A leviathan. A serpent. A dragon. The mortals call it various things in their realms, but each of them marvel at the beastial form of the Goddess of Protection.
I’ve watched her take down ships, eclipsing them with her massive scales, crushing their masts with nothing more than a casual flick of her tail. To have a creature like that under my control is tempting.
“If—and that is a very big if—if I am able to make that possible, you will never be able to shift back.”
“I know.”
Considering the offer, I toil over her words for any trick or deception and find nothing but hopeless anguish. If she dies andexists only as some reanimated sea beast, confined to the watery depths, she won’t have access to her full power. Any magic she will need to fulfill our deal must be used now.
“You will grant my daughter your protection now and it will come to her in preparation for the moment she will need it most.”
“Done.” The words have barely left my lips before the blue bands of Arcasia’s magic bursts forth from her body.
“I am not done.” I raise my palm, halting her. “You will grant my daughter your protectionandyou will be my creature. You will do my bidding for the rest of eternity.”
Pain flits across Arcasia’s face as she considers my counter offer. “Eternity is a long time.”
“So is death.”
The goddess bows her head in resignation as her magic flares to life again. “Get me to his realm and we have a deal.”
I step towards her, crouching down to grip her jaw. “How many bargains have you made tonight, goddess?”
Her eyes glow silver with a renewed fire. “None that I would not make a thousand times over to save my son.”
Dark magic joins with blue as our bargain seals.
“Shift,” I command. “Shift now and he will exile you with the rest of them.”
“And you will keep the beast alive?”
“You question me now, goddess?” I scoff. “It’s a little too late for that.”
Arcasia’s body shudders as my hold on her tightens. Dark magic wraps around her heart, squeezing until the goddess submits. I step back admiring the transformation.
Curls of dark hair shift into shimmering scales sharp enough to slice through muscle without thought. Her eyes grow large but keep their signature gray as she slithers backwards into the water never to surface again in this realm.
CHAPTER 15
SELENE
The wind whips my golden hair, carrying the scent of jasmine from the bushes that line the walkway to the overlook. My hands grip the marble railing as I try to steady myself from the rush of power that swells in my chest. The two suns hover below the horizon just beyond the sea. Invisible to all, but on full display for me. They sing loudly, begging to be pulled from their slumber early.
The skin on my arms prickles in the morning twilight. I take another deep breath, feeling the tug of another sort of magic swelling in my blood. He’s near—and just in time.
A dark mass of shadows swirls in my peripheral before giving way to the corporeal form of the Dark God of Death. I exhale a sigh of relief, relaxing into Drayven as he wraps his arms around my shaking body.
“Do you have him?” I ask, closing my eyes and savoring the icy chill of his skin.
“I do.” Drayven’s nose grazes the shell of my ear, sparks alighting within me.
I turn in his hold, breathing in his scent. My hands roam overhis arms, memorizing the curve of every muscle of his perfectly honed form as I prepare to say goodbye.
“What the fuck?” Nina’s voice cuts through Death’s intoxicating haze.
I snap my head in her direction. The Goddess of Flame’s eyes burn into me as she screams in the moonlight.
“You fucking traitor!”
