Just before sunrise,Nya slipped quietly out of Nyx’s house. No one had awoken, not even the dragons. But just as she made it to a packed dirt road past the garden full of night-blooming florals, a vaguely familiar voice mused, “I thought I might see you out here.”
She jerked then whirled to see Thanatos leaning casually against a tree. He was wearing a black turtleneck and a silk bathrobe, of all things, and his jet-black hair stuck up in a way that made him look distinctly mischievous.
She didn’t trust him for a second.
“What do you want?” she asked sharply.
He chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. “You know, you look just like Sora, but everything else…all that fire and reckless determination; that is all your father.”
“You’re not the first to make such an observation,” she said stiffly, unsure what his intentions were. To make her go back, she assumed, which she couldn’t do.
Except, he surprised her when he waved a dismissive hand and said, “You can relax. I’m not going to wake them, nor will I stop you.”
The smart thing to do would have been to leave then, but curiosity got the better of her. “But why?”
He sighed heavily, glancing back at the house, hands shoved deep in the pockets of the pants he wore beneath the robe. “You can’t stay here, for several reasons. I understand your parents’ wish to deny that, but they cannot protect you. This thread of fate is yours alone to follow.”
“I know,” she whispered. Then, after a beat, she added, “You didn’t want to do it, did you? Sell my mother to Kronos, I mean?”
She wasn’t exactly sure why she asked the question. Perhaps it was a burning need to understand why such a thing had happened in the first place, to make sense of the decisions that had led to so much pain for both her parents. Forallof them.
Slowly, Thanatos shook his head, the silver in his eyes dimming so much, she could no longer see the outline of his irises. “Of course I didn’t. I would have rather died than let him keep summoning her to that godsforsaken palace. But when the decision was made, it wasn’t my soul on the line. Nyx was supposed to marry Kronos, and when she didn’t, he was enraged. Then, Sora was born, and he gave us two options: bind her soul to his and sign her away to a betrothal as soon as she came of age, or allow us towatchas he destroyed her before she’d barely had a chance to exist. Because of the embers, Kronos was more powerful than any of us, so we could not fight him.” He looked away, mouth downturned. “It was foolish of Sol to ever grant him such power in the first place.”
A shiver raced down Nya’s spine. They could say what they liked about Morgen, but she knew he would never hurt an innocent child.
She turned, readying to leave, but then glanced back one last time. “My father told me last night that in Arcadia, there are many things worse than death.”
A shadow passed over Thanatos’ face. “Indeed. He learned that when he took on the burden of watching exactly what I thought I had prevented. Deathalwaysfinds a way, Nya. Fate ensures that, and even I am powerless to stop it.”
This time, she didn’t reply, and he didn’t stop her as she left, but his words haunted her as she walked, turning over and over again in her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the phrase was familiar to her.
When she reached an open field somewhat shielded by a forest on one side, she sat in the tall grass and closed her eyes.
Varax?
It took a moment, but as always, the dragon answered, and her voice filled Nya’s mind.I presume you would like me to collect you.
I need to go back.
You know, I could have told you this would happen. It would have saved me all the flying.
Nya opened her eyes, resting her chin atop her knees.Apologies.
Ah, yes. You soundverysorry.
The pathway quieted after that, and she curled her arms around herself to try and shield against the cold wind. Nyx had given her a small pile of clothing that had been her mother’s, and before she’d left, Nya had tugged on a thick sweater and fleece-lined pants. Still, the sun was just starting to crest over the horizon, not yet warming the ground.
She wasn’t sure if Morgen would risk coming with Varax through a portal. If not, it would take her at least a few hours to get here. But perhaps, after Nya had fled so suddenly, he would make her wait as a sort of punishment.
Would he be angry? He hadn’t made any moves to stop her, so he had to know she would have no choice to go back. She had never seen Morgen get truly angry. She wasn’t even sure he was capable of such an emotion. Anger required letting go, and he never let himself do that.
She was just about to stand and stretch when she saw a slight shimmer in the air at the edge of the clearing, so subtle, she doubted it was actually there. But then, quickly, it spread and thickened, a large portion of the empty air solidifying into what looked like an opaque mirror. Before her mind really had a chance to catch up, Varax materialized, shaking her head and slapping her tail against the dirt as she landed.
Morgen’s voice echoed down the pathway.Varax. I’d appreciate it if youtryto be quiet.
You know how portaling makes me feel.
Nya’s throat tightened, both hearing and seeing Morgen atop Varax, but it wasn’t just that causing a sudden wave of sadness through her.
