Our moment was gone. Chaos leaned back, leaving a chilly space between us as the warmth retreated back into his body. “Another time, perhaps.”
All I could manage back was an awkward nod. The words I wanted to say were lodged in my throat. Tongue-tied, I couldn’t focus on anything but the thrill of feeling his velvety lips on my skin.
He held my gaze as he walked backward, toward the door. “I’m going to fix you. I promise.”
I grabbed a fist full of sheets and burrowed my face into a pillow. The gooey paste was cool at first then burned as it sank deeper into my skin, stinging like bites from a thousand wasps. To my quick relief, a numbing agent seeped in and the pain began to subside.
Seven clapped his hands together in delight. “It’s working. The wound is starting to close.”
Struggling, I managed to prop myself up on my side. “What was in that?”
He tipped the bowl toward my face. “A bit of crushed willow bark, mountain ash, water from the Sea of Magia, and three-hundred-year-old Damascus rose oil.”
Twisting my waist around with ease, the pain faded like a distant dream. I breathed out a sigh of relief. “Seven, you’re a genius.”
He smiled. “Actually, Chaos deserves all the credit. I was going about it wrong. He remembered something important about this place…about you.”
I sat up straight for the first time in days. “What do you mean?”
Chaos poked his head in. “Elemental magic. It’s what the Hall of Secrets was built on—designed by an Elemental witch. She planted a secret garden of herbs here. Herbs that only work on your kind.”
My mouth fell open. “That’s why Echo has the Keeper? She thinks he can turn her into the Aether with Elemental magic.”
Chaos shook his head. “No, she took the Keeper because she thinks you can make her an Aether. You are the only one who can access all four elements. She’s using him as a bargaining chip.”
“I don’t understand. How could she possibly know that?” I didn’t even know what my magic was capable of. “Why would Echo think that I could make her an Aether?”
Chaos and Seven exchanged an uneasy look. They had many secrets between them. I picked up on that from the very beginning. But this secret seemed to be about me.
I persisted. “Will one of you please tell me what is going on here?”
Chaos shifted back and forth on his feet, beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. “Your mother, Gaia, wasn’t just an Elemental witch. She was an Elemental god. She created the elements…from Elysium.”
I gasped. “What in the—”
“One day she fell in love with a man…a witch. They created you. It is forbidden by the gods for us to have…mortal relations. As punishment, they banished her from Elysium. But Arya, you are the only one of your kind—a mortal, a witch—born from a god.”
Seven chimed in. “Echo is also a god, but she was born in a lower realm—born with lesser gifts. Meaning she has no power to create magic, only to wield it and manipulate it.”
Chaos nodded, continuing, “You are the only one who can be the Aether. That is why your mother hid you away from Echo, and that is why you are the only one who can stop her.”
I couldn’t breathe, dizzy and overcome with wonder and fear. “What—what am I?”
Chaos took my hand in his. “Made up of the same particles and dust… You’re a demigod, Arya.”
The three of us stood in a circle, speechless. A whirl of emotions swept through me, reflecting the expressions on both their faces. My mother was kicked out of Elysium because she fell in love. I was an enemy of the gods from the moment I was born. An obstacle in the way of eternal punishment. A tool for the ones who wanted to use the ancestors for their own agendas. And a threat to the ones who wanted this power for themselves.
“This doesn’t change anything. We stick to the plan. Remember, you are not alone.”
Seven nodded. “I’ve already calibrated the ship. We will continue as we were before our little setback. It’s time to awaken your fire.”
Between the harpy attack and the new revelations about my family, I had almost forgotten that I still had two more elements to awaken.
The Seraphine fire coven was situated in Venice, Italy—deep in the cellars of an old abandoned cathedral. Their leader, Fox, had a fierce reputation and according to Seven, had been known to side with Echo on more than one occasion. The only thing that brought me any comfort was knowing Sapphire and Diego would meet us there. I had no idea what I was going to tell them, though. What would they even think of me? I didn’t know what to think of myself. But the scariest revelation of all was realizing that this war between witches was just a decoy. This was a war between gods. And the cause they were fighting over was me.
