by Nicole Hall
Aiden scratched the side of his nose. “I’ve wondered that myself. Most of my clan believe what the elders tell us about our history, but some of us think they may have exaggerated their roles in creation.”
“You think they found a convenient pocket dimension and claimed it for their own?”
He shrugged. “That’s one theory.”
Maddie noticed he didn’t reveal if he believed it or not. Another thought struck her. “I’m finally going to find out what you are.”
He smiled and shook his head. “It’s not a secret, marenkya. There’s just not an easy way to explain it.”
“Does that mean you’re still not going to explain it?”
“Not now. Let’s keep moving. We’re almost there.”
A few minutes further and they cleared the trees. Aiden paused for a moment as the view opened up. The path dipped down into a valley surrounded by cultivated fields and led to a cluster of small houses. At first glance, the village appeared primitive, but Maddie saw glass globes lit up outside each house and a softly burbling fountain in the middle of the space. The simple design, three large basins stacked on top of each other, indicated an understanding of plumbing she hadn’t even considered until that second. People milled about in the fountain area, talking and trading goods.
She squeezed Aiden’s hand, and he looked down at her. “Ready?” she asked.
He pulled her closer and brushed his lips across hers. “I’m glad I could bring you here.”
Maddie wanted more of his teasing mouth, but he started walking again. A hush fell over the crowd as one by one they looked up and noticed Aiden. Shortly after entering the village, Aiden caught sight of a woman across the way and abruptly stopped.
The woman laughed with her head thrown back, the action somehow reflected in her whole body. A swath of red fabric draped over one shoulder, tucked in at the waist, then flowed down into a short skirt in the front and a train in the back. She only appeared about ten years older than them, but Maddie had learned a long time ago to not trust appearances.
Her gaze landed on them at the edge of the square, and her eyes widened. Familiar golden eyes. “Aiden!”
Maddie leaned closer to whisper to him. “Everyone speaks English?”
He chuckled as he led her forward. The closer they got, the more relaxed he seemed. “It’s a spell that lets everyone understand each other. The elders maintain it.”
She nodded at the woman approaching them while ignoring the other people in toga-like outfits that tried to flag her down. “Who is that?” Maddie had an idea, but it would be nice to have it confirmed before she had to interact.
“That’s my mother.” Aiden stopped at the edge of the village, and Maddie took a deep breath to prepare herself. She could see where he got his good looks and his confidence.
Maddie pulled her hand free at the last second, a smart move because his mother didn’t stop when she reached them. She threw herself into Aiden’s arms with a wild laugh. “Aiden, I’ve missed you.”
He gathered her close, and Maddie tried to back away. Before she could take more than a step, his mother’s arm snaked out and latched onto Maddie’s sore wrist. Maddie hissed, and the other woman gentled her grip. She patted Aiden’s cheek, then turned those golden eyes on the arm she’d captured.
“What have we here?” Cool fingers traced the red mark that had faded but still ached. She tsked. “This is nasty business. It could use the touch of a healer.”
“Mother.” Aiden’s warning tone surprised Maddie.
“A healing. That’s all. I promise not to meddle.” Her gaze lifted to Maddie’s face, and magic seeped into her until it hit her shield. His mother raised her brows with a smile. “Better than I expected.”
A soothing sensation encircled her wrist and moved slowly up her arm. When Maddie peeked at it, the mark had disappeared along with the ache. Faint ripples continued across her chest and spread through her body. Maddie felt refreshed, as if she’d been cleansed. What had just happened?
“That’s enough.” Aiden stepped between them, and his mother took a step back with her hands in the air.
“I was simply trying to help.” Her smile hinted at a deeper motive, but Maddie couldn’t read more than that. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Aiden let out a long-suffering sigh. “Why, when you enjoy so much doing it yourself?”
She snickered at him. “You’ve been away too long.” Her attention shifted back to Maddie, and she sobered. Power suddenly gathered around her like a cloud, and Maddie took a step back. “I am Keris Morgan, also known as Eris, Goddess of Chaos.”
