These stones did something else. And they weren’t going to tell me what it was.
I bit the inside of my cheek. “What happens if I can’t do this?”
“I wished you couldn’t. Unfortunately, I know you can, so long as you’re willing,” Orion answered from the table. He smiled, showing his sharp teeth. “And I think Andromeda has made it clear the consequences of your inaction. Everyone in Dubnos will die. That includes your beloved Mist King.”
At the sound of that name, I flinched and mashed my hand against Caedmon’s bare forearm. The stones dug into my palm where they were embedded between us.
“All it takes is a little mention of Kalen Denare. You allow your soft side too much control. Such weakness,” Callisto said with a laugh. “It’s so mind-numbingly predictable. And it’s why you human scum were always fated for failure, despite your temporary victory all those years ago. You humans won the battle, but we will win the war.”
“You mistake my motivations as something soft,” I said, seizing another chance to convince them they could trust me. “I do care for the people of Aesir. But the humans across the sea don’t matter. Go after them for all I care.”
She cocked her head. “You don’t smell of lies.”
“Enough,” Andromeda snapped. “I am tiring of all this needless chatter. Why must everyone talk so much all the fucking time? Get on with the trial, or I will deem it a failure.”
Orion chuckled. “Your time trapped in onyx has made you a bitch. Was it the celibacy? Couldn’t stand not being pounded into submission by Ovalis’s co—”
“Orion. I will takeyourpower if you don’t get out,” Andromeda said with lethal calm. Then she whirled on her feet, pointed at the door, and shouted, “Get out!”
He held up his hands and laughed. “Your emotions betray you as always, dear sister. I suspected you care for this mortal scum. Seems I was right.” He stood and looked at Perseus, whose lips were pressed into a tense line. “Coming with me, Pers?”
The God of Fear shook his head.
How I wished he would go. His aura of fear still dripped from every single shadow in this room.
“Fine.” Orion glanced at the others, then shook his head. “Enjoy the show.”
We all watched Orion take his time walking toward the doors. My hand was still tight against Caedmon’s arm. I didn’t dare remove it, despite the shift in focus.
These monstrous beings were far less in tune than they’d first appeared. Perseus and Orion, they might be the answer. I didn’t know how yet, but it was crack I wanted to explore. Perhaps if I beat at it hard enough, the crack would splinter, shattering everything.
Andromeda turned her attention back to me. “Do it now, Tessa. I will not wait a second longer.”
Nodding, I closed my eyes and played the part of a willing participant. If anything, Orion’s disrespect would act as the perfect contrast to my submission.He’dargued with her. I, on the other hand, was doing exactly what she wanted.
Perhaps this could take me one step closer to gaining her trust.
Releasing a breath, I focused my strange inner power on the gemstones. Until recently, my control over this power had been weak at best, but I’d learned how to search for it, to wrap my mind’s hands around it, and tug it to the surface. It felt different this time, now that it was no longer linked with Kalen’s magic.
Instead of his brutal, unyielding might, my power felt more like a shower of sparks lighting up every inch of my skin. It buzzed through me, burning the spot where my skin touched Caedmon’s. This was life, not death, I realized. Like Andromeda had said, it somehow knew. And it was being channeled into Caedmon’s body through the stones.
I couldn’t help but wonder why we needed the stones at all. Surely, all I needed was to touch his skin. That was how it had worked with Fenella.
The gemstones suddenly vanished. Power exploded between us. It slammed into my chest, throwing me across the room. I fell hard, my knees and palms colliding with the stone floor. Pain cracked through my bones, and stars filled my vision.
I blinked away the spots. Halfway across the room, Caedmon was in a heap on the floor like he’d been thrown back as well. Strands of fire and shadow whipped around him, surrounding his shuddering body like a ball of writhing thread. The shadows screamed. Or maybe Caedmon did. Never taking my eyes off him, I stood on shaky legs.
“What’s happening?” I asked Andromeda. Unlike me, she’d drifted closer to the whorling mass of fire and shadow. Her hands clasped her chest. Her lips were mouthing words that were foreign to my ears. Callisto had shoved back her chair. She watched Caedmon with gleaming eyes. Perseus merely looked on impassively while Sirius remained seated at the far end of the table, eating another potato. He didn’t seem to notice anything was happening at all. Or if he did, he didn’t care.
I remained where I was, but raised my voice. “What is this? What did you make me do to him?”
Andromeda gave me a dismissive wave. “Return to your quarters. Your trial is over.”
My hands clenched.
Two guards appeared beside me. One took my elbow while the other said, “You heard her. Your time here is over.”
My rage burned my chest. I didn’t know what was happening, but I knew it wasn’t the power of life. Andromeda hadusedme, and now she was locking me away without telling me what I’d done. I wanted to rip that fucking smile off her face.
