One of my hands still gripped the table, the other a knife. I tried to marshal calm, but I could still feel a strange sort of rage rising in me.
Thankfully, Gina had made herself scarce.
When I glanced at Ossian, I saw him staring at me, fury contorting his features. Dimly, I wondered if I could take him in a fight. I thought I probably could.
I stared at the floor as a shadowy mist billowed into the room, roiling over the wooden floor. Around us, the air grew even darker. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.
Now, my blood lust began coiling with something else: fear. I rose from the table, the knife still in my hand. As I searched the room for the source of the threat, my legs shook.
She arrived to us in a haze of red magic from near the doorway, her body as insubstantial as smoke. But I could see her shape—her naked body strapped with weapons. Red hair snaked and writhed around her head.
A goddess.
In contrast to her insubstantial form, the lion by her side was very much solid—a muscular creature. When he roared, the sound trembled through my bones.
I dropped my knife onto the bloody floor. Then I fell to my knees so hard that I was sure I bruised them. Gods demanded worship, and my body obeyed her desires.
I’d seen demigods, of course—Lyr was one of them. And I thought I’ve even seen the sea god himself in the distant waters when I’d sacrificed to him. But he was an earthly god, limited by time and space like I was. This divine being before me? She was a heavenly goddess, not of this world.
My brain was hardly equipped to comprehend her, and I felt my mind and soul ablaze in her presence. My thoughts were racing, screaming. From the ground, I stole another quick look at her. White plumes crowned her head, and an ankh hung between her breasts. But she was too glorious, too awe-inspiring for me to behold.
Her voice rang in the hollows of my mind. “I am Anat, goddess of war. Mother of the dawn and twilight—known to you as Salem and Shahar. My daughter is awake again, after you drowned her. But my son? He has trapped himself like an animal in your rotten sea cage.”
Fear shook my body.
“When you drowned Shahar,” she went on, “she felt nothing. Her time passed in the blink of an eye. It was not my concern. But Salem?”
My hands were pressed hard to the bloodied floor. I was on all fours, unable to look at her directly anymore.
“My Salem suffers. He is tormented by the heat of a million suns. He burns in there, roasted like a sacrifice. I can feel his pain even in the heavens. So, hear my promise. If you do not get him out immediately, I will start destroying every one of your kind. Every fae. I will begin with you. First, I will split you open with my sword, then winnow you like wheat. Then I will burn your flesh, grind you with a millstone, run you through a sieve like grains, and toss your remains into the sea. I will wade in the blood of the dead.”
“This is not good,” Ossian whispered.
I could feel her attention burning into me. “You—animal—are his mate. Get him out. Then set him free. He is not destined for a life rutting with a pig like you. He is destined for greater things. Get him out. Now.”
Slowly, the dark mist thinned around us. My heart was slamming against my ribs, and I dared to look up again. But now, her image had disappeared, and some of the light had returned to the room.
I remained kneeling. The blood had started to recede, but a thin layer still coated the floor and my hands and legs.
Fire. I’d known it. I’d felt it. That fiery bond I’d felt was real. He was in hell.
I stood, shaking.
Ossian looked dazed. “That was… a very specific sort of threat. I just have so many reactions to what just happened.” He closed his eyes. “We did just see Salem’s mum’s tits, for one thing—”
I sank down at the table. “Not the important part of this.”
“Did she say she would crush the fae with a millstone and wade in the blood of the dead? And what the fuck is a winnow?”
“I don’t know,” I said, “but it doesn’t sound good. She was going hard on the wheat-harvesting metaphors, I think.” I felt as if a hand were pressing my throat shut. “And Salem is in pain. You heard that, right? He’s on fire. I have to seal up the chasm as fast as possible, then he’s free, and no one gets winnowed.”
Gina opened the door, and she winced at the sight of the floor. “What the hell is happening? Whose blood is this? Can you two stop doing creepy shit for, like, two hours?”
