by Skye Horn
“Clear the room,” Thea demanded, never letting her eyes leave Morrigan, letting the challenge rise in her voice.
The king started to protest, but as Thea cut her eyes to him, he silenced, fear and anger settling into his gaze.
For a king, he was extremely weak, Thea thought. He relied on his guards to protect him, but with Morrigan here, they answered to only one ruler—the Goddess.
This proved a dilemma for Thea, because if the Goddess decided so, those guards would surely turn and take her down. However, Morrigan looked thoughtfully between Thea, Adrian, and Haven before waving her hand through the air.
“You’re all dismissed,” she said, seeming to weigh her options and confirming Thea’s theory that the Goddess didn’t want anyone else knowing about this little secret.
“What—” the king again began to protest but now the Goddess grew angry and reached out to wrap a hand around his neck.
“If you disobey me again, I will end you,” she warned. Thea watched as sweat trickled down the king’s face. The guards averted their eyes, and Thea actually felt pity for the king. She remembered when Ainé had threatened her much the same, but her guards had stood beside her. Obviously, that was not the case in this kingdom.
Without another word, the king skulked out of the room, followed by his guards.
As soon as they were gone, Morrigan turned to look at Adrian. “I thought we had an agreement.”
Thea followed the Goddess’ eyes to Adrian in confusion.
An agreement… She watched as his face paled from concern into regret. He met her eyes, and just as she was about to convince herself that it couldn’t be true, he said, “I’m so sorry, Thea.”
Chapter 16
We are not friends. The words echoed through her head as she stared at Adrian, letting his betrayal seep in. Morrigan had known Thea was with child, and apparently so had Adrian. Yet, he’d acted so surprised today when Thea had found out…
No, he didn’t. She replayed the details of their earlier conversation and wanted to scream at herself for not realizing it. The regret she’d seen in his eyes. The way he’d averted his gaze. All signs that he’d known, and she’d ignored them, trusting him.
She had always trusted too easily, even when she promised herself this time would be different.
Her throat tightened as the pain constricted around her chest, pulsing with a steady ache.
“Thea, please—”
She turned away from him, unable to stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes. Betrayed—he had betrayed her and she’d been trying to help him all along.
“It wasn’t you?” Morrigan said, clearly surprised by the interaction between them. “Then how is it that you know?”
“How could you keep something like this from me?” Thea asked, fighting the crack in her voice as she stared at the Goddess. She’d expected to be betrayed by Morrigan—the Goddess was selfish and would do anything to get what she wanted—but Thea had thought Adrian was different. She’d trusted him, and obviously that had been a mistake.
“I needed you undistracted,” Morrigan said.
“Tell her the truth,” Adrian growled, sounding dangerously close to crying himself. Thea didn’t bother to look at him. She didn’t care if he was hurt by this. He’d brought it on himself. He’d lied to her.
Morrigan’s eyes sent daggers toward Adrian, but aside from that, she controlled herself. Thea wondered if she’d stop the Goddess from punishing Adrian if she unleashed her anger on him.
“Yes, for once, tell me the truth,” Thea agreed, digging her fingers into the table just as flames erupted across the wood. She could feel the loss of control, but the Goddess was not unprepared. She waved a hand, extinguishing the flames immediately. Morrigan had gotten better at dealing with Thea’s outbursts since their first training session. She now had at the ready a whole arsenal of ways to combat what Thea couldn’t control.
“I should cut your tongue out,” she told Adrian.
“Just tell me why!” Thea screamed, losing her patience with all of them. “I’ve done everything you’ve asked. I’ve trained every way you’ve told me to. I’ve learned and grown. So why wouldn’t you tell me?”
The tears bubbled over, but it wasn’t Morrigan who answered.
“Because if you knew, you would have stopped training. If you continue to use this magic, it could mean you lose the baby—”Adrian’s voice was cut off as second too late. Thea registered the words slowly as a loud crash echoed against the stone walls. She spun on her feet to see him pinned against the wall by an invisible force, gasping for breath and clawing at his neck.