“Only the humans call you that,” Aiden muttered. The goddess glared at him, and he stood a little taller.
Maddie eyed him in disbelief. “You’re a demi-god?”
He flinched. “It’s not like that. The humans were easily impressed and vastly more imaginative than my ancestors gave them credit for.”
His mom waved his protest away. “Oh, don’t be so modest.” She took both of Maddie’s hands in hers. “They worshipped us, then they blamed us for their ailments, then they turned on us.” Her strange golden eyes twinkled. “But I think we don’t need to fear that from you.”
“No, ma’am.” Maddie’s hands shook, and she hoped no one noticed. Her mind refused to focus on the impact of Aiden’s heritage. How did one address a goddess?
“Call me Keris. Those humans never could get my name right.” Keris tucked Maddie’s arm through hers and strolled into the village. “And who are you?”
Maddie narrowed her eyes. Her shields protected her mind from intrusion, but she’d never tested them against a deity before. Aiden took up a position behind them, and Maddie wished she could see him.
“I’m Maddie Thomas. Goddess of nothing.”
Aiden snorted behind her, but his mom laughed. Keris was almost as tall as Aiden, but she slowed her stride so Maddie didn’t have to run to keep up. The other people stared at her curiously as she was paraded along. Once they’d passed the bulk of the crowd, Keris leaned her head toward Maddie and spoke softly.
“I can smell him on you.”
Maddie gulped. It was the weirdest thing anyone’s mother had ever said to her, and she’d worked for Janet for years. She didn’t know how to answer, but Keris didn’t seem to expect one.
“You’re a strange choice for him, but I can see his dedication to you. Tell me, are you worthy of my son?”
Maddie laughed dryly. “Probably not.” Definitely not. “But I’ll never abandon him.” She knew Aiden could hear her, and she knew Keris understood her meaning.
The self-proclaimed goddess slowed and sent her a look that could only be described as imperial. “We shall see.”
Maddie’s stomach ruined the somber moment by gurgling loudly.
Keris smiled and changed direction. “Come. We’ll eat, and you can tell me all about what you’ve been doing in Terra.”
They followed the smell of roasting meat to a small round building with smoke coming out of a hole in the top. Maddie inhaled deeply and sighed in happiness. Brisket at last. Keris procured three plates covered in dripping meat and flatbread from the grizzled man inside. They sat on a stone bench nearby, and Maddie tried to take her time with her food. She caught Aiden watching her with a knowing look and blushed.
Aiden relaxed and smiled, chatting with his mother and what seemed like every person in the square. After the plates had been cleared and returned, Maddie nearly glowed with contentment. The village provided food, safety, and a break from the constant running they’d been doing, at least for the time being.
In a rare moment of quiet, Aiden captured her hand and pulled her close to rub his lips against her temple. Maddie had questions to ask, but Keris shooed Aiden away. “I want some time alone with Maddie. Go visit the challenge ring.”
Aiden’s brow furrowed, but Maddie sent him a reassuring smile. “I’m okay. Go ahead.” She had things to discuss with Keris too.
He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. “If you’re sure. Mother can show you the challenge ring when you’re ready.”
Keris linked her arm through Maddie’s and tugged her away. “I promise to take good care of your human.”
Aiden didn’t look convinced, but he strode off in the other direction.
Maddie waited until she thought he was out of earshot before digging for information. “You don’t seem surprised that I’m here instead of Lexi.”
Keris’ stride remained steady, leading them in a wide circle around the outer buildings. “Word got to us that Lexi was lost. I never believed her to be a good match for Aiden, but I regretted her death.”
Maddie guessed Seth had sent the information, but Keris hadn’t mentioned him. It could mean that they didn’t know—unlikely—or that there was a taboo against talking about him. Or something else entirely. Until she learned the nuances of this place, Maddie thought it best to volunteer as little information as possible.
