Vilder’s gaze lowers to my swollen lips. He arches a brow.
I blush. Fuck him and his attention to detail. And thank the gods for the bath, or he would do more than lift a brow.
“He was there.” It’s not even a question.
“Aster was there?” Seniia appears about ready to swoon. “Oh, this is so romantic.” Her hand goes to her heart. “Like a fairy tale!” Her face turns serious. “Dear Mah, no wonder he refused to kill you.”
I give them a recap of what little information Aster shared with me in the cave.
“A conflict between the primordial deities.” Vilder’s mouth presses into a firm line. “Wars have been waged for less.” He throws a cautious glance toward the statues of Mah and Zerex as a low, resonant hum, like the deep thrum of a giant drum, emanates from the enormous winged wolves.
“Let’s get out of here,” Seniia suggests, stomping her staff. Somehow, her serpent doesn’t seem to mind the cold. I guess its feathers keep it warm. I shake my head, not sure if I’ll ever get used to the thing.
We walk in silence, the stillness of the night broken only by the eerie crunch of our boots on the frozen ground.
“So...” Seniia says after a while, giving me an arched-brow look. “What happened between you and—”
Vilder’s sudden weight slams both of us to the ground, the impact jarring my teeth. A high-pitched twang rips through the air as an arrow whizzes past, a chilling breath of death against my face. I bring my hand to my cheek, feeling the sticky warmth of blood. My heart hammers against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat, as I scan our surroundingsfor the archer. With all five moons at their fullest, the Plains of Death are bathed in an eerie pastel-colored hue.
“Surrender her.” The commanding voice rings through the night. Marduk.
There is no doubt who “her” is.
“Take Seniia and go,” I say to Vilder. They have already done so much, and I don’t want them to get hurt.
Vilder shakes his head, his expression telling me there’s no use arguing, while Seniia squeezes my hand. “We go down together.”
MARDUK STRIDES TOWARD US, FOLLOWED by three archers, their arrows nocked and aimed. My breath catches in my throat, heart slamming against my ribs like a caged bird. I notice Llyr, Ilyana by his side not far behind, but he avoids my questioning stare.
“Surrender her if you want to live.” Marduk’s voice leaves no room for argument.
Seniia weaves a protective shield, and despite the situation, I’m fascinated by the golden strings forming the dome around the three of us. For the first time, I notice that the use of elen holds a petrichor scent—earth after rain.
“Wanting to live and getting to live are two different things entirely,” Vilder retorts, his voice carrying through the night in a way that tells me he’s using elen to enhance it. Leave it to Vilder to pick up on the subtle nuances of the wording.
Marduk gives Vilder a hard stare.
“As you are onlyAccepted, we can forgive your lack of judgment, but this is about the greater good of Rea,” he says. “Now step aside and hand her over.”
Marduk moves his teal gaze to me. How have I never noticed he has the same eyes as Reü? In an instant, I’m back in the farmhouse. Tied to a chair. Braced. Ice floods my veins as those same eyes that watchedme break my own finger bore into mine. My hand instinctively goes to my healed pinkie, phantom pain shooting through the bone.
“She, on the other hand”—Marduk points a finger toward me, yanking me back to the present moment—“was born and raised to be sacrificed. For the good of all, she needs to die. Do not interfere with her destiny.”
Llyr still refuses to meet my gaze. Even when he takes a step toward me, he keeps his attention fixed on my boots. “Just do as he says, Laïna. It will be easier for everyone.” There’s a slight plea to his voice that I only pick up on because I know him so well.
“Then why did you let me go?” I whisper.
Marduk whips around so fast I’m surprised his neck doesn’t snap. “You let her go?” His face contorts with fury, veins bulging along his temples.
Llyr shrugs, but his jaw ticks with tension that tells me he doesn’t take it as easily as he pretends. “I never thought Zerex would accept her entrance, and even if he did, Aster should have been there.” His face is back to an emotionless mask.
Who is this man?Have I ever really known him? Were his years of caring for my well-being all pretend, nothing but a means to an end—my sacrifice? Deep down, I know he did it out of devotion to Mah, but Mah wants me alive. Does he know that? The words lodge in my throat like broken glass.
Marduk turns to me. “All of that is true, so why are you standing here right now? Your shards are valuable for a reason, but I doubt you took down a god, let alone two.”
Llyr clears his throat. “Could it be that Mah—”
“Of course not. Do you truly believe Mah guided you all these years only to let this”—Marduk gestures dismissively at my transformed appearance—“be the outcome? Now she is as useless as the rest of us against Casimir.” He throws his hands up in exasperation, his voice cracking with frustration. “More importantly, Aster willhave no chance of taking control of the weave. Not when Casimir’s powers grow by the day, devouring Rea bit by bit.”
