“Protect me from what?” I ask.
“The Goddess of the Dead has vowed to kill you,” he says.
“Whoa there, beastie.” I hold up a hand to stop him. “I’m sorry, did you just say the Goddess of the Dead?”
“It is her true title,” he says like that should clarify my confusion.
“And what are her false titles?” I ask, hoping he’s joking, because if I have the goddess of dead people coming for me, I’m so screwed.
“The Bone Mother, the Daughter of Death, Ruler of The Silenci, Nicnevin.” He shrugs. “Not false exactly, but they are some of her other names.”
None of those titles sounded remotely better than the first, but her title as Ruler of The Silenci strikes a chord.
“And this Nicnevin person wants to kill me?”
“She’s already tried and failed once. But she won’t stop until you’re dead. You’re not safe.”
He casts a wary glance left to right as if he’s heard something.
“We should go,” he says softly.
I stay where I am because no way am I going with this guy. But Helix isn’t deterred and simply stares me down with those piercing eyes of his.
“I saw you earlier. Outside the gates. Why were you following us?”
“I was trying to warn you without making a scene,” he says quietly.
“Why would you coming here make a scene?” I ask.
“Because I’m not permitted—”
The branches to the side shiver with movement. A second later, a blur of sandy-colored fur flies through, knocking mystery-man clear off his feet. He lands on his back several yards away, and I blink, stunned at the sight of the enormous wolf standing on his chest.
Kol.
He growls down at Helix, but there’s no trace of intimidation in those sharp green eyes.
Rage emanates from them both, and I can see the coiling of muscles as they each prepare to attack the other.
A voice cuts through the growling.
“Helix Grigoria.”
Vayda appears, practically gliding over the snow in a dress that could have been made from the damn moonlight itself. Her expression is nothing like earlier. The gentle, friendly nursemaid is gone. Instead, her blue eyes glitter like a frozen wasteland, and I can finally see why Kol had been intimidated about coming to visit her.
“Kol, step back,” she orders.
Kol’s growl stops though his lips remain curled up to reveal his razor-sharp canines. The moment he steps back, Helix gets to his feet. His fists are balled as he glares back at Vayda.
For a moment, I’m thoroughly impressed with Helix’s lack of intimidation as Vayda approaches. But some of his confidence melts away as she stops before him.
“You’ve trespassed on the sacred land of the Vargar. Do you have no regard for the treaty between our people?” she demands in a low voice.
Kol’s neighbors begin to arrive, including the floaty red-headed girl I saw on our way in. They stop far outside the circle where Vayda and Helix face off, and no one moves to intervene. If anything, they look wary of Vayda now too.
“I have been divinely ordered to retrieve and protect the goddess ascending,” Helix says quietly. There’s deference in his tone, but I can still hear the ribbon of anger that runs through it.
“A divine order has no authority here, Guardian.” Vayda’s voice is razor-sharp and lethal. There’s something about her relaxed stance and lack of obvious weaponry that makes me wonder what she’s really capable of.
“My oath is to the goddess ascending, Lady,” Helix says. “I am sworn to do whatever it takes to protect her.”
Kol snarls, but Vayda’s expression is unmoved.
A figure steps up beside me, and I jump until I see it’s Grim.
“What the hell. You gave me a heart attack,” I whisper.
Grim wiggles his brows. “I get that a lot.”
His hand settles on the small of my back. It feels like a reassurance, and I have no idea for what until Vayda’s arm lifts and Helix collapses.
A pained moan escapes Helix, and I take a step forward. Grim’s hand snakes around my waist, pulling me back.
I shoot him a fiery look, but his solemn head shake makes me pause.
“You know the law,” Vayda says.
The earth shakes beneath my feet at her words. I sway, and Grim’s hold around my waist tightens so that I don’t fold like an accordion.
Kol glances at me, and our gazes lock for a split second. It’s long enough to see that whatever Vayda intends to do to Helix, Kol’s more than okay with it. Then his gaze snags on Grim’s hand still resting at my hip, and his dark eyes narrow.
