Thea nodded as she sat down on the couch and pulled Cassius to her in a tight hug.
"But my siblings were using theBook of Dark Magic.Why did my father want theBook of the Dead?"I asked.
"Remember how I said your parents used the book to create you and your siblings? They were going to create more children."
Ezra sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "For fuck's sake."
"When Della came to me all those years ago to convince me to help her, I thought she had lost her mind, Haden. Why go through all that work for a man she shouldn't have wanted? But she is persistent and persuasive. If she completes all of those tasks and saves the realm and the gods, then the heavens will let you two be mates."
“But when I met her 500 years ago, before I went to see Avesh, I saw a faint bond between us,” I confessed.
He nodded with a smile.
"I have a theory about that—well about Della in general—that I haven't shared with her. I don't know if I will ever know the extent of her powers. Most of us think of life and death when we think of the Goddess of Creation, but what if it isn't that simple? I think Della can create…anything she wants for the most part. I think she can create new realities, new fates, even new truths. Della creates more than just life. She came to me after that day in Akecia and told me there was a bond between you two. But it wasn't there the whole time. She said it only appeared after youtold her that, 'Maybe fate would catch up to you two,' when you saw each other again.
"My theory is that Della created that bond with you, but it couldn't become real until you agreed to it. When you said those words, the universe believing you wanted it too, so it let her create a new fate for the both of you. But it was faint and not fully intact. She was convinced it was because you were in Hell. She was pissed when she realized that you hadn't taken Holden’s existence but rather became his twin. And when you were born, the bond went to the wrong child.
“She begged me to change the fates, but you both had to want to be mates. That is why her bond with Holden didn’t go anywhere. Della had rejected the idea of anyone but you. Then you met her, and it was clear why she wanted you; you were completely enamored by her. I couldn’t help but think that if you were born under normal circumstances, then you would have been with her. Do you remember what happened next?”
“My siblings killed me so that they could try their turn at breaking the curse.”
“Yes, but you and Della both wanted the bond now, and she was determined to change fate again. So when you were killed, you didn’t actually die—well, I guess you did… kind of. Your physical body died, but your soul never did. She took your soul and immediately gave it to the next family expecting a boy, so you wouldn’t die. One, because your siblings were never going to get a chance to break the curse. And two, she knew that if you were created under normal circumstances, the two of you would be destined to be together.
“And she was right. She didn’t know if it would work or what you’d look like, but you came back to her exactly the same, except this time, as her mate—the way it was always supposed to be. And it gave her the chance to remove the bond and have you choose her."
I stood up and walked around the tiny cabin, thinking of everything she had ever done for us. "That was the real reason behind her forcing my rejection so I could choose her. I changed fate too,” I whispered as I looked up at Abe. “Sara was supposed to be my mate. There was a bond between us, and I cut it out of me.”
“What?” He looked at me.
“When Holden met Sara, he brought her to the house, and there was a bond between the two of us. I was not interested in the slightest, though, and she didn’t seem to feel anything either. So, I fucking cut that shit out of my chest. The next day, I saw Della for the first time and noticed she was following Holden, looking very confused.
“Now I’m assuming it's because she thought it was me and was disappointed that we had a bond, but she didn’t feel anything in it. But when I saw her and talked to her for the first time, it was clear that we both still felt what we did before, even if both of us were pretending not to remember.”
“You aren’t supposed to be able to cut out mate bonds or break them.” Abe frowned. “Both of you did that, and I’m not sure how. Maybe the heavens helped. Della is a favorite of theirs."
Abram began pacing around the room, and we could tell that he was thinking hard. He paced for a long moment before he finally stopped and looked at us.
“Your parents have been collecting gods and goddesses in the stars because they originally promised those gods one of their children as a mate when they took over Elloryon. Della learned of it when she died and went to the stars. They promised her a mate, and she went along with it so they would share their plans with her. They still do not know who Della really is. I’m not sure what they have planned now that Della sealed your siblings’ souls in Hell for good, but her supposed mate is no longer here, so I don’t know what they plan.”
“Her supposed mate?” I asked. “My parents know she is mated to me.”
Abe frowned at me.
“They wanted Della to be mated to Mateo. Well, your mother did.”
“Yes, she told me,” I said, disgusted.My eyes flashed red in my rage. There was no fucking way I would have ever agreed to that.
“There is another thing, though. Your parents rejected their mate bond when they became stars, so I think they were also looking for new mates.” Abe rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Your mother might have wanted Della for Mateo, but your father wants Della as his mate."
I did not move. I did not breathe. I stared at Abe with a look of complete disgust.
“Whoa, the plot thickens.” Ezra sighed. “Fuck, man, that is some sort of betrayal, and after everything he has already done. It’s sick.” He shook his head.
I turned to him with my red eyes pulsing. “Your commentary is not helping me calm down.”
“Sorry.” He threw his hands in the air.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm my wrath, but I was truly about to fucking lose my mind. How fucking dare he think Della would ever go for him? Unless he was going to kill me so he could have her.
