Soren’s breath caught. Now that the four of them had an open pathway, it made sense that she could hear him too. A faint wisp of memory told her that had been the case before too.
Cion began to walk towards her, dagger in hand. “Soren, he’s lying. I don’t know what he’s told you, but you know?—”
She cut herself off on a yelp as Vane stepped in front of her, his hands engulfed in flame. He was on edge, Soren could feel it in the shimmering heat of his magic that thickened the air.
“No closer until you drop the dagger,” he snarled, tiny sparks of ether flickering in his eyes. “Or I’ll give you a true glimpse at the power the gods ‘granted’ me.”
Cion’s eyes widened, landing on Soren. “Are youwithhim?” she said, voice disbelieving.
Ilav snorted. “You’re quite unobservant, princess, if it took you this long to pick up on that. Besides, does it really surprise you that a slave would try to gain favor by fucking her superior? Too bad he’s just as chained as she is.”
The darkness, sleeping in its prison, opened an eye.
“I would like to think it’s not a crime to fuck my husband,” Soren said, raising a brow. She was done denying the truth to herself, and the words were a release, letting go of all the uncertainty she had felt over the past few days while he had been asleep.
Glad to finally hear you say it, wife. I’ll have to make sure you remember what it’s like as soon as we’re alone again.
Cion’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, Ilav’s brow rising nearly up to his hairline. The princess glanced at Vane, testing his reaction. He simply took a step closer to Soren and said, “The truth is far worse than you want to imagine, mortal princess. And given that I’m not under any specific order to keep you alive, killing you is quite possibly in the cards if you don’t agree to help us. Your little friend, too.”
Cion paled, retreating a step, then another. Her dragon growled, the low sound vibrating through the earth. Ilav inched closer to his own dragon.
“Cion...” Soren wanted to at least give her a chance. “You need to listen.”
Cion let out a broken laugh. “Listen to what? You’re both mad!Ishould be the one threatening you, not the other way around.”
“We’re more alike than you think,” Soren said quietly.
Nyx was no queen, not after her refusal to marry Kronos. Still, all the principal gods held enough influence to be considered royalty. Soren had been raised as such in her life as Sora.
“Explain. Then, we go. My father,your king, is waiting on us.”
Soren pulled on the ether that had slowly begun to finally show itself in her blood, watching as Cion and Ilav’s attention went to her eyes.
“It’s complicated,” she told them. “But what you need to know is that Mise, or even the rebels in your own ranks—they’re not the real enemy. Over a hundred years ago, a god didn’t get what he wanted, and this world descended into chaos for it.”
“Your eyes,” Cion whispered.
“Ether,” Vane supplied, lacing his bare left hand in Soren’s. The cool metal of his wedding band slid against her skin as he squeezed hard. Behind them, Thessa and Heles rumbled.
Cion shook her head. “Ether only exists in Arcadia, in the gods.”
“The border sealed off mortals from entering Arcadia, but it does not prevent gods from entering this world. Vane was born and then banished here.”
“Holy gods,” Cion whispered. “You’re both demi-gods?”
“Vane is, but I?—”
Vane’s hand tightened on hers, and she looked up at him. “Soren,” he said in a low voice. “This is Johannas’ daughter.”
“And he knows already anyways. Besides, we need her on our side.”
Cion looked at Soren expectantly, her eyes still wide and shining. Soren checked that well, the prison of power inside her, one last time. There was no denying what she was, not anymore. She could feel the power humming through her.
“A long time ago,” she said softly, “the only daughter of two powerful gods was betrothed to Kronos. But she fell in love with someone else, and he and his mortal kin paid the price for her selfishness.”
“Darkness rises, an ember of light to meet it,” Cion said, shaking her head. She looked up at Vane. “I always wondered what that part meant. Now, it’s becoming clear.”
Soren met the princess’ eyes, realizing what she meant. “The prophecy, the one that destined you to be a rider. There was more to it, wasn’t there?”