“As for you, I was surprised he brought a woman with him. Time will tell if I’m pleased by it.” Keris sounded as if she didn’t care either way, which terrified Maddie. She didn’t want to know what the results would be if Keris wasn’t pleased. Either way, her love for her son seemed genuine.
The conversation made Maddie miss her own mom. She’d been blessed to be surrounded by good people who loved her, even when she’d been more Torix than Maddie.
“How much do you know about her death?”
Anger flashed in Keris’ eyes. “I know she helped a Dark Fae lure my son away from his home and into danger.”
Maddie chose her next words carefully. “Why was he left there?”
Keris sighed, and a gentle breeze lifted Maddie’s hair. Please let that have been a coincidence too. “You need to understand. My people believe strongly in dealing with the consequences of your actions. Aiden chose to leave, urged on by Lexi.” She shook her head in remorse and gestured at the thriving land around them. “This place is paradise for us. The elders work hard to make sure we have no reason to want to return to Terra. It’s safer for everyone if we remain here. Aiden broke the rules and left without permission. The consequences of that became clear immediately, and the elders closed the doorway. Only Aiden or Lexi could activate it from the other side to come back.”
They walked a little way into a field of knee-high grasses, and Keris stopped, staring at the horizon. The joy she’d had when they first arrived had been overtaken by grief. Maddie couldn’t imagine not knowing what had happened to someone she loved for hundreds of years, and not being able to do anything about it. She wondered where Aiden’s dad was, if he’d been around for that moment. Gods or not, it had to have been torture. Maddie had the strangest urge to hug the tall woman next to her, but Keris held herself stiffly.
Instead, Maddie blurted out the first thing that crossed her mind. “I have the Dark Fae’s magic inside me.”
She’d surprised Keris. The slow turn of her head made Maddie think it probably wasn’t the best information with which to distract her. “Do you?”
Might as well keep going. “I hate it. He made my life hell for seven years, and I can’t escape him even now. All the things he made me do with his magic, the people I hurt.” She had to stop talking and take a deep breath to center herself. “I don’t want anything of his.”
Keris stared at her a moment, then burst out laughing. “Child, you earned that magic. I heartily approve of your disgust for him and his power, but it went to you for a reason. Use it to make him pay.”
Maddie met Keris’ eyes and saw the same thirst for revenge she kept hidden inside herself. She wanted to make him pay. She wanted to torture him and destroy all the things he loved. The darkness in her thoughts scared her, but Aiden’s words came back to her. It wasn’t you. She’d told herself that repeatedly, but only recently had she started to believe it.
“Thank you,” Maddie said.
Keris nodded regally and twined their arms again to walk back to the village. Neither said anything more, but the silence gave Maddie time to compose herself. She’d dealt with a lot of revelations lately.
The sound of chattering people got louder as they took a narrow road between two large buildings. They rounded a corner, and Keris stopped them at the edge of another gathering. A rudimentary ring had been drawn on the ground, and people surrounded it, jostling each other and cheering. Maddie couldn’t see who was in it at first, but she’d bet they’d reached the challenge ring.
The crowd thinned for a moment and revealed Aiden. He grappled an older man, and Maddie could tell he held back from the careful control of his movements. The man got in a lucky shot, and she gasped. Aiden absorbed it and surged forward to toss the man onto his back outside the circle.
Maddie’s heart slowly descended from her throat. Somehow, she hadn’t realized that Keris had meant for Aiden to be fighting in the challenge ring. He laughed and helped the older man up, clapping him on the back.
A voice jeered in the crowd. “The mighty Aiden has finally returned to defend his title.”
Aiden dusted himself off casually. “I welcome all challengers.”
A giant of a man with shoulder-length light brown hair and massive shoulders pushed through and stepped into the ring with a cocky tilt to his head. “You’ve gotten slow in Terra.”
Aiden grinned. “Still faster than you, Oren. Do you offer a challenge?”
Maddie wanted the newcomer to say no. She wasn’t sure she could watch Aiden get beat to a pulp while everyone cheered. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sly smile spread across Keris’ face. The goddess of chaos appeared to be up to something.
