‘Do you know what Hagan intends?’ she asked, shifting the current of conversation.
Allegra shook her head, slow and measured. ‘He rarely trusted us. Not really. I think he always knew, deep down, that my sisters and I would turn on him eventually.’
‘He’s trapped the wolverian and wyverian armies within your borders.’
Something unreadable passed through Allegra’s eyes. ‘Then he’s free to roam now. To hunt. To destroy the Houses, as he always intended.’ Her voice was colder now, like frost settling on stone. ‘Though I fear, in doing so, he will not stop there. He may very well burn the entire world with them.’
‘What of the southern kingdoms?’ Mal asked, her voice low and pensive. ‘They lie far beyond reach. The desert kingdom, in particular, would prove a treacherous conquest. Hagan would not only have to raze House of Sand, but also dismantle twelve regions, each ruled by its own leader.’
Allegra inclined her head, thoughtful. ‘Indeed. It sounds near impossible. And yet…’ Her voice softened into a bitter edge. ‘I would not put it past him. If there’s a way to reduce every kingdom to dust, he will find it.’
Mal brought a finger to her lips, tracing the curve of her lower one with the edge of her nail. ‘If I awaken my powers,’ she said quietly, ‘I could stop him.’
‘I wouldn’t be so certain.’
Mal’s gaze drifted towards her. ‘Why not?’
‘Because I don’t believe Hagan acts alone.’
Mal leant back against the cold, unforgiving stone of her chair. ‘Gods?’
Allegra gave a solemn nod. ‘I’ve always suspected he’s had help, something beyond our world guiding him.’
Mal considered the notion, unease coiling slowly in her chest. Yes… perhaps it was true. She had seen enough strangeness, enough power to believe such things now. ‘But what god would willingly aid him?’
A voice, smooth as silk and sharp as glass, answered from across the room.
‘My sister, without question.’
Mal’s head snapped up. Thanatos stood framed in the doorway, lounging against the carved arch as though he had always belonged there. His clothes were black as spilt ink, clinging with artful precision to his lean, sculpted form.
But it wasn’t him that drew Mal’s ire, it was the way Allegra looked at him. Her purple eyes shimmered, not with fear, but intrigue. Hunger. Mal stiffened. She didn’t like it.
‘Your sister?’ Mal echoed, forcing her voice to remain even as the knot twisted tighter in her belly.
Thanatos smirked, gliding forward with feline grace. He stopped beside Allegra and, with infuriating ease, took the seat next to her. He leaned in close, just enough to make Mal’s pulse flicker.
She paid no heed to the way his dark eyes lingered on her, nor to the curve of his lips as they twisted into a wicked smile, one that told her he had noticed. He knew she didn’t appreciate the closeness he offered Allegra, and it pleased him.
‘I do have a sister,’ Thanatos said at last, his voice silk-draped in shadow, as he languidly traced the rim of his goblet with a finger before pouring Allegra another glass.
‘And she is...?’ Mal prompted, her tone clipped with growing impatience, for he seemed too preoccupied playing host to offer a proper answer.
‘Her name is Eris,’ he said eventually. ‘Goddess of chaos and conflict. She thrives on disorder, and delights in sowing it wherever she can. I haven’t seen her in decades, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s somehow entangled in all this.’
‘Why would she involve herself?’
Thanatos shrugged, as though the answer were obvious. ‘She’s a goddess, likely a restless one at that, with little to amuse her. Her power waxes with the chaos she causes. That alone would be reason enough. She could choose to wed and gain strength through divine union, but Eris has never taken to the idea of sharing.’ A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. ‘Any fool who tried to bind her would likely end up in agony for the rest of eternity. She’d torture them relentlessly before surrendering even a sliver of her power.’
‘Is there a way to kill her?’ Mal asked, her voice cool but firm.
Thanatos’ expression shifted, the amusement draining from his features. His eyes darkened, sharp as obsidian.
‘Yes.’
And with that single word, Mal understood. A current of revelation passed through her like a silent storm.
‘If I become the God-Killer, I could...’ Her words trailed off as she stood, the great stone chair scraping against the floor with an ominous groan. She ignored the way Thanatos now watched her with something that resembled unease. The laughter was gone from his face. The wine forgotten.