“Your punishment is exacted here and now, Eggther,” Vayda says.
Helix moans again, clutching at his arm then his stomach. Even though Vayda hasn’t moved an inch, I’m positive she’s hurting him.
My gaze darts to the others still watching from the shadows. Not one of them moves to stop whatever’s happening. Helix cries out again, his agony too much to bear.
“Stop!” My voice echoes sharply, and every single onlooker turns to me, Vayda included.
Vayda’s stare is like granite, and when it lands on me, my legs threaten to give out. Grim’s arm is the only thing keeping me upright.
“This is not your concern,” she says, her tone icy. Power ripples off of her, and I feel something cold and hard snaking up from my ankles toward my waist.
Grim yanks me against him until I’m crushed to his side.
“Easy, Vayda. She doesn’t understand,” Grim calls softly.
Vayda’s mouth tightens, and her glare switches to Grim. I hold my breath, half-terrified she’s about to collapse him too. But then she blinks, and her expression smooths out.
“Take her back to the tent,” Vayda says quietly.
“Right away,” Grim says.
She turns slowly back to Helix, and I don’t miss the gleam in her eye just before she shows me her back. She’s enjoying this.
I open my mouth to argue, but Grim lets go of my waist and scoops me into his arms. The only sound I make is a quiet gasp of surprise, and then I’m being carried away from the gathering.
Over Grim’s shoulder, I catch sight of Kol staring back at me. Even as a wolf, I can tell he’s upset.
I glare steadily back at him, angry and worried for Helix who might have been an ass but certainly doesn’t deserve whatever it is they’re doing to him now. I open my mouth to yell for them to leave him alone, but the only sound that can be heard over the steel words of Vayda’s lecture as she begins torturing him again is Helix’s moan.
Chapter Eight
Grim marches into Kol’s tent and deposits me unceremoniously onto the bed. I grunt and glare up at him, but his expression silences me.
“Don’t fight me on this,” he says.
“She’s torturing him,” I say flatly.
“Vayda is enforcing the laws,” Grim says carefully, and it makes me wonder if she can somehow hear us.
“She needs to be stopped.”
He sighs. “You don’t understand our laws. That guardian knew what he was risking.”
“And what about me?”
“What about you?”
“I had no idea what I was getting into. If I break a rule, is she going to torture me too?”
“No,” Grim says, and his lips twitch like I’ve just asked a silly question.
“How can you be so sure?” I ask.
“Because your protector would never let that happen,” he says, and there’s more certainty in his words than I know what to do with.
Before I can say more, Kol strides in wearing his signature booty shorts. He glowers at me before flicking a quick look at Grim.
Without a word, Grim backs away from the bed. When he doesn’t leave, though, I wonder if he’s protecting Kol or me.
I use what remaining strength I have to sit up.
“Helix doesn’t deserve torture,” I say to Kol.
&
nbsp; “He knew the rules when he came here.”
“All he did was come talk to me. What sort of rule does that violate?”
Kol’s expression turns stony.
“He trespassed on Vargar land. The penalty for an Eggther trespassing here is severe. Trust me. He got off easy.”
“You wish Vayda had hurt him more.” It’s not a question. “Why do you hate him so much?”
“It’s complicated.” He stalks away and begins stuffing a few more items into the bags at the door.
“Look, I’m new to this, okay? Obviously there’s a lot I don’t understand, but that won’t change if you don’t talk to me.”
He doesn’t respond, and it’s ridiculous, but I know he’s mad at me for what happened with Helix.
“Protecting me should include educating me about the shit I step in, you know.”
“You have to tell her,” Grim says quietly.
Kol turns on him, glaring.
“Now,” Grim adds, clearly not intimidated by an angry Kol. “Before you take her out into the world. She needs to know. You need to build trust if this is going to work.”
The urge to ask what he’s talking about is strong, but I manage to keep quiet while Kol and Grim face off.