“I do. Do you accept?” Oren’s booming voice brought Maddie’s attention back to the ring.
Aiden looked confident of his victory. “Of course.”
“Then I name a new prize.”
Aiden’s smile dimmed but he played along. “You’ve lost interest in my title after all, eh?”
Oren searched the crowd until his gaze stopped on Maddie. A sense of foreboding shot through her. “I want the human.”
Aiden’s smiled dropped as he followed Oren’s attention to Maddie. Their eyes met and held. “No.”
Oren shrugged. “She’s unclaimed. That makes her fair game. What say you, clan?”
The crowd roared, and even Keris clapped. Maddie looked at her in betrayal. “Shouldn’t you stop this?”
Keris shook her head. “This is our way.” She nodded at the ring. “Aiden knows that. Besides, Oren won’t hurt him. They’ve been friends since birth.”
Maddie’s head swiveled back to the dirt circle, where Aiden had lost his playful demeanor. “I won’t let you claim her.”
“Then don’t lose.”
Maddie would have backed away, but Keris had a steel grip on her arm. The group parted so Keris could escort her to the front. Aiden stood on the opposite side of the circle from her, with Oren between them. The competition no longer resembled a good-natured match between friends. Oren was huge, but Aiden was…Aiden. Maddie bit her lip and tasted blood.
Aiden sent her another glance, this one asking her to trust him, and shifted his weight to the balls of his feet. In a flash, the contest began. They moved so fast Maddie could barely follow them, trading blows then backing away.
Maddie forced herself to adopt a confident face so the people sneaking glances at her wouldn’t know the panic she fought. “What happens if Aiden loses?”
Keris scoffed, but kept her focus on the action. “Aiden doesn’t lose. The challenge ring is usually there for arbitrary titles and bragging rights, but occasionally, it’s used for a more serious trial. In this case, Oren gets the right to claim you.”
Maddie sucked in a breath as Aiden took a hard kick to the stomach. “What does that mean?”
“He joins his power with yours, binding you together.”
It all sounded a little too familiar, and Maddie had trouble pulling in air. “I don’t get a choice in the m
atter?”
Keris patted her arm. “Of course, you do.” The panic receded enough that Maddie could concentrate on the fight again. “Whoever wins the challenge, gets the honor of the prize, but as the prize, you get the option to deny the victor. It also means neither of you will be permitted to bind yourself to anyone else until the victor is defeated.”
Aiden moved in a blur, performing a complicated throw that Maddie almost didn’t catch. “What happens if Aiden wins?”
“Then you have a harder choice to make.”
Minutes later, the bout ended, and relief flooded Maddie. Aiden had won, as promised.
Oren laughed from the dirt outside the ring. “It appears I chose the wrong prize.”
Aiden ignored him, his eyes only for Maddie. The people around her backed away as he approached, and Maddie’s heartbeat raced. He reached her and dragged a thumb across her lower lip where she’d bitten it.
His mouth followed his thumb, and she met him halfway. The world fell away in a dizzying rush as his arms surrounded her. His magic settled over her with a light touch, and she felt the choice. Accept and be bound, or deny his magic and reject him. Maddie didn’t need to consider. She gladly accepted his claim, and staked her own.
He paused and smiled against her mouth as his magic met her shields and sank in. The layers remained in place and strong as ever, but he was inside them all the same. His magic fit perfectly alongside her heart, warm and welcome. Maddie deepened the kiss, but a cheer from the crowd brought her back to reality. They were making out in front of his clan.
And his mother.
His mother, who had triumph written all over her face, clapped and smiled. Aiden pulled back enough to raise a brow at her. “I thought you weren’t going to meddle?”
Keris shrugged, not at all sorry. “I was simply speeding things along.” She clapped her hands to get the crowd’s attention. “Enough challenges for today, I think.” A few grumbled, but the people dispersed fairly quickly. Oren had regained his feet, and he inclined his head at her with a smile before sauntering away.
