Nora is no longer alive, which means Mera and her power is. Nyx having that power in her possession is a risk to us all. Every realm must be made aware.
Hekate leans forward, speaking softly into Mio’s ear and then he nods once and steps through the portal. The darkness and flashes of color swirl in front of me before it snaps closed, but I don’t see it, not really. All I see is red.
Her blood might as well be on my own hands. I failed her. I failed at protecting her because the thought of my chance with her slipping away nearly killed me. It was selfish. Stupid. I should have been here to fight for her. She died alone because of me, and now Nyx has exactly what she wanted, the power to control or destroy the realms using a divine being who has no memories of how to use her own power. Nyx will gladly infiltrate herself into her mind and use it for her.
The queen must die. I will shatter every realm if I need to, break every celestial law or defy fate and destiny or each godsdamn prophecy that exists on my own if it’s what must be done to bring her home. This is my fault. Only I can fix it.
Nora was innocent and pure. She deserved so much better than all of this. My stomach clenches violently and churns at the thought of what she must have endured, of how desperate and alone she must have felt as her life slipped away. I failed her. Gods, I fucking failed her.
Pushing myself to my feet, anger surges through my core, a wrathful storm bellowing inside that can no longer be contained. Letting my head fall back, I reach for the sky, fingertips dancing with electricity as I let out a scream so deep and pained and rageful that the sky itself trembles before bursting open and sending rain crashing down upon the beach. I surrender at last to the untamed fury of my emotions. A wall of water rises from the lake, higher and higher, as wide and as tall as the island that I’ve now grown to despise because Nora should have never been here to begin with. Fuck, Nora should have never existed to begin with. Mera should have always been with me. Nothing and no one should have ever taken her away and made her start life all over again.
I drop my hands to my sides and the waves thrash and churn, cascading out in all directions, no longer a tower of wrath and fury. I stare blankly as they swirl and pound against each other, time standing still, the waves lashing at each other in slow motion. This is how life would feel every single day if I could never see her or touch her or even speak to her again. Time for me would not move. It would be unsettling and wrong. Lightning ripples across the sky, blue streaks disrupting the darkness as bolts strike the ground, avoiding me even when I wish they wouldn’t.
Tonight, I’d like to burn. For failing my fated mate once again, I deserve to. Thunder cracks and rain continues to drench me, my hair stuck to my forehead and covering my eyes as the wind howls and swirls angrily around me. In this moment, I’d give anything for the wind to carry me away, so far from reality that I never have to face what I’ve done again. I can’t face the pain. My unrestrained power surges through town and streetlamps flicker, the sound of shattered glass following closely behind. The absence of light is all that’s left here, in the city and within me.
I’m no longer a celestial burning with a desire to be good or moral or bring peace to the world. No. I don’t give a shit about any of that right now. I am nothing but the rage inside of me, a storm barreling toward its target. I am the storm Nyx should fear.
My hands are in fists at my sides as I make my way back across the dock and then crumble to my knees along the shore in defeat. I bury my head in my hands and slouch over, my forehead nearly pressed against the sand as tears begin to fall.
Hekate’s blue shield glitters brightly beside me as she sits on her heels. “I’m sorry, Kairos. I know how much you love her, but this isn’t all on you. I should have stayed with her when she pushed you away. I never should have left her side.” She places her hand on my shoulder, and we stare out at the lake as the water stills and the final whispers of wind and thunder fade away.
Neither of us say anything for a while. I sense her pain, as quiet and calm as it might be, and I know damn well she senses mine. Sometimes silence in healing is necessary. That storm has been building up inside of me for days. For decades. For an entire fucking century if I’m being honest. It hurts. Fated mates or not, I won’t believe what the prophecies say, that Mera and I together will end darkness, until she is safe in my arms again. Will I have to wait another century?
It didn’t matter how long it took for her to return last time, I would have waited forever for her. Doesn’t matter this time either. No matter how long it takes for us to find happiness together, no matter how many times she dies and the gods reincarnate her into new bodies with no memory of me, I will always wait for her. I will help her find her way back to me.
“I think you and I should go.” Hekate stands, offering me her hand.
“Just the two of us?” My brow crinkles as I reach for her hand and pull myself to my feet. “You haven’t fought a demon in a long time, Hekate. Since the war. You sure you’re up for that? It could get very messy.” I take in her pristine white dress and heels, a shadow of a smile flashing across my face.
To be fair, even in the war she never gave up her dresses. They’re just much shorter and more restricting now with how tight she wears them. And as tempting as her offer is, as much as I’d love to go to The Underworld and slaughter every demon who even looks my way, the rulers forbade us from ever entering the realm without their permission. They promised Nyx we’d leave her and her evil minions alone the day Mera was created. My parents might punish us both if they discover we’ve gone. Then again, she took Nora. One of our own. They’d have to understand that we needed to act quickly.
“I think I’ll handle myself just fine. I am a queen after all.” She smiles, her magic flickering around her. Daggers and blades appear in holsters and straps, each of them adorned with bright jewels and the hilts wrapped in golden flowers. “I want to see what exactly Nyx has been up to down there. No one knows. It’s time we shine a little light into the darkness.” Without so much as moving or blinking, two large orbs of light appear in front of her, swirling around her waistline and thrumming with power as she turns away.
They hiss and spark with electricity, and I know from experience that if any demon gets within ten feet of her they’ll be blasted to oblivion and left incapacitated until she can slaughter them.
“We have no way in until a portal opens between our realms. Who knows when that might be, but I was planning on going, anyway. I won’t try to stop you if you want to join. I’ll even let you tell my parents I forced you into it.” I smile crookedly, and then it falters the moment she waves a hand and opens a pitch-black portal that reeks of darkness and despair. “How did you…”
“I have special privileges as a queen. I can go anywhere I choose. No one can stop me. Not even Gaia and Ourahnus, who aren’t aware yet that I’m a queen, by the way, so don’t tell them.” She shrugs. “What’s the plan?” Her tone and demeaner are calm, but her eyes betray the worry her voice tries to hide.
I can’t help but wonder if her reasons for going have more to do with her love for Nyx than I’d like. Does she truly believe she can still save her? Even if she could, is there redemption for someone who has caused as much damage and chaos as she has? I hope she understands that my priority is the woman I love and nothing else. If anyone gets in my way, including her, and especially Nyx, I won’t hesitate in doing what needs to be done to protect her.
“Kill anything that gets in our way before it can kill us. That’s as far as I got with my plan,” I say.
We stare into the portal, and it whispers our names, calling to us like it’s where we belong. I’d rather die here and now than to ever belong to darkness. I never will.
Mera will never belong to it, either. I’d let it devour me whole if doing so would save her.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
These Are Not My Thoughts
NYX
OCTOBER 6TH, 1851
Last time I stepped foot in this despicable forest, the river greeted me with visions that destroyed my entire life. The blood and darkness warped my every thought until I no longer knew what was real or imagined. It did not take long for me to come to the realization that everything it showed me was true. My future was doomed, though I tried to fight it. It was useless. Any hope I had crumbled to nothing the moment my wings were burned.
The butterflies light the way as I smile at Queen Gaia and Hekate, letting my sharp teeth peek out from behind my crimson painted lips. They are both dressed in white robes, becoming one with the scenery around us. I thought the fluffy white landscape with its glowing flowers and insects was stunning when I was here before. Now it is a reminder that even the most beautiful things harbor cruelty and darkness within. I wish to burn it all to ash.
