Page 43 of Once Written in Gilded Blood

“Bring me the god killer.”

Chapter 17

Alira

I’ve killed him. Vomit curls in the back of my throat.

There’s a darkness in my heart that wasn’t there before. Where the softest memories of him and me once lived. Now there is only horror and rot. I’ve filled it with the ghosts of my fallen kin.

They must all die. Or they will only rebuild the veil with our bones again. A pounding headache rolls from temple to temple, making my eyes shut tightly. It feels like the anger of all the demigods thrums through my body, demanding blood.

I once thought that the demigods were wrong in what we did and the attacks we led on the demons. But I cannot let this happen again. The horrors that they’ve committed against my people. It must be unwritten from Faultore’s history.

I feel so stupid for falling for all his tricks. He made me love him in ways that I thought I’d never fall out of. Part of me will always love him. But the part of me that hates him for doing all of this is stronger. He knew from the moment I removed my helmet in Alzhor who I was to him. Why not tell me then, when everything was still so hostile between us? At least then it would’ve been out in the open, and we could’ve built our relationship from there. But there’s no fixing what’s been done now.

No redos.

It’s odd to see the festival go from an attractive, enchanting night of lights, music, and dance to a field of devastation. Trampled by terrified citizens during the frenzy of the knights searching for me. The knights pushed down vendor tents and flower barrels, knocked over boxes of goods, and sweets lay scattered across the ground. And now that the veil is down, the grass has withered and all color seems to have been sucked out of the kingdom.

I pass the herbal tent where I got the flocke-fennel, and fury rises within me from Kalel’s lies once more. At least I had enough concerns about this place to have the foresight to break our oath bond. I never should’ve trusted him to begin with. It’s easy to forget that no matter how enchanting a creature is, it can still bite.

There’s nothing left in my heart for any more of his lies.

The power in my veins pulses wildly, as if it needs to be freed and set loose. I fear I won’t know how to use it properly, but I pray my instincts will guide me.

The grasslands leading up to the only bridge that allows access to Devicit’s kingdom are vacant. Everyone has retreated farther into the kingdom while the knights are rallying and preparing to set off to defend it. I can hear them chanting and readying their defenses for war near the inner walls.

It won’t matter. We will demolish them as they’ve done to us, like every time loop I was slain in.

But will it heal what’s been broken? Will reflecting on their wrongs make anything right?

I bite my lower lip to quell the thoughts. They are sensible, but I don’t want to be rational right now.

The moment I set foot on the stone bridge, I hear hooves pounding the ground at a rapid rate, racing toward me. I whirl and narrowly duck in time to evade a black blade that cuts the ends of my hair. My skin tingles as the familiar sting of the devilstone prickles up my spine.

This knight has a sword made of devilstone.

My heart beats out of my chest as I rebound and quickly snap back up to a fighting stance, glaring at the knight before me.

Surprise hits me as I trace his features. My throat tightens, and I barely reel in my emotions before he dismounts from his horse and takes his sword in both hands. The tip of the shiny blade is pointed at me, and there’s no hesitation in his motion.

If I hadn’t ducked, my head would be on the ground right now.

It makes sense. If I tried to kill him, he would do the same to me—so why does it still hurt so much?

“You’ve forced my hand… I cannot let you live, my little godling.” Kalel’s voice is shaky and cold, much like it was when he killed me in the time loops. Merciless. But this time his eyes are filled with so much pain and hopelessness. His hair is mussed and blood stains his attire. His teeth are gnashed like each breath he takes is viscerally harder than the last.

The sword I have is no match for the devilstone, and if he impales me with it, I will surely die.

I force a tight smile. “No, of course you wouldn’t let me live. You never have before.” I toss my sword to the ground where an inch of snow has already built up. I’m no match for him with just a sword. I had the upper hand earlier only because he was in shock. Now he’s prepared for me, but I’ve grown greatly since the time loop.

Kalel’s brows pinch together as I hold my hand up to the heavens, praying that this new power I feel rushing through me is strong enough to summon weapons from the gods.

Hear me.

If he will use a stone of Pluto that kills demigods with ease, then I will use an arrow of Apollo, a holy relic that ends demons.

Gold starts to lift from the ground around us. It looks like a field of fireflies or a sunset of frozen drops of rain just as the clouds clear away.