One-hundred and five years ago, Heles and Thessilnn’s eggs had been given to Sora. A betrothal gift—two female Vemon dragons from the same azure mother. When they had hatched dark and light in front of him, Sora, and Anabeth, Ana had declared it an omen. Something was on the horizon, a force both full of light and matched with a powerful darkness. At the time, he remembered brushing the words off, but now, Ana’s words floated with him in the strange stasis where he slept.
Soren held the power to end this. He knew that, and as Sora, she had known she could prevent it. Kronos was a mad king who had only ever wanted one thing.
Absolute control.
He didn’t care about her, nor did he think he owned her. He simply wanted to use her as Johannas had used him. When Nyx refused to be his consort, signing away a daughter she did not yet have, his rage had been tucked away.
But Sora was more than Nyx. If anything, she was more her father. Kronos held the embers of the world, chosen by Sol after the world had been born. But with Sora, he had the flip of the coin: not just the life and light Sol had gifted him with, but the darkness of Sol’s twin and the destruction of Thanatos all in one soul. One weapon.
Kronos could not be killed, not without the backing of other powerful gods. Even then, it was a mere chance. Though, as Nyx had learned, his crazed nature could be sated.
But Soren was no weapon. She was powerful and wild, but she was also kind-hearted. Kronos would break her in order to use her.
Just like Vane himself had been broken.
Used.
Beaten.
Orders were orders, and he was bound to Johannas’ mortal line by Kronos’ eternal curse. Perhaps it would be better to let go, to let himself sink into the still waters around him. Maybe then, she could finally be free.
“Vane.”
The water shimmered.
“Damn it.” Hands shook his face somewhere far above him. “You can’t lie to me and then just go and die.”
He was selfish. He reached for her.
Silver shimmered in her blue eyes, just above the surface. He fought against the current that tried to sweep him back to the depths. Tears fell down her cheeks, imbued with ether and sparkling like liquid moonlight in the dull sun.
He gasped as he broke free.
Chapter 27
Vane rolledonto his side as he finally opened his eyes, coughing and sputtering. She gripped his shoulder, unsure of how bad his injuries still were. When she had brought him back from the brink of death two days ago, the largest wound, just below his ribs, had closed, leaving a tender, angry scar, but he was still covered in bruises and other, shallower slices and cuts.
When he stopped coughing, he sat up slightly, wincing. His fingers brushed over his stomach, and his eyes widened.
“How?” he said hoarsely.
She set her jaw. “Thessa reminded me who my father technically is.”
“You scared him off.” The words were half-question, half-statement. She wondered if she had done it before.
Not like this,Thessa rumbled, her head resting in the crook of Heles’ wing.
She cleared her throat, trying not to look too long at Vane’s face. She had stared at it enough over the last day, willing him to wake. But now that he was looking back at her, it was nearly too much to bear.
He had lied to her from the beginning. He was no swordmaster or even captain. The king had probably sent himspecifically to spy on her once word of Thessa reached him. What she couldn’t figure out was: why? Why, given everything he had told her about their past, would he betray her like this? And if it was a lie, why would he have risked his life to save her during the battle?
Calloused fingers brushed across her brow, and she flinched. Vane took a shaky, rasping breath. “You’re confused.”
Her laugh was as cold as she felt inside. “How could I not be?”
“I can explain, Soren. I promise.”
Shifting, she looked away at the nearly setting sun. Night would fall again soon, and the blistering cold would return. They had no food, only water from the stream, and King Johannas was surely looking for them. It was only a matter of time before they were found.
