by Amy Sumida
I reformed to the sound of revelry. Right; the celebration was still going strong. And I had just invited Sin to live with me.
“Okay, don't freak out,” I muttered to myself as I strode through the partying lions, wolves, and gods. “Keep calm. Don't kill him. Hear him out.”
“Vervain?” Fenrir stopped me. “Are you okay, Little Frami?”
“Dad! I think—” I caught myself before I blabbed it like a five-year-old. Fenrir would do exactly as I'd been counseling myself not to, except he'd do it worse. I couldn't tell him about Sin.
“Yes?” Fenrir frowned.
“I think... I lost Trevor. Have you seen him?” I blinked innocently.
Fenrir scowled deeper but pointed to his right. “He's over by the fire with your other husbands and that snake boy.”
“Dad,” I grumbled, “please don't call Viper a snake boy.”
Fenrir shrugged. “He shouldn't be ashamed of what he is.”
“I made him what he is,” I reminded Fenrir. “And I'm not ashamed but that title sounds patronizing.”
Fenrir sighed dramatically. “Very well, I won't call him a snake boy.”
“Thank you.” I started heading toward the fire pit my men had gathered around.
“I'll go with 'snake man,' although he himself says that he's a baby.”
I rolled my eyes and kept walking. This was not the time to get into a discussion with Fenrir about age versus maturity.
“There you are,” the snake man said as I stepped into the firelight. Viper pulled me in beside him and kissed my cheek. Then he frowned. “When did you change your clothes?”
“I just returned from Faerie,” I explained. “I went back with Arach.”
“Oh.” Viper blinked his bright eyes at me. “I'm never going to get used to that.”
“You'll be surprised what you can get used to,” I muttered. “What can become so commonplace that you don't notice when it betrays you.”
“Vervain?” Odin asked in concern.
“I've had some startling revelations,” I admitted as I glanced around the party, looking for Sin. “I think Sin may have been playing me.”
“Playing you?” Azrael asked. “In what way?”
“In every way,” I growled. “I don't think he was ever on my side.”
“But Sin helped us, and he's proved himself. We saw Marduk torturing him,” Az protested.
“It's not as if spies haven't taken a beating for the team before,” Trevor murmured.
“But he didn't even do that,” I grumbled. “At least, I don't think he did. I think Sin used his illusion magic to make us believe that he was being tortured. When I rescued him, the chains didn't come with us; he arrived unbound and unharmed.”
“That's right; I remember commenting on his lack of injuries,” Trevor exclaimed.
“He said he was a fast healer,” Azrael added. “But now that I think about it; he's not. Remember when I picked him up from Moonshine? The time when Marduk had taken Ninkasi? Sin was wounded then; I remember him bleeding.”
“Why would Sin trick us like that?” Odin asked reasonably. “What did he have to gain?”
“I think Marduk gave Sin my moon magic,” I said. “I remember him being stronger after I lost everything. And when Marduk gave me my magic back, I felt it taken away from someone else. Someone not Marduk.”
“That doesn't mean it came from Sin,” Re pointed out.
“No, but who else would be able to hold moon magic?” I countered. “When I first started taking magic, Thor was worried about me taking too much. Gods can't go collecting magic like I can. Power, maybe, but not magic. Even I'm limited to three. I think Marduk intended to give Ishtar my lion magic as well as Love. That's how he planned to take my territory, but the Moon had to go to someone else. So who would he give it to? Are there any other moon gods in the Mesopotamian Pantheon?”
The men looked at each other and grimaced. We'd all been researching the Mesopotamians before the war, but I hadn't done as much digging as the men. I knew some general things about all of them and some particular things about a few of them, but I didn't know if there were other moon gods.
“No,” Odin finally said. “As it is with most pantheons, there's only one moon god in the Mesopotamian pantheon. There's only Sin.”
“I suspected as much,” I murmured.
“But is zat enough for Sin to betray you?” Kirill asked. “More magic? And if so, vhy help us kill Marduk?”
“I don't know. Perhaps he didn't expect us to win. If Marduk took my magic again, he'd have to give it back to Sin.” I shrugged helplessly. “I've been going over it in my head again and again. The way Marduk was so shocked that we attacked him, how he looked confused when I accused him of breaking his vow by attacking Sin, and the way he kept calling me a traitor. His last words condemned me for betraying our oath; he obviously believed it to be true.”
“Those are damning pieces of evidence,” Re agreed. “But are you certain, La-la? This man protected you when we could not. We owe Sin a massive debt, and I'd hate to accuse him if we're not absolutely sure of his betrayal.”
“There's one last thing. The night before the battle when I lost my destiny, Sin gave me some advice.”
“Advice?” Trevor scowled.
“He said he knew Marduk's weakness,” I confessed.
“You didn't tell us about that,” Odin said in a slightly wounded tone.
“Sin didn't want everyone to know that he'd given up such critical information. He didn't want to be seen as that much of a traitor,” I grimaced as I said it; it was such an obvious ploy now. “I promised I wouldn't tell anyone.”
