by Jaymin Eve
“He wanted you to create something?” I guessed, after the silence had stretched on and it seemed like she wasn’t going to speak again.
“Yes,” she replied, and when her eyes settled on me, it was almost as though some semblance of calm returned to her. “How did you know?”
“Staviti’s main hobby is forcing other people to do things for him. He forces the guardians to create servers for him, and he forces the servers to run Topia for him. He’s forcing the dead dwellers to fight his war now too.”
She smiled a little, but there was no humour to the movement. It was a dark smile. I shrank a little into Coen.
“He wanted me to create a mortal glass,” she said, and it seemed that she was only talking to me now. I had won her focus, and she didn’t have enough strength to admit whatever she was about to admit to her sons. “I am the Goddess of Beauty—but Beauty is more than just what you see. It’s a reflection. Always a reflection.”
“And that’s what a mortal glass is?” I prompted. “A reflection?” I knew differently, of course, but she was starting to confuse me.
“One aspect of the mortal glass is a reflection, but the other parts are so much more, as you well know. The problem is that Staviti himself did not create the original glass, and in all of his attempts, he has not been able to replicate the original one. That’s why he needed me. He said that he didn’t have enough power, and my power of reflections would be the most useful to him. And … and I owed him.”
She cast her eyes down to the ground, but Abil squeezed her shoulders.
“I was the one who tricked him,” he said. “He should have asked me—but I can only give him a false replica—I can’t produce a true reflection of the world. Adeline could.”
“This is about … us,” Rome surmised, his voice rough. “He’s been blackmailing you because you tricked him into allowing us to be born?”
“He threatened to reverse his decision if I didn’t help him,” Adeline admitted. “And considering the way the five of you liked to torment him, you often made my job of keeping you safe that much harder.”
Siret looked guilty then, and I knew he was thinking that it was his Trickery that originally got them sent to Blesswood.
“Your mother was the one who suggested that punishment.” Abil somehow read his son’s mind. “Blesswood got you away from Staviti for some time, and also made him feel superior because you were weakened in this land.”
Adeline nodded. “Yes, and I distracted him from further punishment by focussing on the mortal glass.” She grimaced.
“But what’s so bad about another mortal glass?” I asked, confused.
She met my gaze. “The one in existence now links Topia to the imprisonment realm; an in-between realm where god souls that are forcibly taken by Crowe’s weapons go to wait. But there is another realm, one where those who experience true death, either as god, sol, or dweller, go. The realm of death. This is where Staviti wants to connect the second mortal glass. He wants to absorb the energy of those pure souls in the death realm.”
Staviti was the very definition of a power-hungry bastard.
“Then shouldn’t Death have been helping him instead of you?” Yael asked angrily.
“Crowe has been helping,” Adeline admitted. “I’ve been searching for a way to manipulate the glass, to save us all before it was too late … That’s why I didn’t come when you first called. As soon as I heard the news that Willa was the next creator, I started working with the glass again behind Staviti’s back. I think I’ve figured out how to influence it with enough of my magic that it can be changed to not allow the ugly to pass through it. Which would stop Staviti being able to cross to the death realm and take control of the souls there.”
“The ugly?” I questioned, surprised.
“The ugly of soul,” she amended, and her smile became less dark for a moment, tinged with gentle amusement. “Only the pure will be able to pass through it when I’m done.”
It was a good plan to stop Staviti from being able to travel through the second mortal glass. He was definitely not pure of anything.
“The god children,” I murmured beneath my breath, my mind spinning around a thousand different possibilities. “If we could make the original mortal glass like that—for the pure only—we could free the god children.”
Only that glass was damaged beyond repair, its pieces stolen away.
“There is a way, Willa,” Adeline said soberly, and my gaze shot to hers. “Maybe we can do both things. A creator as strong as Staviti could redirect the new mortal glass to the imprisonment realm.”
“Then when he steps through, you could make the glass for the pure only, trapping Staviti there,” I mused. “But … won’t he notice before he steps through?” I asked, though in truth, all I could really think about were the god children. Adeline was handing me a way to get them back. I had to say yes. What if…
Before anyone could answer, an idea brushed across my mind and I pieced it together out loud. “What if we let him finish the glass the way he wanted it. Would he have to step through the take control of the souls?”
Adeline nodded, lines briefly marring the beautiful, smooth skin of her forehead. “He can’t control or absorb the power of the souls from Topia, he has tried many times.”
“Then we should let him,” I decided. “Let him step through, and you should persuade him to take Crowe with him, since he has power over Death—they might need each other.”
“And then we alter the glass,” Adeline said with a smile, obviously catching on to my plan. “Trapping them there with no way to return because the glass will now be connected the imprisonment realm. You’re brilliant, Willa.”
“First time I’ve ever heard that,” I muttered dryly.
A few of the guys laughed, and the warmth of Coen on one side was quickly joined by the warmth of Yael on the other side, both of them wrapping arms around my waist.
“When will he try?” Rome asked. “Do we have time? We still need to evacuate everyone to Blesswood and figure out how to defeat the server armies.”
“We had an idea of how to help with that, too,” Adeline said.
