“Why what?”
She bit her cheek. He was still flushed, his pupils dark as they stared at each other, as if he felt the all-consuming need for more too.
“Why did you stop yourself before?” she forced herself to ask.
He paused, his eyes fluttering shut, and when he replied, it was not aloud.Lots of reasons, the most selfish being I knew there would be no hiding the truth once I opened myself up toyou, and as soon as you finally had to accept what you’ve been denying, you would never come back.
The warmth of silent tears tracked down her face, but she ignored them.
“Am I wrong?” he asked.
She took a shuddering breath, whispered, “No,” and reached for him one last time.
She poured everything into the kiss, not hiding the equal amounts of shame, desire, and love. She just hoped that, even as he held her as close as possible, he couldn’t read her so well that he could catch each tangled emotion.
When she pulled away, she only gave herself a few short seconds to whisper, “Goodbye, Morgen,” before forcing herself to flee.
She didn’t return, and two weeks later, she left for D’anna to apprentice with the Holy Sisters of the Arcane.
Life felt cold again. She hadn’t even realized the warmth of the last four years until he was gone.
Chapter
Fourteen
The priestesses here suspect me. I have grown rather close to Kronos’ son quickly in order to observe him and try to decipher his motives. Part of me wishes he was evil, though he does hide something I am sure is important. He often disappears for long stretches of time during the day with the dragon. Something about this feels familiar.
—Ana, Priestess to the Usurper King, Arcadia
Nya awoketo the familiar feeling of her mother brushing hair back from her forehead. She groaned softly, forcing herself to open her eyes, blinking rapidly to adjust to the light of the flickering torches around them.
“What—where are we?”
Her mother’s ice-blue eyes were red-rimmed, but her expression was calm. “We’re still in the Gods’ Aisle, in a cave system within one of the mountains. The general with the blond hair and the attitude claims we are prisoners who will be kept comfortable.” She snorted, shaking her head. “As if I believed him for even a moment.”
Nya’s brow creased, realizing she was talking about Carus. She didn’t inquire about him further, though, instead asking, “Why didn’t you and the dragons try to fight them off and escape?”
Her mother’s throat bobbed and her jaw tensed, telltale signs she was trying to collect herself. “I couldn’t leave you or your father, Nya, love. I don’t… You are my only reasons to keep any remaining faith in this world.”
“Is Papa alright?” Nya asked, sitting up abruptly enough that her head spun, sweeping her gaze over the dim room. Her pulse quickened when she saw him, still unconscious on a cot a few feet away.
Her mother touched her cheek. “He’s alright, Nya. It’ll be a bit before he wakes up again.” A small smile tugged at her mouth. “And gods save everyone here when that happens.”
Nya took a slow breath. “It worked, what I did.”
“Yes.” Her mother’s voice was very quiet as she added, “I didn’t ever want you to have to feel the cold of that place. But perhaps keeping you from it was a mistake on my part.”
Nya met her eyes. “I know you and Papa wanted to protect me, but I’m as much a part of this world as you are.” She shrugged, adding, “All my life, you kept me away from Arcadia, but it found me anyways.”
Her mother’s expression clouded, and Nya knew she was about to ask about Morgen, but they both froze as her father muttered, “Where the fuck are we?”
Nya suppressed a small smile despite the circumstances, and her mother sighed and said under her breath, “Here we go.”
The cot creaked as he sat up, and though he winced at the pain, he still tried to stand, demanding, “Sora, Nya? Are you alright?”
Her mother stood, kneeling next to him and pressing a hand to his shoulder. “We’re fine. Lay back down before you ruin allthe work our daughter did bringing you back from the brink of death.”
He blinked a few times, his eyes landing on Nya, then flicking back to her mother. His voice was steadier, more lucid as he asked, “What happened?” and Nya didn’t miss the undertone of cold rage simmering beneath his mask of calm.