“Damn it, Carus, you should have at least told us,” Azrael huffed. “We're not just anyone, we're your husbands.”
Odin held up a hand. “It's done; there's no use in making her feel worse than she already does.” He looked back at me. “I just want to know what he told you Marduk's weakness was.”
“Water,” I said. “Sin said Marduk's magic was based on electricity so could be affected by water. When I attacked him, I used my moon magic to up the water level in his body, believing that it would drain his magic faster and weaken him but all it did was literally piss him off.”
“What's that supposed to mean?” Trevor asked with a small frown.
“I made him pee his pants.”
Trevor and Viper made amused snorts but the rest of the men grimaced.
“It made Marduk furious but it didn't weaken him,” I went on. “In fact, I was so focused on his water that it gave Marduk the chance to change my destiny. I might have escaped him if I hadn't been so certain that my plan would work.”
“Fuck me,” Odin whispered. “Vervain, Marduk wasn't just a god of light, he was also a storm god. That's why he could ride the lightning. Marduk was the God of Vegetation, Judgment, Magic, Light, and Water. Attacking him with water would be as successful as attacking him with fire. Perhaps even less so.”
“Shiitake mushrooms!” I snapped. “This proves it; Sin betrayed me. He set me up! Come on, we gotta find him.”
We prowled through the party, nodding at our guests with fake smiles as we searched for the traitor. Alleged traitor; I had to remind myself. I still wanted to hear what Sin had to say before I convicted him.
“There he is,” Trevor growled and took the lead.
Sin was drinking with Ninkasi and a few lions, all of them sprawled in chairs on the edge of one of the tents. Damn it. Ninkasi; I hadn't considered that she may be involved as well. I gave Trevor a meaningful look, and he nodded. We'd be including her in this discussion.
“Hey, guys,” Ninkasi said brightly. “Join us.”
Sin met my stare and lost his smile.
“Actually, we'd like to speak to you and Sin inside the palace, if we could?” I asked.
“Sure.” Ninkasi looked from me to Sin and back. “Is there something wrong?”
“That's what we're going to find out,” Odin said cryptically.
> Sin's jaw hardened and his stare darted around as if he were searching for an exit. But the only way out of Aaru was through its tracing points and the nearest of those was inside Re's palace. Sin tensed, muscles bunching like a cat about to leap.
“Don't run, Sin,” I said softly. “It'll only make things worse.”
“No, please, run,” Trevor growled as his eyes started to glow.
The lions around us went still, stares darting back and forth between Sin and Trevor.
“Tima?” Aidan asked. “What's going on?”
“Stand down, Aidan,” I ordered as I kept my stare on Sin. “For now.”
“Vervain,” Sin whispered, “what the hell?”
“Tell me I'm wrong.” I continued to stare at Sin. “Please explain to me why you told me to attack Marduk with water when he was a god of water.”
Sin paled.
“What?” Ninkasi whispered in horror.
“Tell me that you didn't take my moon magic. That you didn't betray me the entire time I thought you were protecting me. Tell me, Sin!”
“I love you,” Sin whispered. “And I couldn't have you. You're all I can think about, Vervain. You consume me.” He stood up, his silver eyes going liquid as he held a beseeching hand toward me. “When Marduk offered to change your destiny so I could be with you, I just... I wanted you so badly. I couldn't refuse.”
“You love me so you betrayed me and took my magic?” I asked in shock.
The lions started to growl. More Intare prowled over to us when they heard the call of their brothers.
“I was going to give it back, and I would have convinced Ishtar to return your love magic as well,” Sin stammered. “I swear to you, I would have given it back. I just wanted you to need me for a little while so you could see how good we were together and then I could have returned your magic and everything would have been perfect.”
“Except I'd have lost all of the people who mattered to me,” I snarled. “How would that have been perfect?”
Sin lowered his hand. “With your love magic back, you could have changed what Marduk did. You wouldn't have lost anyone. I promise you; I had it all worked out so that no one you loved would be hurt. It should have gone smoothly. But then Lesya took the lion magic and everything got messed up. I had to improvise.”
“You were never tortured by Marduk, were you?” I asked him. “It was all an illusion.”
He sighed. “That was the improvising part.”
“Sin, what's she talking about?” Ninkasi asked as she stood.
“Marduk wasn't supposed to make you that offer,” Sin grumbled, ignoring Ninkasi. “He broke his promise to me. It was Marduk you heard arguing with me that day in my apartment, not Enki. He wanted to change our agreement. He was willing to give up his vengeance and return your destiny in exchange for your territory, and he thought I should be willing to make a sacrifice for the good of our pantheon. But the only reason I agreed to help him was to have you. So, I refused to release him from his vow. If I had, it would have all been for nothing.” He scowled. “But then Marduk found a loophole. Offering you a new blood oath could circumvent the one he had with me without breaking it. And you took his offer. You left me. I had no choice; I had to make you fight Marduk again. When I heard you at my door, I saw my chance.”