She seemed to deflate a little, some of the stress that had been riding on her shoulders slipping away. She found a chair opposite Siret and sank into it gracefully, her long legs crossing and her hands idly smoothing out her robe. Abil moved to the chair with her, apparently still concerned about her, because he sat on the arm and pulled one of her hands into his lap.
“We thought that if Staviti could create pathways between the worlds … then so could you. And if you can alter the second mortal glass to lead into the imprisonment realm instead of the realm of death … then it stands to reason that you could create two more pathways—much easier pathways.”
“I’m not following,” I admitted. “Pathways from where to where?”
“From Minatsol to Topia,” Abil replied, and there was an almost vicious smile on his face as he spoke. “We will create only two points of entry to Blesswood, and set up a pathway at each entrance after everyone has been evacuated safely into the city.”
“It the pathways aren’t for the people, then they’re for …” Aros trailed off, looking astonished. “The undead?”
“They are of Staviti’s creation.” Abil shrugged. “Why not send them to Staviti’s home? Why not turn Staviti’s attack on the gods—who will have no choice but to fight back. To turn against him. To protect themselves. They will have to claim their world from him—to take control of their own lives and rebel against his dominion over them.”
“It’s …” I struggled, trying to find the right words. It seemed so cold. So calculated. But … “It’s a good idea,” I finally admitted. “The gods are better equipped to fight these things, and these beings are Staviti’s creations.”
“Then you, my girl, have some preparing to do,” Abil announced, pointing a large finger directly at me.
“I don’t know if I have enough power to do all
of that,” I found myself admitting after a few moments of silence. “My energy was almost halved when we set the water free and came back here.”
“You’ll be running on empty after creating the pathways,” Rome agreed.
The others all murmured sounds of agreement too.
“We’ll have to get her back to Topia quickly,” Coen said. “Returning there should replenish her energy.”
“Just in case you need it …” Adeline stood and pulled something from a pocket of her robes. A small vial, filled with crystal-clear water. It was cold to the touch. “Jakan said to give this to you. It’s from the stream you were born in.”
“This will help. Thank you.” I paused. “Where are my parents?”
Adeline smiled gently. “Your father said he had one more thing to take care of, and then he would be here helping on the front line. Your mother remained faithfully at his side.”
I felt better knowing they were okay, and also a little worried because I didn’t know Jakan that well, and I’d kind of just released a god of creation on the world.
The room fell into silence and I assumed that like me, they were all reeling with everything that we had ahead of us. Everything that we needed to accomplish, and such a short amount of time for us to complete it all. It was overwhelming and exhausting, but for the first time there was also a spark of hope somewhere inside me. We had a plan, and as long as we could stick to every step of the plan, we’d all get out of this alive. The worlds would be safe.
“We should rest,” Aros finally said. “Willa is going to need her energy.”
“She is,” Adeline agreed. “That’s why we think you should all go ahead to Soldel in the morning. Leave the evacuation to us and the other gods.”
“Be nice to them.” The words shot out of my mouth before I could stop them. “The dwellers, I mean.”
“We’ll be nice to them,” Adeline promised. “If you were once one of them, then they can’t be all that different to us, can they?”
“They are different to the gods.” I scrubbed a hand down my face. “They’re humble, hard-working, and full of love.” I quickly shut my mouth, realising a little too late that I had just insulted all of them, but Adeline only smiled, and Abil chuckled.
“It sounds like we have a lot to live up to,” he said, shaking his head. “We will treat every dweller as our equal, Willa. You have our word. And in return, you need to save us all.”
“You have my word,” I promised.
“Now that everyone’s given their word …” Siret stood, stretching his arms out. “We should all find something to eat and somewhere to sleep.”
“You six will stay here,” Adeline decided. “Abil and I will find somewhere else to stay. Terrance is no doubt already living amongst the beasts of this area.”
“Then we can eat in the morning,” I decided, casting a look toward the door that I was pretty sure hid a bedroom.
I glanced to the others after a moment, making sure that they were on board. They nodded.
“Goodnight,” Adeline muttered, walking between each of her sons and kissing them all on the cheek. She reached me last, her dainty hands on my shoulders as she pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I look forward to us finally becoming a family, once all of this is over,” she whispered.
Adeline released me and walked with Abil to the door, closing it behind them. I didn’t waste a click, on my feet before anyone else could say anything. I walked to the door and opened it to find a bedroom with a neatly made bed. I didn’t exactly feel great about crawling between someone else’s sheets, so I quickly untied my makeshift dagger-harness and tossed it aside, jumping into the middle of the mattress and flinging my arms out across the pillows.
My intention had been to sleep, to conserve my energy and build myself back up for the inevitable fight ahead … but as soon as the guys began pulling their shirts off, the desires that I had pushed aside back in the seventh ring came rushing back. I quickly pushed myself up to my elbows, switching my gaze between them as though I couldn’t decide which one—or how many—to pick for the night. They paused, several of them in the process of tossing aside their shirts. They could either sense the change of my mood, or else they could read the sudden thoughts that had flitted through my head. Suddenly, all of us were struck with indecision.
