Elysia glared. “My attitude is not shit.”
Nia shoved the bench back with a scrape and stood. “You want to know more?”
Elysia trailed behind her into the dormitory portion of the temple, stopping in front of a rounded, bright pink door. The shocking color of the paint stood in severe contrast to the bone dust and dirt surrounding them. The door opened before Nia could so much as lift her hand to knock.
The overly excited woman who had spoken to Elysia earlier stood in the doorway smiling with the enthusiasm of a child. “Finally, I’ve been waiting.”
Reaching out, she dragged them both into her room, her smile growing bigger by the second. “Your hunt has begun!” She waved her arms out wide theatrically, and Nia sighed in exasperation.
“For fuck’s sake, Sera.”
The woman briefly narrowed her eyes at the Head Meela and then promptly ignored her, continuing her speech with vigor and fast-moving hands. “Your hunt has begun, and you seek to thwart our god’s plans as none of the mortals have ever sought to do.”
Elysia glanced at Nia. Was this woman for real?
Face bright, she whispered conspiratorially. “We have a bit of a bet going on if you’ll be able to pull off securing the talisman but still evade Aidan’s clutches. The odds aren’t good, we’ve asked, but I’m rooting for you!” She elbowed Elysia as if this would be cheerful news.
Nia twirled the tasseled rope around her waist. “You do realize what happens if Aidan doesn’t find his mortal?”
Elysia jolted back to attention, her gaze shooting between the two women. “My job is the talisman. I find the talisman and he fixes things.” Her voice grew weak as she realized exactly why he’d sent her here. All his comments about her being his—the bastard had meant it in a literal, fated sort of way, not just an overbearingI’m a god who gets what he wantskind of way. He’d thought she’d take the hit ofimmortalitybetter if it came from a third party. Don’t stab the priestess and all that.
Her voice went lethally quiet. “That wasn’t part of the deal, and I have no interest.” He had another thing coming if he thought she was going to roll over and accept this minor addendum to their deal. She was going to burn him alive, and she was going to enjoy it.
Sera whispered again, sounding awestruck. “Look how furious she is. Do you think she’ll try to fight him? Oh, I hope she does.”
Nia looked at Elysia without a shred of pity. “Remember thatcommitment you mouthed off about only minutes ago? To your job and your kingdom?”
A heated tension radiated throughout her body so hard she could’ve sworn she was vibrating in place, but she had no words. Silent, overwhelmed, and furious didn’t even begin to cover it. She wanted to scream in all their faces thatthis wasn’t the dealuntil they got it through their thick skulls.She’d agreed to find a talisman. She hadnotagreed to co-rule the realm of the dead and lose her mortality. Her duty was to Kava. The Deathlands were his.
Given that punching a priestess wasn't an option, the desire to bolt jittered through her now, demanding she get away from this place. She needed to be alone. She needed to be above ground and anywhere but here.
Noticing her distraction, Sera grabbed both of Elysia’s wrists firmly. “Look at me, right here.”
Elysia’s eyes snapped to hers.
“Good. You will travel to many lands and many places. You will come across faces new and old as you search. Friends will be foes and foes will be friends. Each lesson harder than the last until you hold the talisman in your hands.”
Elysia's face contorted in disgust as her panic ebbed. “Enough.”
Sera sighed and broke character. “You can’t justfindthe talisman. You have to earn it. The fates will reveal the talisman if they deem you worthy.”
Hope bloomed in Elysia’s chest, and she gripped Sera’s wrists tighter. “And if I fail? A new mortal will be chosen?”
Nia cut in now. “If you fail on purpose, you’ll wish for death over what the fates will do.”
Elysia flinched, but Sera’s grin was wide and buoyant. She turned to Nia with a squeal. “She honestly wants to bail. Bail onfate.Ugh, I love a reluctant hero. Best. Death voyage. Ever.”
Elysia spoke through gritted teeth. “It’s a job. Not a voyage.”
Sera looked at her in amazement. “Incredible. But no, it reallyis a death voyage. You’ll see!” She winked, and Elysia thought about stabbing her in the eye.
“None of this was included in our original deal.” She was practically begging the head priestess to hear reason.
“Perhaps you’re not remembering everything then.”
Elysia’s brow scrunched in disbelief. “I’m fairly certain I would remember the part about being forced to co-rule over the death realm and go on a death voyage.”
“He told you to look, didn’t he? Gave you a chance to see what he couldn’t say because of the fates and their restrictions—a chance to examine the fine print.”
