“You’ve met the stars?” Thea stared at Brim oddly.
“My gods, children, you all need to brush up on your knowledge of the stars and the realms. It is annoying to be the only one who knows these things. The stars are a real governing entity over Elloryon. They have no power in Valynth or Gilyx because those gods are not born of heavens. Yes, I have met the stars. There are only a handful of them. I was there when they were created.
“They must have known that the Gods of Hell were trying to escape. Maybe this is part of their plan. I do not understand it, though. I find it hard to believe that they would choose Della to use.”
“Wait, you were there when they were created?” Cassius asked Brim.
Brim’s face paled like he had said too much. “Yes, the stars are dead gods. They have not been around that long. I am older than the star counsel.”
“Dead gods.” Ezra stared at Brim. “Gods can’t die.”
“Yes, they can—when they no longer possess a soul. I do not know why all the gods think they are invincible. Everything can be killed by something.”
I stood up and walked over to the wall of windows. There was an overwhelming sense of dread filling me, like somewhere deep in my mind and soul I knew this was not good.
“I will go find this God of Death and convince him to help me kill my siblings. But what about Della?”
“We will try and capture her.” Cassius stepped forward. “She is family; we will always figure out how to save her. You focus on the god. Thea and I will not stop until we find her.”
“I’m going with Haden.” Ezra stood.
I looked over at him and almost refused, but something told me that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. That, and I had been having visions of Ezra for a long time. I knew we were going to be good friends.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes, Della is my friend.” He smiled. “She is my only friend, so I will help her in any way I can.”
“Okay, Ezra and I will head to Valynth.” I nodded before looking at Thea and Cassius. “Please be careful with her, and call me immediately if you need me.”
Brim grabbed my arm and stared at me. “You do not need to feel guilty over this, Haden. Maybe this was always going to be her fate, even if she did not mate with a God of Hell. I still cannot see her future.”
I glanced at Brim and saw the guilt in his eyes.
“I can’t either.” I frowned. “Brim, I do not know if I can promise that I will not destroy everything in my path if she is taken from me.”
“I do not see that in your future, Haden.” Brim hesitated. “She does not possess a soul anymore. That is why she seemed so… dead in the eyes, void of anything.”
“Then I will rip my own soul from me and give it to her, Brim. I will give her every piece of my broken self so that she can fill the holes inside of herself and become whole again. She can have all of it—all of me. I will not lose her.”
He nodded and let me go. Ezra and I looked at each other before we headed to Valynth to find the grumpy God of Death and beg him to help kill my siblings.
Chapter 19
Haden--Valynth
Ezra and I had been sitting in these godsdamn woods of Nightfall Court for hours. The forest here reminded me of Crimson, but everything seemed to be covered in moss. The air was heavy with something that I couldn’t place my finger on. But it felt suffocating. I couldn’t fucking take it anymore, so I stood up, and Ezra immediately followed my lead.
“What are you thinking?” Ezra asked.
“That I do not have time to waste sitting here. Della does not have the time.”
Ezra glanced around us and paused.
“Wha—” I started to ask, but he slammed his hand over my mouth. I narrowed my eyes at him as he shoved us violently behind a tree.
“Someone is near,” he whispered. His hand was still over my mouth, and he was too close to me.
I didn’t hear shit. I glanced around the woods. It was oddly silent, but it had been this way since I landed here. Not a soul had been seen since we arrived.