“It wasn’t us,” I said. “Visit from a celestial war goddess who wants to grind us with a millstone and throw our dusty remains into the sea. We need to free Salem immediately, or I think we might end up being the blood on someone else’s kitchen floor.”
“Fucking hell,” said Gina. “This is all mental. You know that, right?”
“Oh, I know.”
“Okay, here’s another thing.” Ossian lifted a finger to his mouth. “Salem is your mate?”
“What?” Gina’s cry came out high-pitched. “You have a mate? Wait—what is a mate, exactly? I’m going to be honest, I’m a little overwhelmed by everything right now.”
“It’s not important,” I said quickly and somewhat inaccurately. Forgetting that my palms were coated with blood, I let my head drop into my hands.
“Now that is a lie,” said Ossian. “It’s an instinct, like desperation to protect someone, to keep them safe.” He pointed at me. “Which is why Aenor is quietly losing her mind. Then it changes into real love, like souls mingling together. Except… their mate bond is broken. I’m not sure Salem has a soul, and he can’t love.” He toweled off some of the blood on his feet. “Anyway, we need to get him out fast, because his mum is bloody terrifying.”
I crossed to Ossian’s sink and rinsed my hands under the warm water, watching the blood spiral down the drain. Then I leaned down to wash my face. When I closed my eyes, I thought I could hear Salem screaming.
I gasped, standing upright to shut off the water. There was no air left in my lungs, and I could feel myself scorching. Desperation and panic were rising in me. Despite the very specific horror of what Anat had just described, for me, the worst thought about it was that Salem was already burning.
My mind whirled as it came back to me—my plan. The one I’d been thinking about before Anat had showed up.
A bigger sacrifice. Something greater than a few drops of my own blood. The idea was buzzing inside my skull.
I turned to Ossian and Gina, a ray of hope lighting up my mind. “I had an idea. When I sealed over the chasm last time, I was able to trap the Fomorians for just a little while. But the ice started to melt. It wasn’t enough magic. What I need is more power. I need to freeze them completely, to snuff out their fire. Forever. I need the strength of a god. I need a greater sacrifice.”
“Okay, let’s put a pin in that thought for a moment,” said Gina. “When I talked to you last, you could hardly handle the power you have now, let alone a god’s magic. And I’m a little concerned by the word sacrifice.”
“I’m getting better at managing it,” I said. “Salem taught me how to channel it better.”
Ossian cocked his head. “But how exactly would you increase your power, Aenor? There’s no easy way to do that, or everyone would do it. We would all be gods if that was a thing.”
I took a deep breath. “Last time, I made a little blood sacrifice to increase my power. I cut my skin open, let my blood drip into the seafloor. I made a bargain. But it needs to be more. I need to sacrifice someone’s life. Someone important.”
The two of them stared at me.
“You’ve gone a bit dark with this, Aenor,” said Ossian.
“Says the guy who pals around with Lucifer,” I retorted. “Look, I don’t mean someone nice. A monster, perhaps.” I sighed. “Do you know how many bad men I’ve killed in my time? It’s what I do. I kill the wicked.” I lifted my shirt, showing off my scars. “The demons who carved their names into my skin? They’re dead now. I’ll
make sure it’s someone truly evil, someone who deserves death. And I will get their power, release Salem, and no one gets turned into flour.”
“Who do you have in mind?” asked Gina.
“I don’t know yet,” I said. “The sea god wants a life. And look at it this way—it’s the death of one to save many. It’s simple morality math.”
Although Gina still looked doubtful, Ossian was staring at me with intensity, and I could see the gears working in his mind. “If it’s a monster you want, I do have someone in mind. I’ve been waiting for the chance to bring it up, actually.”
I straightened. “You have?”
“Someone completely vile and destructive,” he said, “with no redeeming qualities. The Ollephest killed my mate years ago, and he nearly killed you. I spent a hundred years trying to discover a way to destroy him, practicing spells over and over. And I thought I’d found one—something specific to him. It’s something that works with his particular biology. I found a way to dehydrate him completely. So, I hunted him down, and I used it. He withered like an old corn husk, turning to dry dust before me.”