“I need to see it…the garden. I want to see what my mother created.” The herbs that healed me were from her garden. In a sense it was as if she healed me. I couldn’t leave here without seeing it.
“Of course. I’ll take you to it.”
My heart fluttered from the warmth of Chaos’s hand, still clutching mine as he led me out of the Keeper’s healing clinic. A new energy mingled between us, a feeling that I could face anything if he was by my side.
Stepping out into the hall, I was filled with a sense of awe. “This place…I had no idea.” The main hall was massive with its cathedral ceilings and marbled floors, oak walls, and row upon row of thick cherrywood doors. There were so many rooms. So many corridors.
Chaos grinned, pointing as we walked. “Over there is the Library of Covens, the Keeper’s study is over there, and down that hall you’ll find the stairs that lead down to the catacombs. The left side of the estate houses the armory and a sacred ceremony room.”
My head spun in every direction. “It’s like its own city. He lives here all alone?” My gaze lingered over a dark wooden staircase leading upward to what could have only been another massive level.
“He welcomes guests from time to time, but yes, the Keeper is a solitary man. He descends from a very long line of Keepers, created by Apollo himself, to guard the secrets of this world.”
I was mesmerized by the intricacies of every arched doorway, every single line in the floor. It was laced with a kind of magic and craftmanship unlike any I’d ever seen. “It’s beautiful,” I murmured.
Chaos led me toward a set of stained-glass doors. “Come, let me show you the grounds.”
My heart skipped. A warm breeze tickled my face as we stepped out of the house and onto a bed of lush emerald-green grass. Behind the hall was a series of caves—the secret location of the Fates, three sisters who were once oracles for Apollo and all his gods. Chaos explained how the Keeper watched over them as well.
The seasons seemed to change as we walked farther down the hill behind the house—moving from icy snow-covered pathways, to groves of barren trees, and through gardens of blooming wildflowers. All the elements wove in and around each other at the same time, creating rich landscapes of soft rain, crisp wind, moonlight, and rich earthen soil—all under a fiery sun. My mother created it, and it was magnificent.
Chaos watched me, following my gaze as it lingered over every living thing. “You seem pleased. Happy even.”
I sucked in a deep breath of honeysuckle-scented air. “This may sound strange, but…it feels like home here. I’ve never had this feeling before.” All this time, something was missing in me. Something sacred. Being in this garden, it was as if the broken parts of me were mending. Not the physical wounds, but the inner ones. The feelings of abandonment, fear, self-doubt…those wounds were fading. The elements were attaching to me, reverberating through me.
He grazed his fingers against my cheek as he brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes. “This was Gaia’s dream. This garden was created to keep the connection between the gods and the earth. I believe she would be overcome with joy knowing it helped heal you.”
“Thank you for bringing me here. You don’t know what this means to me.” I still couldn’
t take my eyes off the landscape—enchanted by every inch of it.
Chaos gently pulled my chin toward him, forcing me to look into those beautiful dark eyes. “I think I have an idea,” he murmured. “And you’re welcome. You can visit this place anytime you wish…but we have to go now.”
I took it all in one last time, snapping a mental picture of it and locking it away in my mind for safe keeping. An image of peace and purity that could bring me comfort if I ever felt lost or broken again. “Okay. I’m ready.”
Twelve
There were dark places in the world. Places that were hidden and locked away from human eyes. Like a veil, paper thin and almost fragile. This was not the Venice I had read about in history books. This was a Venice masked by magic and buried deep. A city that ran parallel to itself. Not quite a reflection, more like a distant dream.
There were many names to call these kinds of places. Some referred to them as other realms or alternate universes. But what they truly were—what we called them—were the Shadow Worlds. And we had to cross Shadowlines to get to them, invisible paths that only we could see. They had always existed but were completely hidden from human eyes.