“Marduk could have killed her!” Trevor growled and launched forward, claws extending from his fingers.
“Stop!” Kirill jumped between the men and pushed Trevor away.
Trevor gaped at Kirill as he panted in fury. “What the actual fuck, Kirill? Didn't you hear him? This whole thing has been a plot to weaken Vervain and steal her from us while she was vulnerable.”
“I vant to hear it all,” Kirill said grimly. “Zere is more.”
“You were the one who texted Marduk when we went to steal the Tablet, weren't you?” Odin asked in a low voice vibrating with magic.
Sin hung his head.
“You betrayed me too,” Ninkasi whispered in shock. Then she shouted, “Marduk tortured me! I helped Vervain because you asked me to, and I was tortured for it. And the entire time you meant to betray us both? You haven't been true to anyone; not your pantheon, not me, and definitely not her. Who are you?” Then, in horrified revelation, she added, “You needed Vervain to come out of the God Realm so Marduk could fight her. I was the bait, wasn't I? You put me in danger to force Vervain to save me. How could she not come to my aid when I was being tortured for helping her? Right? I am right?!”
“Ninka, please just hear me out,” Sin begged. “I had nothing to do with Marduk torturing you. I swear it! I started this honorably, with every intention of helping Vervain. Marduk didn't even know that he could alter Vervain's destiny until the day we rescued you.”
“When the Tablet defended him,” I murmured.
“Yes.” Sin waved a hand at me. “That's when Marduk came up with a new plan; one to get vengeance and your territory.”
“But he needed your help to get to me. So he made you an offer,” I concluded. “That's why that bastard didn't kill me. It had nothing to do with watching me suffer. He simply couldn't kill me because he had promised to give me to you.”
“Ya lahwy,” Ninkasi murmured in Arabic. “You're a fucking monster.”
“Love can make a man do monstrous things,” Sin said as he stared forlornly at me.
It was too much; all of the pain, loss, and horror. All because a god had fallen in love with me. I covered my face with my hands and wept.
“Vervain.” Sin took a step toward me, his hand extended.
“Don't you fucking dare touch her!” Odin snarled as he slid between us.
The rest of my men closed around me, their hands on me supportively.
“Go inside, La-la,” Re said gently. “We'll take care of this.”
“I can't.” I stepped out of their embrace, moved up beside Odin, and stared at Sin. “I trusted you. I thought you were my friend.”
“And you still led me on,” Sin said bitterly. “You tormented me, Vervain. Always saying no while you stared at me with desire.”
“Seriously?” Azrael asked in amazement. “You're going to use the 'she said no but meant yes' excuse?”
“What about that kiss?” Sin asked, his eyes flashing with desperation.
My cheeks flushed as my men all swiveled to stare at me in shock.
“The kiss you gave me when I was broken and vulnerable and had no one but you?” I snarled. “That kiss? The one you pressed on me after you saved my life? The one I broke away from? Is that the kiss you're talking about, Sin? It must be since it's the only time I ever touched my lips to yours!”
Sin grimaced as my men transferred their stares to him, narrowing them into glares.
“You felt something,” Sin insisted. “I know you did. If I'd only had a bit more time, you would have loved me back.”
“Even if that were true, which it's not, those feelings would have been based on a lie,” I countered. “I wouldn't have loved you; I would have loved the mask you created to seduce me.”
“I'm going to tear your fucking throat out,” Trevor growled.
“And I'm going to spit venom down it until you choke on blood and poison,” Viper added.
“And the Pride will tear what's left to pieces!” Aidan roared.
“Please, Vervain,” Sin begged. “You know me; you know I love you. Marduk offered to give you to me entirely. He wanted to change your destiny so that when you woke, you'd do so as my wife. But I refused. I love you too much to force you like that.”
“Oh, give the motherfucker an award,” Viper snapped. “He didn't rape her. What a fucking saint.”
“You still tricked her and that's nearly as bad,” Trevor added.
Sin had his part to play, Alaric spoke into my mind. He was an instrument of Fate and now, he's paying the price. Let that be enough, Vervain. Don't add the weight of his death onto your soul.
“Just get him out of here,” I said wearily. “Alaric says we sh
ould let him go.”
Everyone stared at me in shock.
“Al's right; I can't kill Sin. Not like this,” I tried to explain. “It would hurt me too, and I can't take any more pain right now.”
“But, Minn Elska—” Trevor gaped at me.
“Just go inside, La-la,” Re said again, this time more firmly. “You don't have to kill him, but there's no way we're letting this son of a bitch out of Aaru alive.”
“Yes, you are, Re,” I said sternly. “Because I can't have his death haunting me. It's too much. Al says that Sin played his part. He's just lost his best friend and his entire pantheon. Probably his daughter as well. You know how much that hurts. On top of the heartache, it's enough punishment.”