Finally, Kol sighs, running a hand through his messy hair.
“Fine.”
Grim’s eyes twinkle triumphantly as he looks over at me.
“Helix is a Guardian, but he belongs to the Eggther pack,” Kol says.
“And your packs don’t get along?” I say.
Grim snorts, but Kol ignores him and says, “You could say we’re rivals.”
“Why?” I ask.
“It’s kind of a long story.”
“You should get comfortable,” Grim adds.
They both wait, watching me expectantly, so I make a point to snuggle in against the pillows at my back. When I’m done, Kol crosses his arms and stands beside the bed.
“To understand, it’s best to go back to the beginning. A thousand years ago, there was a war between the gods. Between brothers, actually. Zeus and Hades had always been rivals, always competing, always trying to outdo the other.”
“Wait. Hades as in the god of the Underworld?” I ask.
Kol nods, utterly serious. “When the brothers were old enough to reign, Zeus was given the heavens, and Hades was given Hell. But Hades resented his birthright. He went to Zeus to ask for a more even split of power, but Zeus refused him. From that point on, it became about building an army—or at least it was for Hades. Fighting broke out, and it escalated until war spread. The heavens were a battlefield, and the fighting eventually spilled over into the human world where Zeus sent some of his children to hide. Heracles. Athena. You’ve heard some of their names already. Anyway, Hades found them and, one by one, he slaughtered them.”
“Holy shit, Athena? Are all the myths real then?” I ask.
Grim chuckles.
Kol shrugs. “Gods, goddesses—and the wolves that protect them. We’re all real.”
“Oh and demons,” Grim puts in. “Don’t forget Hades’ kids.”
“Demons are the children of a god?” I ask.
“You can call them hellions if you want, but yes,” Kol says.
“The Great War went on for decades, and Hades slowly began to gain the upper hand. Gods and goddesses were being killed in staggering numbers. The Eggther, their wolf protectors, were losing numbers faster than the pack could replenish their ranks. They were losing the war. Zeus feared for the extinction of our kind, so he went to Odin and struck a bargain. Odin would create the Vargar, a new breed of Guardian wolves to help fight alongside the gods and the Eggther.”
“So, everyone here is descended from Odin?” I ask. He nods. “And what about Vayda? Is she Odin’s descendant too?”
“No. Vayda is Odin’s consort.” At my expression, he explains, “Sort of like his wife.”
“So she really is your mother?” I ask.
“Not exactly. Odin didn’t mix his bloodline for us. We were created using his god-magic.”
I snicker. “That sounds vague. Kind of like the stork brought you here.”
Grim snorts.
Kol rolls his eyes. “Gods are, at their core, creators of worlds, Elidi. Odin can create without intercourse.” He pauses, probably to see if I’ll interrupt, but there are way too many questions to pick just one. He goes on, “Odin doesn’t take part in this realm. It was part of his deal with Zeus that he remain removed from his creations. When the war ended, Odin sent Vayda to take us in.”
“That’s why you call her your stepmother,” I say, and they both nod. “Who are the Eggther descended from?”
“Lycaon, a son of Zeus, was the first Guardian,” Kol says. “He was killed in the war while protecting humans from Hades’ legion.”
“I don’t get it. If both clans are guardians of the gods, why banish you? Why can’t you work together? You’re doing the same thing.”
Kol and Grim exchange a look, and I know even before they answer that it’s not that simple.
“After the Vargar joined Zeus and his army, Hades and his demons were driven back to Hell. The war ended. We’d won as a united people. But the Eggther became resentful of us. Zeus ordered that the Eggther were the only chosen guardians. From then on, only Eggther could be tasked with protecting the gods and goddesses. The Vargar were cast out. No longer recognized as true guardians.”
“That’s terrible,” I say. “Why would they do that?”
