Gray had given me a vague description of soulbinding. It was a bond stronger than soulmates. How would Gray know if we were soulbound when he admitted to not knowing too much about it? Erik was the expert.
“I’m not surprised. Don’t bother lying about what’s gone on between you. The entire council knows,” she grumbled, shaking her head and pulling me away from my spiral. “They have a way of working things in their favour.”
“They?”
“A particular trio of brothers.” Larkin looked ahead again. “I know the heavens might seem wondrous after a life on Earth. You worship us. Well, notyou. We’re held in high esteem, but we have our own issues. I tried to tell Gray, but he won’t listen to me. Quentin, sometimes death is not an option to be disregarded so quickly.”
My walls went up, and I leaned away from her. “If you’re here to do Hunter’s dirty work, then it’s a waste of your time and mine.”
“I’m not here for him. He’d lose his shit if he knew where I was. If he cared enough to wonder where I was. I came here for you.”
“Larkin, I want to survive,” I stressed. “I won’t ask the council for death.”
Her head turned back to me, hair fanning with the motion. “Because Gray said he loves you? Did he promise you’d sit beside him? Did he make you believe you were his equal?”
I hated the way she made it all sound so trivial. Those moments when Gray had worshipped me were sacred. Seared into my memory.
“I’ve heard all those promises,” she continued. “I believed every single one of them and I don’t want someone else to fall into the same trap.” Her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears.
“You said the trio of brothers,” I replied eventually. “But Erik is besotted with Sloan.”
“You didn’t know him before he met her. Sloan didn’t trust him easily.”
“But she did eventually. Gray isn’t like Hunter.”
“Gray is destructive and chaotic, Quentin.” Her tone left no room for argument. “Since you’ve met him, has anything gone smoothly for you? Or do you wonder why everything feels completely out of your control? I know you are bound, but in the simplest terms, if you accept him, then that is what you can expect for the rest of your life. You will never have peace. We bring elements of our gift with us into everything we do. This whole mess you’ve found yourself in is likely because of Gray’s chaotic nature.”
So much made sense if that was true. The lack of cooperation from him. The way Matthew discovered us. Ethan showing up at the door. Gray’s brand of chaos wasn’t something you couldn’t escape. It rained down relentlessly and sanctuary wasn’t granted.
“Even if that’s the case,” I mused quietly, “that wouldn’t make me choose death. That’s an extreme, Larkin.”
“What do you think will happen if you survive? That you’ll live happily ever after in Elysia?”
“No one has asked what I want. You’ve all made assumptions about my desires and intentions. I have a family here. A job. My life was perfectly fine before you all descended into it. I don’t want to be in Elysia. I don’t want to be a God.”
“But you are part divine and Gray will never let you go that easily. I’ve known him for a long time and I’ve never seen him risk as much as he has for you. Never known him to have an obsession like this.”
“Then I should be pretty safe.”
“You will never be safe with the Gods,” she whispered, dropping her gaze. “You’re an intelligent woman, Quentin. I wouldn’t be here trying to convince you if there was another way.”
“I think you’ve wasted your time.” I pushed myself off the floor.
“I was like you,” she said, making me freeze. “Not bound, but ambitious and conceited.”
“I’m not conceited,” I replied, sitting back down.
Larkin offered me a weak smile. “We are women who know our worth and people hate that, but we refuse to yield. That lends itself to ego, and there is nothing wrong with that.”
In that small phrase, I felt closer to Larkin than I ever had before. A few months ago, she would have had me believe that there was no common thread between us. This was a strange crumb of progress, but I’d take it.
“I had dreams of doing great things in Elysia and cementing myself in legend,” Larkin admitted. “When Hunter took an interest in me, I didn’t hesitate, but I should have. Everyone knew his position and he could be charming. He praised all the strength I showed. Told me I was the type of woman he envisioned by his side to rule the heavens. The rush of power and sweet words, Quentin—sometimes you believe that’s all you need to keep your world spinning.”
I hugged my knees to my chest, listening to her. I’d encountered Hunter’s charming side. He had a way of making you feel small and safe. It was his job to make you feel protected, and he carried it out easily.
“That changed after we were married. He adored my strength, but not the way I used it. He took it whenever I challenged him.”
“Strength is your gift,” I said, once again remembering Charlie’s uttered prayers.
