He dips his fingers into the sandy floor, pinching a grain before he flicks it away. “The truth often is.”
Lucian leans forward. Fury turns his brows into an archer’s bow. “Have you?—”
“No!” Erevan replies quickly. “Not I, but another has laid with a human and had a child. That child is alive, thriving, and possesses magic.”
“How do you know this?” Lucian presses.
Erevan’s jaw stiffens. “I am bound by an oath not to reveal which one of us has broken the old laws; all that matters is that we can have children with humans. These offspring have magic. We mate with these humans, produce offspring, create demigods.”
His eyes cast downward, too ashamed to meet mine now. His hand reaches out for mine, taking it.
“It’s the only way I can see survival. It is not what I want,” he murmurs to me. “Deny me, and I will fight to the death here, my love.”
My throat swells. “You’d bring innocents into this war.”
“War does not distinguish between innocent and guilty,” Erevan replies solemnly. “Think of it as a way to ensure our survival. If we had children, then isn’t that a hope that a piece of us survives?”
I cover my mouth with my dirty hands. The more I try to fix what I’ve done, the muddier it seems to become.
“In time,” Erevan voices softly, “we will have enough demigods and new creatures, these humans made with magic, to come back here and claim Attkris again. We can restore what we have lost.”
Children. With others…
I look at Erevan and Lucian; their eyes sense mine. We all would have to sleep with others, with humans.
“Say something,” Erevan whispers. When neither Lucian nor I do, Erevan continues, “What is the use of fighting to the death if our history will be erased? The winner writes the outcome; they plot the story. If we run, then at least we get to write our side of the story. Perhaps in centuries, we can return withan army, or remain hidden. At least our memories will not be erased.”
Ding! Ding!
We all jerk at the sound of the bells. No!” I choke. I stand but slip. Lucian and Erevan grab me, locking eyes with one another.
As we were sitting and trying to find a way to bring peace back into our lives, the enemy found a way inside the inner walls.
Lucian looks down at me, his eyes are those of a painter admiring the next subject he will paint. But he’s a piss-poor artist who has no canvas, brushes, or paints. So, I will live in his memory as his greatest unseen masterpiece.
“Get her out of here. Take her to Panthas,” he orders Erevan.
“No!” I reach for him, but the dirt on my fingers causes my grip to slip free. Erevan slams me back into his chest, caging his arms around me.
Ding! Ding!
A new melody has been added. Death. Screams and cries that will forever haunt me.And then it happens… a horrendous, abrupt yank causes us all to stumble.
Another god is no more.
Shock holds us firm in its shackles. We sway, becoming soulless bodies held only by flesh, chained by bones. No hearts to give us strength or minds to seduce us with endurance. Just puppets.
“Who was it?” I manage to rasp.
“Go!” Lucian shouts. He opens his hands and two swords rage to life, one of pure light and the other of utter darkness. “I will find the last of us and try to take them to this world.” He looks at me, lips parted in desperation.
I know he wants to kiss me, but he doesn’t. It’s a silent promise he will find me again; he will deliver his kiss when we are safe, hidden away from the mess I have created.
“I will find you, Amariel. In this life or the next. You. Are. Mine.”
“She is ours,” Erevan retorts with a dip of his chin.
Lucian locks eyes with him. “Then you better keep her safe. For us.”