I didn’t know what was stranger—this place, or my place in it. The canals were long, winding in and out as far as the eye could see. Iron railed bridges made of stone and brick wove intricately throughout the city, deep rooted and sturdy as if they had been there first and the water was simply poured in around them.
I followed Seven and Chaos down the tiled streets, the walls so close together I could stretch out my arms and touch both sides at the same time. There was no way I’d be able to unfold my wings through these narrow alleyways. We walked in silence under the light of the moon and the occasional dust-muted lamppost, sticking close to each other.
A tree branch cracked in the distance, shattering the silence. Seven came to an abrupt halt in front of an arched doorway. “Keep your wits about you.” His muscles tensed as he crept through.
My heart raced. Apart from the occasional firefly, the courtyard was shadowed in total darkness. I shivered and goosebumps covered my flesh as the damp, musty wind rippled through my hair, chilling the back of my neck. I pulled my hood up over my head and tugged my collar forward, blanketing it around my chin.
Nestled between them, my teeth chattered despite the warmth radiating off of their thick frames. Chaos’s hand rested firm on my shoulder, ready to yank me out of harm’s way if need be. His body was like a shield, his wings, a deadly weapon, razor sharp as they flapped, rustling behind me. The crisp Venetian air was dusted in a thick fog, carrying with it scents of roasted chestnuts, chimney smoke, and the faint whiff of murky canal water. The promise of fresh snowfall was mere moments away. I sucked in a sharp breath just as Chaos wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me back. His pulse raced against my belly and my breath quickened—a mixture of arousal and fear.
Seven scanned the perimeter like a hawk as we crept into the small courtyard, which was even less lit than the narrow alleys we had just maneuvered through. His dhampir eyes glowed like two tiny beacons of light in the dark.
Another branch snapped and the three of us spun toward it, our hearts racing. Two shadows shifted, darting in front of us. Chaos shoved me back behind him, his wings spreading out to block me from whatever, or whoever was out there.
Standing up on my tippy toes, I peered over his shoulder. A flicker of moonlight glinted off the longsword peeking out from behind her back. I let out a sigh of relief. “You made it!”
Knocking Chaos to the side, I pushed past him and ran toward my friends. Sapphire and Diego toppled into me as we embraced, almost falling over in the delight of our reunion.
Sapphire straightened her shoulders, recomposing herself. “I wasn’t sure we’d find you. There’s over four hundred bridges in this city. Thank Apollo, it looks like Seven got my message.”
I still didn’t understand how dhampirs and Crescent witches communicated with each other. They weren’t exactly telepathic, but they had their ways. Maybe they sent ravens or floated messages in bottles. Either way, I was grateful to see my friends again. We had only been apart a week, but their absence reminded me of how much I needed them with me.
Diego kissed each one of my cheeks. “So good to see you in one piece, mi amica, and still in good company.”
Chaos rubbed his chin, arching his brow in exaggeration. “Define one piece.”
“What is he talking about?” Sapphire asked.
I looked down at the ground. “Um…I sort of did something reckless. But I’m fine now. All healed.” I twirled around to show her that I was still intact.
“Arya, what did you do?”
Chaos egged her on. “Yes, Arya, what did you do?”
Why did he have to be so annoying? I was beating myself up enough over it. “I…I—”
“She took on a group of harpies in the sky and almost died. No big deal.” He couldn’t hide the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth as he shrugged, attempting to feign disinterest.
“Are you all right, mi amica?”
“How were you able to heal so quickly?” Sapphire interjected.
“We can discuss all that later.” Seven paced around us, impatient. “For now, we keep moving. Echo has spies everywhere. She might already be watching us.”
Sapphire tightened her hands around the hilt of her sword. Sometimes I wondered if it steadied her. Calmed her somehow.
“You will fill us in later, yes?” Diego whispered.
I glanced at Chaos, our eyes locking in a swirl of emotions. A look that now dripped in secrets and revelations.