None of them wanted to leave.
I didn’t want any of them to leave.
“Stop,” I muttered, when Rome took a step toward me.
They all froze, shirts dropping from hands and landing on the floor, forgotten.
“Don’t stop getting undressed though,” I added, a slight smile hooking up the corner of my mouth.
Coen groaned and Yael gave me a warning look. I didn’t care. They all began to step out of their pants, and I sat up a little straighter when they were standing before me, naked, waiting for my next request. I took hold of the hem of my shirt in both hands and slowly pulled it off, my stomach clenching at the heat in their eyes as they watched me. In truth, I still had no idea what I was doing or how I was going to do anything, but I shrugged off those thoughts as easily as I shrugged my shirt all the way off, tossing it to the other end of the bed. My bra was next, and then I was on my back, shifting my pants over my hips.
Yael groaned then. “This show better have a happy ending, Willa-toy.”
I smiled, not answering as I pushed the pants to my ankles and kicked them over the side of the bed. My underwear went next, and when I was finally naked, they all took another step forward. I held up one hand, sitting up again, before walking on my knees to the edge of the bed. There were all right there, within reaching distance, and I moved to the very centre, my knees right at the edge.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I admitted. “But I want you all. I can’t let any of you leave tonight.”
That was all I needed to say, and they suddenly sprang into action. I didn’t try to hold them back again because I knew it wouldn’t work a second time … and I also didn’t want to. Siret reached me first, his hands shaping to my face, his lips taking mine. His tongue had barely brushed mine when he was pushed aside, Yael taking his place. Yael’s kiss was harder, almost punishing, but just as rapid, before Aros was snatching me away. His kiss melted me as his strong hands dragged me fully against him. I began to writhe, suddenly overcome with the need to have him between my legs as I pushed against his hardness.
I didn’t get a chance, though, because Rome’s hands were on my hips from behind, spinning me around, his lips claiming mine in a bruising kiss. His hands were just as bruising at my hips, but I loved every hint of his Strength as it leaked into his touches. I returned his kiss just as strongly, drawing a groan out of him that hung between us as Coen actually shoved him out of the way, wrapping a hand in my hair and shooting pain down the back of my neck before his lips took mine, soothing away the quakes of discomfort that travelled the length of my spine. I pushed against him, and his hand caught my thigh, helping me to lift my leg until I was being hauled from the ground, one leg wrapped around Coen’s hip as he nestled himself against my centre.
He carried me like that back to bed and then gently placed me down, stepping back as the others all crowded in. I reached out, grabbing on to the nearest arm and pulling Yael down on top of me.
“Get on top of me,” he ordered, some steel leaking into his voice. “Let the others watch you.”
He rolled onto his back and I eagerly climbed on top of him, my hands balancing against his chest as I caught him between my legs and began to rub myself over him. We weren’t having sex yet, but I felt like I needed the build-up to combat the nervousness of all of them being there. Yael’s hands found my thighs, brushing up to my hips and around to my ass before his fingers dug in. Suddenly he was controlling my movements and the pressure with which I slid against him. His eyes were burning as he watched me, the mostly green colour darkening to a deep emerald. I let my head fall back as the heat built within me, a fire starting low in my stomach and travelling
through my body. Since we were right at the edge of the bed, someone was able to step up behind me, their hands reaching around to my stomach. I looked down, recognising the golden tint of Aros’s skin just as a burst of bright, hot desire shot all the way through to my head, making me dizzy and forcing my whole body to bow back. Yael growled, shifting our hips, and then suddenly he was inside me, thrusting deep. Our rhythm became more frantic as I watched Aros’s hand stretch out over my stomach. He was barely applying any pressure; it was almost as though he was just feeling the movement of my body. I reached for his other hand, drawing it up over my ribs and to my chest, forcing his fingers to close around my breast as his other hand twitched on my stomach. That was all I needed to explode, and Yael followed closely behind me, his groans spurring the clenching of my body as I fell out of Aros’s hands and against Yael’s heaving chest.
It was only a fraction of a click before hands were pulling me up, and suddenly Rome was taking me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around him instinctively, and he pushed inside me before the shudders of my orgasm had even finished passing through my body. He was standing, taking all of my weight as I cried out and clung to him. It was an incredible feeling, having someone as big as Rome pushing into my body even as my body tried to recover from Yael. There was another standing at my back, a hand in my hair, a voice whispering in my ear.
Aros, again.
The same feeling as before shot through me, sending me spiralling close to that edge again as Aros’s words finally registered in my spinning head.
You better survive us.
I almost wanted to laugh, and might have if Rome hadn’t been busy making me moan. His teeth were at my neck and then his lips were at the same spot, soothing the brief burn, his fingers digging into my skin as he set the pace, lifting me up and pulling me down again until I thought his body would break mine apart. And all the while, Aros was there. Whispering. Touching. Filling me with a need that would never be sated.
When I exploded again, it was with Aros’s hand tangled in my hair and my lips fused to Rome’s. He growled into my mouth, clutching me strongly as his hips surged up, pressing me back into Aros—who was forced to steady us both.