“I warned you,” the Goddess said, moving toward him as if she floated above the ground rather than walked. “I told you if you disobeyed me your family would pay.”
Thea’s breath caught. Morrigan had threatened his family?
She recalled the sacrifice she’d made herself to save Kieran’s life… a sacrifice that had released Morrigan in the first place. If it hadn’t been for her own decision, none of this would be happening. How was what Adrian had done any different?
Frowning and conflicted, Thea threw herself between Morrigan and Adrian. No matter how angry she was at him, she couldn’t allow Morrigan to hurt him. That wasn’t the queen she wanted to be.
Haven moved with her in sync, holding her sword fearlessly against Morrigan’s neck.
“Don’t be silly, girls,” Morrigan said with a shake of her head. “You know you can’t kill me.”
“Maybe not, but I can stop fighting. I can stop trying to stop your sister.”
Morrigan’s face darkened.
“You need me. Otherwise you wouldn’t have kept me here.”
“You’re carrying my heir,” she growled.
“And yet you’re willing to let this baby die for your cause!” Thea said, stepping toward Morrigan until their eyes were level. She watched the darkness swirl within the Goddess’ gaze and knew that she could end Thea without a second thought.
“It’s one life,” she said, with a flash of guilt that Thea hadn’t expected.
“There has to be another way,” she begged. She had to keep this baby safe, but she also had to fight Ainé for the sake of Ethel and everyone else who had died.
The Goddess glared as Adrian choked for air. “I should slaughter your entire abomination of a species!”
“Let him go, and let us find another way… a way that will save us all.”
Thea’s voice was pleading now, all anger gone. Being angry would not save her or her baby, but finding another way might. She thought of Kieran’s protectiveness back at the cliffside. Perhaps they could use that to their advantage. If Kieran could be tempted by this child away from his Goddess, then perhaps they truly could get information from him that would help. They just needed to try.
There was a loud thud behind her as Adrian dropped to the ground with a groan. His panting breaths came as a relief to Thea’s ears and she let out a heavy sigh.
“Thank you…” she told the Goddess, lowering her head.
“I didn’t do it for you.”
Thea didn’t know if that was true or not. It seemed the Goddess was always making exceptions for her. Perhaps it was that she carried her heir, or perhaps it was just because she needed her. Either way, that weakness had saved her life more than once.
“We will find a way to stop Ainé, but I can’t lose this baby…” Thea said the words out loud for the first time. “I won’t do something that will harm her.”
“Her?” Morrigan said, lifting an eyebrow.
Thea didn’t know where it had come from, but she didn’t take it back.
“Kieran cares about this baby,” Thea explained. “Perhaps we can use that to our advantage.”
The Goddess’ eyes narrowed. “And how exactly do you know what Kieran cares about?” Her darkening glare shifted toward Adrian once more. “I was lenient on you about Haven, but am I to now understand Kieran is here as well? The right hand sold
ier of our enemy?”
Thea heard Adrian rise to his feet, but couldn’t bear to look at him.
“I’ve locked him in the dungeons,” Adrian said, sounding as if his throat had something stuck in it. “As soon as he is conscious again, I will find out what I can.”
“No,” Thea said, not looking at him, but rather at Morrigan. She looked to be debating tearing Adrian’s tongue out by her teeth, rather than just cutting it. “I will. He’s more likely to give me the answers we are looking for.”
“Can you handle that?” Haven whispered, looking concerned, but Thea nodded.
“I will do what is necessary.”
Morrigan watched each of them. A swirl of emotions dance across her gaze and a crease formed in the middle of her forehead. “Fine, but Adrian goes with you.”
“No—” Thea started to say but the look that Morrigan gave her said there was no room for argument.
“I’m going too,” Haven said stubbornly.