“So why isn’t he dead?” I asked.
“Because he just recovers. He came back to life. It’s literally impossible to kill him.” He leaned forward, eyes bright. “Unless you come from his line.”
My eyebrows shot up. “So, do you know any Ollephest offspring?”
“He was created by Caradoc of Cornwall through his dark magic. He used his own blood.”
My jaw dropped. “Caradoc was my ancestor,” I said. “First of the Meriadoc line.”
“Precisely.” Ossian seemed to be warming to the idea, as I was. “Your magic can affect his like no one else’s can. I can drain his body, and you can deliver the final blow.”
I started pacing, now certain that this would work. “I damaged his eyes, so he’s already at a disadvantage. I think we can do this.”
Ossian leaned back against his counter. “Except, when I was going to propose that we kill him, I hadn’t imagined it as a sacrifice.” He crossed his arms. “Sacrificing someone else’s blood isn’t the same as sacrificing your own. It’s dangerous. Like, you could unleash a dark force.”
Gina started pacing too, literally wringing her hands. “Is there something else the sea god might like, besides a life sacrifice? A Starbucks gift card or bath soaps?”
“Thing is,” said Ossian, “you need consent for a sacrifice. Without the consent, it’s a dark magic, one with a serious cost. And it’s not that I care about the Ollephest. I’m just worried about what you might unleash.”
Gina’s sneakers squeaked in the blood. “I’m somewhat regretting leaving the hotel, because this is worse than the Nando’s situation.”
I could hardly hear their words. Pain trembled up my limbs. Images flashed in my mind—Salem’s perfect body, burning in a cave.
“I understand that,” I said. “But what else will we come up with in the next few hours? She said now. How long do you think we have?” I felt a tug in my chest, like a rope of hot fire pulling me toward Salem. “Gina. If you’d heard Anat’s threats, I’m pretty sure you’d be on board. Anyway, the knights do it all the time. The shadow fae, the sea fae—they dedicate their kills to the gods they serve. Nothing bad happens.”
“But they don’t ask for magic, do they?” said Ossian. “It’s the bargain that’s the problem. Anyway, I just thought I’d warn you. I still want to do it, honestly. I’d do anything to kill that serpentine fuck.”
“Good. Because we don’t know that something terrible will happen with a sacrifice. But we do know something terrible will definitely happen without it. And you know what? I’ve sacrificed someone for power before. And it worked. And I’m fine.”
Ossian stared at me. “You’ve sacrificed someone else’s life to the gods in exchange for more magic? Here I was thinking you were nice.”
My heart was thundering in my chest at the memory. “I did it to protect Ys. I did what I had to do. It’s what a leader does.”
In fact, that sacrifice was seared into my memory, because it had been my first kill.
“The man I killed had conspired against the crown,” I began. “Mama said he didn’t think women were fit to rule—that he planned to gut us like fish. He was a bad guy, like the Ollephest. So I used the sea to smash his body against the rocks. We dedicated his death to the sea god. Ys had been suffering from a drought, and his death brought the crops back to life. The sea god gave us his power in exchange for a life. It worked. I did what I had to do, and I’d do it again.”
My skin was growing hotter again, burning. That long-buried memory rising from the depths of my mind was making me too hot. That man’s broken body on the rocks, arms bent at odd angles…
But it got the job done, hadn’t it?
I took a deep breath, certainty rising in me. “I’m going to kill the Ollephest. A sacrifice to the sea god. It’s the best we can do right now. Ossian, let’s get to the soul cage.”
Aenor
It had taken us less than an hour to get back to the little island near where I’d left Salem yesterday. By Ossian’s side, I stood on the craggy shore, watching the sky turn a dull, dusky blue over the Atlantic. Jagged rock and moss spread out behind us. Before us lay the turquoise sea, fading to dark blue in the depths where Salem lay.
This was where we’d battled the Fomorians yesterday, not far from Mag Mell. It seemed insane that only a day had passed since Salem had locked himself in the driftwood. He wasn’t far from me now.