But I would tell them everything. I had to. I couldn’t keep them in the dark about any of it—the harpy attack, my mother, the fact that I was a demigod.
“Any luck finding your coven in Tunisia?” It wasn’t lost on me that Sapphire and Diego were alone.
She looked down, her eyes welling up with tears. “No…they aren’t there.”
“We’ll find them. I swear it.” My heart ached for her. Her whole family had just up and vanished without a trace.
Chaos cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but we need to go. We’re sitting ducks here.”
Seven was already three steps ahead. We scurried out of the courtyard, following him back out into the maze of dark and winding streets.
Near the outer edges of the city, a thousand-year-old cathedral sat alone, isolated on its own island. The Isle of Salt—home to the Seraphine coven. On the surface, it was cracked and rotting, but underneath the rubble lay an untouched city of magic and fire.
We were almost there. The sea ice shimmered over the Adriatic like crystal prisms under the moonlight. The only thing standing in our way now was a pack of angry Lupi wolves.
Diego growled. “What do you want, Lorenzo?”
A tan-skinned Lupi wolf in human form stood in front, blocking our path. With green eyes, black hair, and a four-inch vertical scar down his right cheek, he towered over Diego, glaring down at him in disgust.
“I thought I told you what would happen if you ever set foot here again. Would you like me to refresh your memory?” His scowl deepened.
Diego curled up his fists, nostrils flared. “You have no right to threaten me. You don’t own the entire country.”
The wolf, whom he called Lorenzo, puffed out his chest. “We own you. You know the rules, Diego.” The Lupi behind him stood firm. One let out a low growl while the other two eyed the rest of us like prey.
Diego averted his eyes to the ground, hanging his head. He didn’t speak of his home much. I was starting to realize why. He lowered his voice. “Does the alpha know I’m here?”
Lorenzo wagged a finger toward him, his eyes full of contempt. “You’re looking at him.”
Diego wobbled backward, his eyes wide. “How…how did he die?”
“That’s none of your concern anymore. Why are you even still standing here? I told you to leave. You’re not welcome.” Lorenzo bared
his fangs, flashing a diamond-studded rod that pierced through his tongue.
Seven patted Diego on the back. “I’m sorry to hear about your father. I knew him well.” He turned toward Lorenzo. “No disrespect, but we have business with the Seraphine. I give you my word we will leave as soon as we get what we came for.”
Lorenzo looked him up and down, clenching and unclenching his jaw like he was chewing on a piece of meat. “And what does your word mean to me? You have no credibility here.”
My heart raced as they exchanged heated glares, their faces twisted in amusement, almost daring the other to strike first.
Sapphire advanced forward, unsheathing her sword. “His word is good enough for Lycos and Valentina. His credibility is worth more than your entire pack. Seven does not need to justify himself to you.”
Lorenzo took a step back, his eyes wide. “The Seven? Forgive me. My father told me a long time ago of your friendship. How you carried our pack across the sea on your ship during the plague, centuries ago. Our family owes you a great debt.”
Seven smiled, relaxing his stance. “Nonsense. The debt has been repaid tenfold. I only ask that you give us permission to cross so that we may get our friend where she needs to go.”
Lorenzo shook his head. “No, he has been banished. You and your friends may go wherever you like, but Diego has to leave.”
Chaos, who had been pacing back and forth behind me like a madman, erupted, his wings unfolding out from his back as he inserted himself between Seven and Lorenzo. “You Lupi talk too much. Always flapping your fangs. I’m bored. When I get bored, I get destructive. So I suggest you and your mutts run along, or by the grace of Apollo, I swear I will send you to Elysium right now.”
The three Lupi wolves behind Lorenzo crouched down, ready to pounce, clearly unaware of the threat that they were facing in front of them. Lorenzo raised his hand, silencing their growls.
Smoke and Ritual (Beautiful Dark Beasts Book 1) Page 11