I was crying, but Haden just stared at me as he tried to process all of this.
“Did you know only some gods have to have their soul removed to kill them, but most gods also have a weakness that will kill them too? Your father did not rip your mother’s soul from her. I did. I killed her, and she went to the stars. But your father followed after her. Then they started this plan to take over Elloryon by getting your siblings freed.
“The heavens and old gods demanded that I make it right since I was having the visions. But also, I voted in favor of your father to be in charge of the stars, not knowing he was a fucking snake. And at first, that meant manipulating one of you for information.”
“So, you picked me.” Haden’s voice broke softly. “You gave me magic, you gave me images of you, and what—gave us a fake mating bond? Do I even love you, or did you manipulate that too?”
“She gave you her magic?” Malamay butted into the story. His eyes were full of wild anger when he turned to me. “You never told us any of this.”
“Why would I?” I smiled when his face fell. He had no idea how deep my deceit went. "I was supposed to kill you, Haden. But I fell in love with you and convinced Abram to help me protect you."
Malamay's eyes filled with betrayal as my secrets tumbled out of me. Malamay stepped forward like he would strike me. I wished he would. I would rip the soul from him and evaporate it so he would be gone for good. But there was still one problem—one of the old gods was helping them, and I needed to deal with that because I figured out who it was.
I stared at Haden as an array of emotions went through his eyes, and none of them looked great for me.
“Tell him why the bond was with Holden instead of him,” I demanded of Malamay. His jaw clenched tightly. He was fucking fuming that I went there, but Haden deserved to know the truth. His father was a piece of shit too.
“No,” he whispered.
“Because your father killed me.” I looked at Haden. Haden looked as if he had been slapped. He looked at me oddly. “They tried to get me to stay in the stars, but I got away from them and came back, but it fucked with our bond. It was given to the wrong brother.”
“Why would they kill you?” Haden glared at his father. “When did they kill you?”
“It was an accident.” Malamay lied through his damn teeth, but I let it slide because I still had to finish my plan.
“An accident.” Thea glared.
“I was trying to rip out the mating bond, and it took her soul instead.”
“Why her mating bond?” Haden stepped forward, pissed off beyond reason.
Malamay refused to answer him.
“Your mother wanted me mated to Mateo. They killed me after you declared you’d use your turn to break the curse. I came back almost immediately because I am the Goddess of Life, but it messed with my memory for a while. I did not remember you until I saw Holden. Those images you planted in my mind in Akecia surfaced when I saw him. It made me remember some things.”
Haden looked at me. His eyes burned so fucking red that I shrank back at the wrath pumping through him. He looked at Malamay and moved toward him.
“No,” he said with venom. “Mateo does not ever get to have her. She is mine.”
“Wait!” Malamay pleaded. “Your precious Della gave your siblings theBook of Dark Magicso they could use it to take the souls from the gods and their mates. I traded her theBook of the Deadfor it, and she agreed. She also agreed to break your siblings’ curse to free them from Hell. She is also betraying the entire realm.”
This motherfucker.
I looked at Haden, who stopped walking, and opened my mouth to speak, but his power rippled from him and made me shut the hell up.
“She knew she would fall from the grace of the stars; she did it intentionally so it would free them. Your little wife is more evil than you could ever hope to be," Malamay hissed. “Then she wiped her own memories so that she wouldn’t give herself away to you or me. But it seems she has gotten them back and knows the extent of her treasons.”
My eyes darted to Cassius, who frowned at me when he realized he gave me these memories back. Haden stared at me, his wrath fading to betrayal.
“You knew this whole time you would fall from the grace of the stars to free them? How fucking dare you lie to me about this!” His eyes flashed red."I thought I caused this. The guilt has been eating me alive that I couldn't save you."
“Calm down,” Malamay demanded. “She knew it was the right move. They will be on the winning side of this when they come to the surface. They will take over everything. She did it to save her and you.”
Malamay looked at me, and I shook my head with rage.
“You really think I would choose this?” Haden snapped at me. “I will never go down this path with you.”
I couldn’t wait until I gutted Malamay at the end of this. He was doing a great job of painting me out to be the villain. My mating bond was burning, letting me know that I was hurting Haden with what I did.
