I knew he meant by magic. I opened my mouth to askhim if that was the wisest idea but abruptly closed it again. Of course he would want to rebuild his home — even if it was dangerous.
“Fione, we need to talk to you,” I said to the diminutive female.
“Yes, my lady?” Fione gave a deferential nod, though her delicate brows knitted with curiosity and something like fear.
“We need to know the sort of old magic Elowynn used to create Adriel.” I hesitated, casting an awkward glance at the male in question. “Kaden said she beseeched the gods to give him life.”
“Yes, that is true.” Fione shifted from one tiny foot to the other, looking just as uncomfortable as I felt. She glanced at Kaden. “I beg your pardon, my lady. But it is . . . Well, itwasa rather personal matter for Her Majesty.”
“We understand, Fione,” said Kaden. “And I appreciate your discretion. My mother would be touched by your loyalty, guarding her secrets even in death. But the fate of the realms is at stake. My father has severed Morta’s hands, which threatens the balance of life itself. We must implore the old gods to restore them. Only then can we hope to break the bonds to the souls my father has stolen.”
The little nymph nodded, looking startled.
“I know my mother did not tell many of her experiences,” added Kaden. “But you were her most trusted confidante.”
His unspoken question hung in the air, and Fione’s gaze flitted nervously to Adriel and back to the prince. A faint greenish tinge spread up her face — a blush, I realized.
“Her Majesty was secretive about her dealings with the old gods,” she said quietly. “Especially Gninou, god ofknowledge and life. Her relationship with him was rather . . . personal.”
“I am certain she would not fault you for telling me.” Kaden frowned. “My mother suffered at the hands of Semphrys more than anyone. If there was any information that could help us defeat him, she would have wanted us to have it.”
“Perhaps when I tell you, you will understand my reticence, Highness,” Fione stammered. “You see, Her Majesty did not merely summon Gninou and beg for his help. She was . . .intimatewith him, sire.” Another glance at Adriel, whose face looked as though it had been chiseled from stone. “Th-though M-Master Adriel is not the product of their coupling.”
For a long moment, the three of us stared. Discomfort bubbled in my gut, and when I finally summoned the nerve to look at Kaden, I found his face twisted in horror and disgust.
“A-although conception is theoretically possible between a pure-blooded fae and a god, such a child would be too mighty for the realm to contain. Not to mention birthing such a babe would be incredibly dangerous. But Gninou held tremendous affection for Queen Elowynn, and he gave his godly essence to conceive a child born of the clay.”
Kaden made a low noise in his throat, his palm scraping along his stubble as he drew a hand down his face.
Adriel, too, looked intensely uncomfortable. He was staring at a burnt patch of rug as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world.
He and Kaden might not have been related by blood or . . .godly essence, but they’d been mothered by the samefemale. It was probably unsettling to learn that the fae who’d raised them had hadrelationswith a god.
“Well, we aren’t bringing another clay child to life,” I said briskly. “We just need help reattaching some hands. So how would we get the attention of Gninou?”
“There is a sacred yew tree in the forest,” said Fione. “It is dedicated to Gninou, and it was their special place. Tonight is a full moon. If you venture to the tree, you may find he is willing to speak to you.”
Chapter
Twenty-Three
LYRA
It was nearly dark as we made our way across the marsh and into the forest beyond. The rain had stopped, leaving a fresh, earthy smell in the air and a stillness that made me shiver.
The wooden walkway creaked loudly with every step I took, and my skin prickled as I remembered the terrifying merpeople who dwelled in the murky water below.
Kaden and I didn’t speak, though it was the first time we’d truly been alone since his imprisonment. My mind was still reeling from Fione’s revelation.
Adriel wasn’t just aMorkahlf. He was the child of a god.
Did that mean he had other powers besides his earth-wielding ability? Or was his earth magic magnified by the celestial blood that flowed through his veins? I’d seen him collapse half the demon king’s palace, but I’d never known aMorkahlfbefore and didn’t know if he was unusually powerful.
Part of me wanted to ask Kaden about it, but I felt the distance between us like a splinter that had begun to fester.It wasn’t just the lack of physical connection; I could feel him withdrawing more with each passing day.
Gone was the dry humor and dastardly charm. The Kaden who’d slain all those soldiers in Klodäsch was serious, guarded, and full of self-loathing.
I hated Semphrys for everything he’d done — everything he’d taken from my mate. It wasn’t enough that he’d thrown open the sire bond; he’d destroyed the one place that had always felt like home to Kaden and forced him to put up a wall between us.