“With the gods, it’s always been about purity of bloodlines. Even Vayda isn’t recognized as a true goddess on this plane because she was created to rule in another realm.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I say. “Vayda’s terrifying. I have a feeling she could convince them to change their minds if she tried.”
Kol shrugs. “Vayda’s content with her place in the world.”
“For now,” Grim adds, and it makes me wonder what he knows.
But Kol brushes it off and goes on. “We came here and built a home for ourselves in Black Peak. With Vayda’s help, a treaty was drawn up between our two packs that expressly forbids trespassing by a member of the other clan. This has been the only thing to keep the peace for a century. The mongrel from earlier—”
“Helix,” I say.
Kol’s expression darkens at my use of his name, but he continues as if I hadn’t interrupted him. “He came here knowing it would violate the treaty. He took that risk.”
“He thinks you shouldn’t protect me,” I say.
Kol’s eyes flash with instant fury.
“It’s none of his business,” he snaps.
“Kol,” Grim says, a warning edge to his voice.
“What that mutt meant is that I’m not allowed to protect you.”
“Because you’re not recognized by the gods as an official guardian,” I say.
Kol nods. His gaze is intense on mine, and I know he’s waiting for my full reaction to this.
“But you’re going to do it anyway,” I say.
“I told you about the visions I’ve had,” he says. “They were unrelenting. The only way to stop them was to come to you. Believe me. I tried not to. I really did try to stay away and let the Eggther handle it. But I couldn’t. And you should be glad for that. On the night you were attacked, no Eggther came to your aid. You’d be dead or worse if I hadn’t come.”
“Why me?” I ask.
“You’re important, Elidi,” he says, and a ripple of pleasure goes through me at his words. “With your mother gone, you’re the only light goddess left in the six realms. I have a feeling whoever tried to hurt you isn’t going to stop, and I have to trust that whatever sent me to you did it because you need me more than you need an Eggther.”
“Nicnevin,” I say, and both men go still.
“What?” Grim says.
“Helix told me that’s who attacked my aunt Aerina. That’s who’s after me.”
“That Helix guy is really starting to piss me
off.” Grim shoves off the wall and marches closer, casting wary looks at Kol as he approaches. “Do you think he’s right?”
“Explains the army,” Kol says quietly.
“What army?” I ask.
But Kol answers with a question of his own. “How does he know she’s the one after you?”
“We didn’t get that far before we were interrupted,” I say.
Grim snickers, and Kol glares at him. “Well, you did make a rather dramatic entrance.”
“What the hell does the Bone Mother want with Elidi?” Grim asks.
Kol sits on the bed beside me.
“If the Eggther is right, that means we need to get you somewhere safe. Nicnevin is powerful and has eyes everywhere.”
“First, this was supposed to be somewhere safe,” I say. “Second, I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what army you’re talking about.”
When Kol doesn’t immediately answer, I summon what little energy I have left to lean forward and poke a finger in his chest.
“I thought we were past the secrecy. Full disclosure, remember?”
“The Silenci,” Kol says. “They’re meant to guard the Underworld. Hades rules them, but technically, they follow a blood link. Nicnevin could have established herself as their general. It explains why they’re hunting you.”
“But why would this woman want to kill me at all?” I demand. “What did I do to her?”
“No idea,” Kol admits. “Maybe it has to do with your mom.”
I blink, completely taken aback by that answer. “She died last year,” I say quietly.
“Which means she would have passed through Gehenna,” Grim points out.
“And Gehenna is?” I ask.
“The Underworld. And that’s Nicnevin’s arena, so maybe they didn’t hit it off.” Kol runs a hand through his hair. “I wish I’d gotten a closer look before we jumped. Maybe I would have seen her before we crossed over.”
“Crossed over?” I repeat then I remember the river. “Right. When you kidnapped me. Which we still need to talk about by the way.”
“You kidnapped her?” Grim asks, brows lifting.
Kol scowls. “No, I didn’t kidnap her.” He turns to me. “I saved you, remember? A job that’s proving harder and harder the longer I know you.”
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