and the violet within them glowed. “So much power. So much potential. So young and inexperienced. Your power should’ve protected you, but instead, it was the key to your downfall. It has been so interesting, watching jealousy and wariness and loss destabilize a kingdom that had never been so solid. It was about time someone shook it all up.”
“Forgive me,” Tarian said respectfully, “but how could you let things get so bad? The magic so twisted? The whole of the realm was suffering, leaking into the human realm. Scrolls said that, in ages past, that was enough for a war of the gods.”
She turned to the female on her right. “I think he wants an explanation.”
“Iwould want an explanation,” another female said, looking around. “It has been an amusing distraction, but it certainly did go to extremes.”
“Yes.” Equilas looked at Tarian for some time before her gaze roamed to Daisy. “Are you not curious why your ink turned from the gold of your birth to that which you now wear?”
“I did wonder, yes. Eldric didn’t know.”
“I’m back here, Your Mightiness. I do admit, that was a glaring hole in my knowledge base. I?—”
She waved her hand, silencing Eldric magically. Her gaze never left Tarian.
“Your birth was of great interest to the more romantic of us,” Equilas said, and the god of the afterlife rolled his eyes and hunched in annoyance. Clearly, he wasn’t one of them. “The moment you came into the world, ElysaraSawyour fated match.” Her gaze switched to Daisy, who froze. “Elysara is the Divine Seer, the youngest of the sisters.”
The female to Equilas’s left, her white-blond hair glowing as though made of stars, inclined her head. “It has been an age since aSighthas been so riveting. So wrapped in love and loss, feast and famine. A tale of torture and pleasure. And without an outcome! ISawevents as theycouldbe, as theymightbe, but not as theywouldbe.”
“As you know, my task in this collective is to keep balance,” Equilas said. “Your death would’ve been a natural return to that balance. You had too much power, Tarianthiel. You pulled too much at the tapestry of Faerie for the position you held. Taking the throne and mitigating your power in intervals would’ve worked. Your family knew that even though you did not. They knew the choice was your death…or your elevation to the Diamond Throne. For you, there were no other options. Even now. I think you know that.”
He pulled Daisy closer still. He knew, and it was why he’d resigned to trade himself. Not for the gods’ entertainment, but to protect his family. To protect his father.
She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his middle, her thoughts whirling. He covered her shoulders with his arm.
“So yes, your death would’ve relieved the pressure on the fabric of Faerie,” the god continued. “But…”
“Your fated mate was to become the crystal chalice!” Elysara exclaimed, and Daisy’s stomach filled with butterflies.
She looked up at Tarian in disbelief. He met her gaze and sudden understanding lit his eyes. His smile was just for her.
It wasn’t the gods at all,he thought.It was destiny.
“Yes, that,” the god went on. “And…well, you were always my favorite, Tarianthiel.” Equilas smiled behind her fingers at him. “So dashing. So handsome. I’d thought to take you for myself…”
“Definitely not.” Elysara glowered at her.
“He should’ve been mine,” the god of the afterlife said. “He would’ve died fairly. He would’ve been a great favorite in my domain.”
Elysara extended her hand toward Daisy. “And deny him that? And her that?”
“Anyway.” Equilas dropped her hand. “It was thought you needed another chance to fulfill theSight.”
