Nymara raises her hands in surrender. “I’m getting to that. A few decades ago, mother was down to a single trapped god that wasn’t completely drained of power. So, she decided to make more of it. She thought crossbreeding titans and gods would produce the power source she needed. But she only managed to lure a single titan out of Tartarus – a male, just like the remaining god. So, she impregnated herself.”
I look her up and down, realizing what she’s hinting at.
“I’m a hybrid. The product of a god and a titan, but I’m not what my mother expected at all. I’m weaker than even the demigod children.” Her voice is flat, like this is something she’s had to hear about a lot.
Frowning, I realize this isn’t adding up. “Wait – if your mother decided to impregnate herself after the demigods weren’t powerful enough, and there was only one god left… the children must be older than you.”
She dully nods. “Mother has held them in captivity their entire lives.”
My heart breaks. “Is that why you’re still here? Why you haven’t run? Are you looking for them?”
Nymara gives me a broken look, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “Vivian, I don’t think you understand exactly how powerless I am. The demigods have better chances of getting free than I do.” She pauses, glancing back at the locked cell. “But even if I could run, I wouldn’t. Not while others are still trapped here. Not when it’s about to get so much worse.”
I wonder if Nymara knows she takes an infuriatingly long time to get to the point. My hands itch with the urge to shake the information from her. Instead, I take a deep breath, manifesting more patience.
At my annoyed expression, she rushes on, sounding a bit panicked, “Almost done! I swear this is going to make sense. Mother always planned to use me as a breeding female. The moment I came of age, she was ready to use me for my uterus. I barely managed to convince her to hold off, pointing out how inefficient her current method was. I convinced her to send me to the Mortal Realm, so I could study genetics and apply what I learned to her breeding program. I swore I could solve her power problem.”
Disgust washes over me at the realization that Nymara isn’t just in on her mother’s plans. She’s innovating them.
I take a step back.
Tears stream down Nymara’s face. “No, please. You have to believe me. I don’t condone this. I never have. I was desperate to put off the inevitable. I needed more time to try to find a way to stop her. Going to the Mortal Realm bought me a few precious years.”
The despair in her tone cuts through my anger. It sounds familiar, and I realize it mirrors my own emotions over the last two weeks. I would have said anything to make Leon leave me alone just a bit longer, so I could try and find a way out of this mess.
My fists unclench.
Nymara squeezes her eyes shut, trying to slow her tears before continuing, “I completed my doctorate in medical science just one year ago, and I found something that threw a wrench in my mother’s plan. It’s complicated, but the titans can’t pass on much power at all – not unless they’re reproducing with their fated mate. So even if she lures out more, finding their fated mate can take thousands of years. It isn’t efficient.”
Exhaustion and frustration have me gritting my teeth at this emotional roller coaster. For once, I just want a clear answer. “Nymara, why am I here? What does this have to do with me?”
There’s a slight scuffing as Nymara starts backing away from me. “Because my mother doesn’t give up. When she realized breeding titans was inefficient, she pivoted.” She only stops her retreat when there’s a bench between us, eyeing me warily, like she expects me to attack. “She decided to breed a Creator and Destroyer.”
My stomach drops.
All the pieces fall into place – the obsession with my nutrition, Leon’s repeated promises for a new era that would be unified.
But Nymara isn’t finished. “Any children you bear will be locked away, likely in a place worse than this – where my mother will either siphon their power or keepthem in a cell until they’re of breeding age. That’s why she turned you into a Creator, Vivian. This is the future they have planned for you.”
Bile rises in my throat, but I shove the multitude of emotions down. “Is there more?” My voice wavers.
“So much more,” Nymara answers in a harsh whisper.
Slowly, I shake my head, wishing I didn’t believe her. “Why are you helping me?”
Nymara gives me a small, sad smile. “Because it isn’t too late for you. You still have a choice. Whatever my mother is using to control you, you need to decide if it’s worth the price because she will take everything from you, Vivian.Everything.”
Chapter 24
Vivian’s Point of View
Rule twenty-four:If you’re going to become a villain, you may as well be drenched in the blood of your enemies while you’re at it.
“This is an important day for us, Vivian. I have wonderful news. We’ve finally decided who will be your Keeper,” Leon exclaims.
We’re sitting at tea, and his hand is draped obscenely across my lap. His fingers keep climbing higher, and his touch makes my skin crawl. I try to ignore him, instead glaring at the man sitting across from us.
Rydon watches Leon’s hand with a sick, hungry fascination. The thought that he’s getting off on watching sends a fresh surge of acid through my veins.