I gripped Ossian’s sword, its blade destined for the Ollephest’s neck. That burning cord was burrowing deeper into my chest, simmering hot. It tugged me to my mate.
Ossian was facing the opposite direction from me, looking back at the jagged coast. “The knights aren’t going to bury their own?”
It wasn’t till he mentioned it that the stench of death hit me hard. I was so intent on thinking about Salem that I’d barely noticed the corpses slumped between the rocky crevices. Turning, I surveyed the slain, surprised to find that some of the fae knights still lay among the dead Fomorians. Weren’t the knights going to collect their fallen, give them a proper burial? As for the Fomorians, they’d probably lie here rotting among the palm trees until the sun bleached their bones.
I turned back to the glistening water. “You’re sure Gina will be okay in your cottage?”
“I put up some intense magical protections before we left, and she’s got several bags of crisps. She’s just annoyed you’re not listening to her cautions.”
I closed my eyes, and immediately I was greeted by the horrific image of Salem burning in his old cave in Gehenna. His beautiful body twisted and contorted in the flames, smoke rising from his agonized face. I felt the pain.
No time left.
My eyes snapped open again, and I gasped for breath. A cold sweat beaded on my brows.
“You all right?” asked Ossian.
“I just need to get him out.” I hadn’t meant to say anything at all, but the words came out desperate, almost a growl. Primal.
Sunlight gleamed in Ossian’s blue eyes, and he took a step closer to me. “I get it. I know that desperation you feel. It’s very familiar to me. Only it’s too late for me to save mine. You still have a chance. All I have left is vengeance, yeah?”
I nodded.
“And you’re doing what you have to do to stop Anat from returning,” he continued. “Salem will be grateful to you for letting him out, even if he can’t love.”
There it was again… that phrase can’t love. It made my heart tighten.
I took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do this. Just try to make sure you don’t murder me if the Ollephest starts poisoning our minds with fears. And try not to succumb to my charms when I’m using my Morgan magic.”
He rolled his eyes. “I think I’ll be fine, love.”
I pulled my comb from my pocket, carved from a seashell, and stroked my fingertips over the ridges. Then I crossed to the rocky
shore, my pulse already racing.
I closed my eyes and pulled the comb through my blue locks. I launched into a low, sweet Morgan song to lure the Ollephest to me.
My sea magic snaked up and down my body, trembling along my legs, my hips. As my song floated through the air, I tuned into the screeching magic of the Ollephest. I could sense my power coiling around its undulating body. When I stepped into the cold waves, I felt the monster moving for me already. Its shrieking cries reverberated through the water.
I opened my eyes again. Now, the sunlight seemed to burn brighter, gleaming off the waves.
I felt a hand at my feet, and I glanced down at Ossian. With my song in the air, he’d fallen to his knees, seawater glistening over his tattooed chest. He stared up at me like I was a goddess. Seemed he’d been hit in the crossfire of my enchantment.
I gave him a light kick in the ribs, and he seemed to snap out of it. He looked horrified as he stood and focused again on the sea.
As for me, I pulled my focus back to the oncoming Ollephest, searching the seas for its sinuous body. If I let it get too close, Ossian and I were goners. I had to keep a razor-sharp focus.
I sang louder, eyes on the sea, and pulled the comb through my hair.
At last, I caught a glimpse of it moving closer, snaking along the waves. I grinned at the sight of its serpentine body, its scales glistening in the sun. A perfect sacrifice for the sea god. My power would be immense.
Already, I thought I could smell the creature—a bitter, acrid scent so sharp that it made me want to retch.
A flicker of nerves fluttered in my chest. One could make the argument that luring the Ollephest closer was a terrible idea, that its inspired hallucinations would make me vulnerable. I could end up screaming in hysteria as its magic infected my mind, and it would simply sink its enormous ivory teeth into me, ripping through my lungs, my bowels. But—but—
Terror savaged my mind. Why was I here?
I gripped the hilt of the sword tighter, trying to keep my wits about me. Already, my mind fogged with the creature’s magic.
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