“As you’re no longer a secret to the king, I suppose that is fine.” Morrigan frowned. “But if this doesn’t work, we continue training.”
“I will not do something that harms this baby,” Thea reminded her, and Morrigan’s fingers curled into fists. “You need me at my full strength. Even if that means pushing this war back until the baby is here.”
“We can’t push a war back,” Morrigan argued, looking angry again.
“Then help me find a way to avoid it altogether.”
They were at a stalemate, Thea realized, but there was nothing else to be said. They needed each other and that was the end of it. Thea did have one more question though.
“You knew our connection was broken, and yet you allowed me to stay.”
Thea saw the surprise flicker across Morrigan’s face. It was confirmation of her suspicions.
“I felt the connection break, yes, but I figured my sister stole something from you that she also stole from me.”
Thea thought of Gabriel and Kieran, and nodded.
“We both deserve revenge.”
“And we will get it,” Thea said, reaching to grip Morrigan’s forearm. “I will not rest until Ainé pays for what she’s done to all of us, but I can’t lose the only thing I have left of Kieran. You must understand that.”
Morrigan didn’t respond, but her face gave away everything she was feeling and Thea knew she was right. That was why Morrigan cared about this heir too. That was why she felt regret, Thea realized. This baby wasn’t only the only thing left of Kieran. It was also a piece of Gabriel.
Nothing else was said on the subject, but the silence said it all.
“I’m going back to my room to rest, but I wish to be notified as soon as he is awake,” Thea said.
The Goddess nodded and Thea turned, letting her eyes brush over Adrian without stopping, and headed for the door.
Even though she understood what he’d done, she wasn’t ready to talk to him, nor forgive him. That would take time, if it ever came. He’d betrayed her trust. If he’d told her the whole story, perhaps she could have found a way to help him, but instead, he’d lied to her.
“Thea—” he said quietly, trying to catch up, but Haven stepped in between.
“Let her go,” Thea heard her say, but she didn’t stay to hear Adrian’s response. She rushed from the room and instead of going toward her bed chambers, she looked for the nearest courtyard, craving the freedom of the skies above.
“You’re lucky she’s forgiving,” Haven muttered, pushing past Adrian. Her eyes blazed with fury, but like any good guard, she controlled her temper. Why couldn’t he manage that? His mouth was half-open in response when the heavy door slammed shut and Morrigan began laughing. It was a manic sound that sent a shiver dancing up his spine.
“Didn’t I warn you not to get close to her?”
“I haven’t—”
“Liar,” her voice hissed as she moved toward him, lips pulling up to reveal the razor-sharp teeth beneath. He tried not to shrink back. “I see the way you watch her, but she can never be yours. Do you know why?”
Adrian could think of a million reasons, but he had a feeling that Morrigan wasn’t asking him for a response, so he didn’t bother answering.
“Because she belongs to Kieran, even without the soul bond. Her soul will never heal from the trauma of having that severed, and following her down this path will only lead you to heartbreak.”
The Goddess sounded like she had some experience with this, but Adrian didn’t dare voice that thought. Instead, he lowered his eyes, letting her words sink in, because despite how often he’d told himself he didn’t care, seeing Thea look at him with such betrayal in her eyes had broken something inside him that he desperately wished to fix.
“Why do you even care?” Adrian asked, gathering his courage to look at Morrigan. If Thea could be brave, then so could he.
Her teeth pulled back into a low, dangerous growl. She was still angry at him, even if he’d done nothing wrong, and asking unnecessary questions was pushing his luck.
“Apologies, my queen,” he added hastily, lowering his eyes again—bravery be damned. He needed to get control of his emotions if he was ever going to survive court, and yet somehow, even after growing up here, he hadn’t mastered how to become a fly on the wall. Perhaps he wasn’t meant to be a guard after all. Perhaps he didn’t deserve it.
“I do not care about your star-crossed love for her.”
“I don’t—” Adrian’s arguments were cut short by a glare from the Goddess of Death. He bit his cheek until it bled to shut himself up.
