“Yes.” Morgen sat back, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Kronos often referred to me as his ‘spare.’ I was always assured that once he had a true, pure-blooded godling heir, he would get rid of me so there wasn’t a question as to who the title passed to.” He laughed, the sound hollow. “The principals would have killed me as soon as they figured out how to take the embers, I’m sure. And then, they would have quickly realized their entire world was doomed to slowly die. Kronos was a shit king, but he was necessary, as was his place in that godsforsaken palace.”
Nya’s father cleared his throat. “Are you saying the palace’s placement was intentional?”
Slowly, Morgen nodded. “Believe me, I’d prefer not to return there ever again. But if someone who holds the embers does not rule where the council transferred them to Kronos in the first place, Arcadia will soon suffer for it, as will the mortal realm.”
“The storms we’ve heard about in Aren?” her mother said. “Are those a result of what you’re claiming?”
Morgen’s eyes flashed to Nya. “They’re related, yes.”
The room fell silent, and Nya bit her cheek hard enough to flood her mouth with the taste of crimson, hating how small her voice sounded when she forced herself to ask Morgen, “But why take me? Why…why marry me?”
She didn’t need to look back to know her parents were probably waiting for the answer too. Morgen didn’t look at them, though, his cold gaze held on her. “I meant what I said. I’m not looking for war with the council, though I will go there ifnecessary. Marrying you was a way to get them to listen for at least a second before they tried to murder me—and it worked.”
A cold stone dropped in her belly, and she cursed the foolish, childish disappointment and the burning in her eyes. “And the blood binding?”
Now, there was a tiny crack in his indifferent, cold façade, a muscle in his jaw flickering. “A way to ensure you remained close until the negotiation was achieved and provide insurance should their cooperation ever lapse. The marriage alone wouldn’t have done much if they snatched you away before proper conversations could occur. This way, you can never go far.”
She lowered her chin, narrowing her eyes. “Well, this is really all so convenient for you—using me as some kind of emotional crutch until your armies were properly assembled and tossing me aside once you were done. I’m sure it was nice, though, thinking someone actually liked you for a few years there, beyond your uses with the embers. It’s a shame that won’t continue, especially given we’re bound for life now.”
His eyes dulled, almost to the point of looking human, but all he did was straighten and stand. “If that’s all, I’ve things to attend to, but Carus will be outside if either of you would like to lose your prisoner status.”
Nya’s father snorted harshly, and when she glanced at him, he was glaring stonily at Morgen. “I think Nya insulted you better than I could have. We’ll consider what you’ve told us regarding the embers.”
Morgen gave a short nod and, before leaving, he said to her, “Carus won’t stop you if you wish to leave this room.”
“Oh, lucky me,” she sneered. “I’m so glad our marriage grants me a bigger cage, at the least.”
You’re not a prisoner.
She set her jaw.Keep telling yourself that.
He inhaled sharply then turned and strode into the passageway beyond without another word, leaving her alone with her parents.
“You’re not actually considering supporting his claim, are you?” she asked as soon as his footsteps faded.
Her father rubbed his temple, grimacing. “Nya, love, if he’s right, it doesn’t matter how much I’d like to rip his head off for what he did to you.”
“Are you serious?”
He let out a slow breath, wincing. “Part of me would love to say damn the world and everyone in it, and perhaps, once, I would have actually believed that. But if what he says is true, and he does not take the throne, I’m guessing the realm doesn’t have much time left for peace.” His dark eyes flicked to Nya’s mother, unspoken words passing between them before he added, “You’ve had so little time to live. If we don’t side with Morgen on this, you won’t have much time left at all. None of us will.”
Nya stood abruptly, ignoring the lightness in her head. “I heard what Thanatos said about the blood binding. My life is over no matter what, or, at the very least, it is no longer my own.”
Pain flashed across her mother’s face. “Nya, we don’t want this for you, but we also don’t have much of a choice.”
Nya let out a cold laugh. “I wonder if that’s what Nyx and Thanatos told themselves when they sold you to Kronos.”
It was like she had slapped them. Her mother flinched visibly, and her father paled as soon as the words left her mouth. Maybe she didn’t truly mean them, but she wassoangry. Her mind didn’t feel like her own anymore, whirling emotions clouding reason and sense until nothing remained but one need: escape.
Her life.
Her body.
Theworld.
Perhaps her parents were right. Or perhaps, this world did not deserve to survive anymore.
She was out of the room and running before more angry words escaped her. Carus didn’t stop her as she fled, entirely unsure of where she was going but needing to move before she brought the mountain down on them all.
