Tapping her forehead twice, she laughed. “Sure, by the brand of theroyal crest, but Sorva owns the right to his body, his soul, his mind. A blood bind with an Other is irrevocable unless the deity is willing to break it.”
Rohen had mentioned the potential binding before we set foot in Serevalen, but not to the extent to which thiswomanelaborated. And as soon as that realization settled in the marrow of my bones, it became clear that there were still far too many pieces to the puzzle that we didn’t understand. Shards of knowledge that even Caspian hadn’t written about in his journals because the extent of his bind wasn’t even fully understood by him.
Steeling myself, I posed another question, “Why would you want a tie to a mortal's life, let alone unbind yourself from them after establishing one?”
“You’rethinking.I like that.” She skipped toward me gleefully, and I couldn’t help but step back as she approached. “The only reason any of us would entertain an unbinding ceremony would be if something more fruitful presented itself. Another opportunity of control that we could latch onto.” She landed directly in front of me, and my lower back settled against the shrubs, preventing me from going any further. “As for your first question, I’m aware you may already be able to answer that on your own, considering what you’ve learned about your captain.”
My breath hitched as her hand settled just above my heart, but I spoke regardless. “That he is the child of one of the gods?”
She lifted her arm, and just when I thought she was going to pull away, her talons clawed through my chest with unrelenting fury. An inhumane shriek followed, tumoring from her throat with enough pitch that the ground shook beneath me.“WE ARE THE GODS!”
Flattening my palm against the shredded flesh, I inhaled between clenched teeth before darting to the left—not in an attempt to get away, but to attack. Pivoting, my sword arched before flattening. The swing was refined and executed to near perfection with an encroachment on her throat. Without an ounce of tension or a moment of hesitation, the sharpened steel hacked her head clean from her body.
Slipping from her neck, it rolled across the grassy courtyard. Herbody swayed before collapsing in a lifeless heap of flesh and bone, blood seeping from her non-existent throat.
With a groan, I lowered my weapon before pushing against the claw marks dripping with my life force. “Fucking hell…”
Glancing over my shoulder to check if her frame remained motionless, a sigh of relief rolled from me at the sight of her head still feet away from her body. Satisfied, I brought the refined steel to scabbard, gliding it back into its home on my side.
Once secure, I freed my dagger and pulled the sleeve of my linen shirt taut before slicing some of the material free. Tearing it into one long strip, I gaze back over at the Other, who was still nothing more than a pile of what she had been. With quick work, I tucked the fabric beneath my armpit before wrapping it up and around my shoulder.
Flattening the linen, I tied a quick knot with my teeth, hoping that it served its purpose until I was back on the ship. With an exhale and a final glance, I moved from where I stood, returning to my intended path—following the hedges until I could get a clear enough view of the ballroom.
I kept each footfall light so as not to alert anyone of my approach, but also to offer myself refined attentiveness. Without sound, any that followed would offer a warning, a cautionary beacon of an approaching enemy?—
Gravel crunched behind me, and without wasting a breath, I turned.
Standing with her head reattached, the Other cracked her neck. Shoulders bouncing with laughter, she offered me another soulless grin, her eyes igniting with something that looked like hunger.
“You humans are so…interesting.”
“How’re you not dead?” I whispered.
She drummed her taloned fingers along her chin as if in contemplation before dropping her arm to hang at her side.
Placing one foot in front of the other, the distance between us began to shorten once more. At each step, a hum rose, and the pace of her walk, paired with the rhythmic tune, became hypnotic. Feet turnedto inches, and no matter how loudly I screamed at my body to move, torun,it didn’t listen.
I was transfixed. It was as if some unseen force had coiled itself around me, rendering my mind useless in uttering a single command where action would follow.
Only stopping once her chest met mine, she smiled. “It takes far more than simply cleaving my head from my neck to kill me.” Flattening her hand against the side of my face, she stroked her thumb across my cheek. “Your stupidity is adorable, truly. The second you elected to harm me when we were simplydiscussing,became the moment I lost all interest. But, since I’m in somewhat of a good mood, I suppose I can give you aheadstart.”
My brows drew together as she forced me back a step with a forceful shove. “What the fuck are you?—”
“Run,”she giggled, her forked tongue slipping between her lips to lap at the sides of her mouth. “Because once I catch you, I will devour your soul.”
CHAPTER 51
Found You
ROHEN
Iran a hand down the front of the ballroom gown I’d stolen from the guest room Parran had dropped me in, relishing its silken texture.
Parren had the idea, finding it too eye-catching for me to show up to a formal event in nothing but pirate garb. Yet the color of the garment they’d tossed my way from the armoire would certainly draw attention, considering it directly clashed with the royal hues expected of anyone privileged enough to set foot on palace grounds.
Billowing from shadow into crimson flame, the silk dress hung from me with a dark, regal aura, one that would challenge the king for power. Layers rippling as I walked, it was almost as if the material were a living being. But its movement only lived in the skirt. The otherwise rigid bodice, a direct contrast to the extravagant fabrics, sculpted my torso to the point that I actually had, for once in my life, defined curves.
My waist was wound with black lace, its intricate patterns mirroring delicate thorns. The material reappeared on the upper half of my body, looping around my neck in a high collar. Sheer panels traced my chest and shoulders, crossed by fine thread-like details that made the embroidery appear as if it had been suspended in the air. The sleevesextended down my arms, crafted out of sheer lace that concentrated perfectly against the gown’s darker shades.
