A pit dropped in Soren’s belly. He had known… Of course he had. It was why he had beaten her into submission so many times.
“Fear was enough to keep you chained,”Cion had said to her mere hours ago.
She had always held the power to fight back against Kronos, but he had taught her, again and again, that in the wake of his power, she had none.
“What is the price?” Vane asked, an edge to his tone.
Nyx looked around. “We should discuss this somewhere else.”
Neither he nor Soren moved, though, waiting for this final piece of the puzzle. None of the gods spoke at first, not until Vulcan sighed and said, “Oh, just tell them. If you didn’t want them to know, you never should have mentioned it in the first place. And my son will find a way to kill us all if he finds out after the fact.”
Soren knew the moment Vulcan finished speaking, and from the way Thessa let out another shrill cry, she knew too.
Thanatos looked past Nyx, straight into his daughter’s eyes. “Death always finds a way.”
Vane retreated a step, pulling Soren with him, but she held firm, holding him next to her as she said the harsh truth aloud.
“Kronos tied his soul to mine, didn’t he? I can die by his hand and come back a thousand times, a thousand lifetimes, a mere nuisance to him. But the second I destroy his soul, mine will be gone too.”
Vane was shaking his head. He stepped in front of her, blocking out the gods and cupping her cheeks with trembling hands. “Soren, please. We can still walk away.”
A single tear ran down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
His forehead bowed to hers, his voice hushed as he spoke quickly. “You promised me.Together. I will not walk away from you, not ever. But please,pleasedon’t leave me behind again, my love. I will walk into the dark of oblivion with you without fear, but I cannot remain without you.”
She kissed him softly and whispered against his lips, “Together.”
All of us,Thessa agreed.
Heles’ voice was final.Into the dark.
“Are you two done?” Vulcan called out dryly behind them. “We should go, lest we draw attention before it is time?—”
Vane was out of her arms and at Vulcan’s throat with a wicked, gleaming dagger before she could even blink.
“We are not your fucking sacrificial pets,” he snarled at his father.
Vulcan was relaxed, his hands still casually in his pockets, even as blood dripped from his throat. “None of us would prefer it this way.”
Vane pulled the dagger back swiftly, shoving it into his hip holster. “Well, I wouldpreferit if you shut your mouth, but you seem incapable.”
Juno looked mildly amused, and Thanatos rolled his eyes at the display, but Nyx stepped forward to Soren finally, holding out her hands, marked palms up. Soren looked down at the mark she would be placing on Kronos’ brow, at the mark that would end her too, and placed her hands atop it. For a moment, mother and daughter remained like that, not holding or even looking at each other; just touching, just barely.
It was all Soren would give her.
She stepped back, and Nyx lowered her hands. “We need to go. There is a place we can keep you both safe until midnight.”
“Why midnight?” Soren asked, her throat thick with fear.
Juno replied, looping her arm with Soren’s. “It is when Kronos is at his weakest and you at your strongest. Why do you think he killed you last time at sunrise?”
Soren opened her mouth, but the reply died in her throat as a shimmering portal opened in front of her and Juno tugged her through it. Vane shouted her name, but they had already disappeared by the time he reached for her.
When they reappeared, they were in a vaguely familiar sitting room. This was her mother’s house, it had to be. She had a faded memory of shattering a vase here, long ago. She had fallen asleep more times than she could count on the stiff couch near the window, which was currently shielded by a dark drape.
Nyx came through the portal next, Thanatos always at her side. Vulcan and Vane pushed through last, and as soon as theyhit the floor, the portal closed, and Vane swiftly punched Vulcan square in the face.
Soren froze, waiting for the fire god’s anger to finally emerge, but he only laughed wetly and said, “Friends, would you spare me a moment with my son?Alone.”