“I care about her focus on this war, and right now, she is not focused.”
Adrian had something he wanted to say, but for once, he kept his mouth shut. He couldn’t afford to be punished by the Goddess. It could cost him his life. And yet, she watched him as if expecting the outburst.
“Speak if you must,” she said with a slight wave of the hand, as if seeing his internal struggle to stay silent.
“I just don’t understand why her knowing about the child is a bad thing. If anything, will it not make her fight harder?”
He’d been thinking this over a lot lately, and in his eyes, he saw Thea fighting for the babe she carried, not hiding away. She would not allow her child to grow up in a world of darkness. She would want more.
“That child is going to be more powerful than any of us can imagine,” Morrigan said, eyes drifting toward the door Thea had disappeared through. “It has been centuries since a child was born of both Goddess’ lines so directly.”
“But don’t we all come from you?” Adrian asked in confusion.
“Yes, but Thea is a direct descendent. Her blood still contains that ancient magic gifted to my sister and I by the gods before us.
“Kieran is a direct descendent of my line. If I’m right, that child will have more power than the two of them put together.”
Adrian thought of the struggle Thea faced controlling her power. He thought of the darkness she fought and shuddered. How would a baby learn to manage such power?
And that babe would be wanted by every power-hungry being in this land… He stared at Morrigan in horror. Did she intend to take the child for her own?
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, she stepped toward him, so close that he could feel her hot breath against his cheek as she leaned into his ear. “Make no mistake, I will do what is necessary to win this war. I would not steal a child from its mother, but I would lock that mother away if she were the key to my success.
“I cannot say the same for my sister and the babe. She will want that child dead, or under her control.”
Adrian’s mouth felt dry, a new sense of urgency filling him.
“How do I keep her safe?” he asked, not knowing if he meant from Morrigan or from Ainé.
“You will find she does that well enough on her own,” Morrigan smiled, not unkindly. “Forgiveness is what you should be searching for now.”
The Goddess’ mood swings we
re enough to throw him in circles. He didn’t know how to keep up with them, or how to understand what she really intended.
Some days, it seemed as if she might even like Thea, but today, she was all about war. War was in her blood; he knew that. It had been for centuries. The question was, how did he keep Thea safe during this war? It was time for him to choose a side, but after everything he’d done and all the lies he’d told, he wasn’t sure if any side would have him. Morrigan seemed to sense his indecision and took a step back from him.
“I have business to attend to. I expect you will get her under control.”
There was no doubt in his mind whom the Goddess wanted him to get under control. He just had no idea how to do it.
However, despite his doubts, he bowed his head. “Yes, my queen.”
Dismissed, he turned and walked out the door, intending to find Thea, only to find Haven waiting for him in the hallway.
In an instant, she had him backed against the wall, forearm pressed against his neck. He gasped, reaching for his sword, but not quickly enough. Her knee came up, jabbing him hard in the pit of his stomach until he doubled over in pain, only to be pushed back against the wall, head slamming into the stone until his world spun.
“If you. Ever. Betray her again, I will end your life.” Her voice cut through his haze, and he found one of his arms was pinned at an odd angle behind him while the other was being held firmly at his side. He groaned, wanting to tell Haven that he never intended to hurt Thea, wanting to defend himself, but how could he? He’d chosen his family’s wellbeing over hers. He would be just as angry at anyone who had betrayed Caden in that way, not that that was possible. “Do you understand?”
Unlike Morrigan, Haven intended for him to answer. His mouth felt dry as sand, so he only nodded, staring at her with wide eyes. She could easily end his life now, and he would deserve it, but she did not have the look of a killer in her eyes. In fact, she looked much like his little sister had when she used to run up and defend him against the other boys in the village who would tease him relentlessly about his absent father and drunken mother. She’d run up and hit them with sticks, which only worsened the teasing, but her eyes had blazed furiously at anyone who dared insult her big brother.