The center god shifted this gaze onto me. “Why do you think you are going to die, little one?”
My breath caught in my throat. “Isn’t that why we are here?” I stammered.
He smiled. “Tell me, what you have done to deserve such a fate?” He already knew the answer. He was just toying with me now.
I took a deep breath. “I—I’m not sure what you mean.”
Chaos wriggled despite the bindings. I could smell the burning flesh as he struggled.
“She has done nothing. I’m the—”
“Silence!” The center god banged his fist on the podium, sending a shockwave through the ground. I cried out as my wrists rubbed against the fiery ropes.
“I’m sorry, Arya.” He hung his head in shame.
The god turned back to me. “Let’s try something different… Did you destroy Purgatory?”
I blinked back tears. “Yes.”
He cocked his head to one side, raising an eyebrow. “You destroyed Purgatory?”
My knees shook. “Well, no, not me, but—”
“Do you see how this works? You must answer my questions truthfully. This isn’t a game.” He narrowed his eyes down at me. “Now, I will ask you again. Did you destroy Purgatory?”
I was going to be sick. “No.”
He smiled, pleased with himself for getting me to obey. “Good. Did you free your ancestors from Purgatory?”
I had to choose my words with caution. This wasn’t a game, but it was definitely a test, and I was starting to get angry. “Yes.”
He leaned forward on the podium, practically crawling across it. “Why?”
My teeth chattered so hard I feared they might break. “Because they don’t belong there. They shouldn’t have been punished for my mother’s actions.”
The god pounded his fist again. I braced myself for another wave but there was no way to prepare for this kind of pain. I cried out in agony as the fire singed my flesh, biting my tongue in the process. A thick metallic taste coated my mouth.
His eyes widened, bulging out in sheer disbelief at my audacity. “And you are fit to make that judgement? Who are you to make that assumption?”
Every muscle in my body ached. “I—I’m the Aether… I can unite the covens. I can protect the humans. There doesn’t need to be any more bloodshed…”
“Again, I will ask you, how does that qualify you to take that power into your own hands?” He was seething with fury as he gripped the podium. The marble was starting to crack underneath his white knuckles.
I was on the verge of passing out. My wrists were raw and my head was spinning. “Look, no disrespect, but if you are going to kill me, just get it over with.”
Chaos drew in a sharp breath. “Let her go. She has done nothing wrong. I’m the one who left without permission. I went to Sanctum and recruited her. I destroyed Purgatory. Punish me. Arya is half-mortal. By the rules of this court, you cannot harm her.”
The god flew off the podium and landed on Chaos’s chest. He wrapped his hand around his neck. “I told you to be quiet. Don’t worry, my son, there is plenty of punishment in store for you.”
The other two gods exchanged a nervous look as Chaos winced against his father’s weight. He shook his head in disappointment and pressed his knees farther into Chaos’s sternum.
I couldn’t take much more of this. “Stop! You’re hurting him. You want to know who I am? I’m nobody. I’ve always been a nobody. Just an orphaned Sylph witch with no purpose…until I met Chaos. He showed me that I can help people. My aunt, Echo, betrayed her own sister because she wanted the Elemental covens for herself. She doesn’t want to do your bidding. She doesn’t want to protect the humans. She wants to enslave them. My mother may have defied you, but she did it for love. How can any just god fault someone for that? She fell in love with a human. For better, or for worse, the combination of their blood created me...the Aether.”
The gods began to whisper and gesture to each other as the main god flew back to the podium, causing Chaos to roll over and gasp for air. The three of them huddled together in deep conversation. I snuck a glance at Chaos, who was writhing in pain. He turned his face away from mine.
The center god pursed his lips. “It seems my children think you deserve leniency. Selene and Dionysus remind me of your humanity and how it influences your actions. Yet you are also a demigod and subject to Elysium law. However, you were not raised as a god and therefore cannot be held responsible for laws that you were not aware of.”
I let out a sigh of relief.
He continued. “Perhaps Gaia has paid her penance. The Elemental witches have also paid the price for long enough. I will allow them to come back, but only at one of the lower realms. Your mother will not be allowed near your father. He is in a human realm and will stay there.”
My heart sank. It was bittersweet. The banishment was lifted, but my parents would still spend eternity apart. “What about the other coven leaders? What will become of them?”
The god raised his fist again but stopped short of smacking it on the marble. Instead he placed it down gently. “For their crimes against humans, they will be punished. Echo, Basil, Fox, and Luna must be handed over. You will not see them again. There will no longer be four Elemental covens. Only one. And you will lead it.”
Echo was one thing, but the other coven leaders were not evil. Luna did not deserve the same punishment. She was just protecting her people. I didn’t want to push my luck, but I had to say something. “Is there any way you could show more leniency…except for Echo of course?”
The corners of his mouth drooped into a scowl. “Your naivety is refreshing,” he spat. “But these women are thousands of years old. They knew what would happen if they broke the rules and yet they still did it. Don’t let their tricks fool you. The act of destroying a human soul is one that cannot be forgiven.”
He was right, but it still stung. “Thank you for lifting the banishment on the Sylph witches We will hand over the others at once.” Somehow, I would have to find a way to free them in the future. I wouldn’t be able to rest until I found a loophole.
The god lifted his hands toward me. “You are free to go.”
A chill passed through my bones just as the fiery ropes disintegrated, freeing my wrists. I rubbed gently at the raw flesh, which was already beginning to heal. Relief washed over me as I pushed myself off the ground, still a bit unsteady.
I rushed to Chaos’s side. As he hunched over, I brushed strands of hair off his damp cheeks and out of his eyes. Something wasn’t right. His hands were still bound.
I looked toward the podium. “You said we were free to go.”
The god’s eyes darkened, the shadows growing under his lashes. “I said you were free to go. My son, on the other hand, has a lot more questions to answer.”
My head spun. I wrapped my hands around Chaos’s arm in a panic, afraid to let go. “Please… He helped me. I couldn’t have stopped Echo without him. He swore an oath to me. I need him…please. I—I love him.”
The female god, the one he called Selene, bit her lip and looked away. Was she blinking back tears? She mumbled something under her breath, causing the god to pound his fist again. This time I lunged forward and caught Chaos in my arms as the ground rumbled. It was no use. He cried out in pain as the ropes rubbed against his wrists.
Chaos jerked his head, struggling to look up at me. “Arya, go. I love you, but you need to get out of here while you still can.”
I cried, “No. I’m not leaving you. We are in this together, remember?” My heart was breaking into a million pieces. The thought of losing him made it hard to breathe.
The angry god let out an irritated sigh. “Why do you love him?”
I was taken aback by the question. How does anyone know why they love? Images of the past flooded me—seeing Chaos for the first time at Sanctum, the way my body tingled against his when he kissed me, how it felt in his arms when we were flying—all these memories that were now part of ou
r story.
I stood up, turning toward the podium. “Because we are the same, him and I…made up of the same particles and dust. He showed me how to love myself. We are connected on every level, in every realm, forever. We are a part of each other. Without him, I lose a piece of my soul.”
Chaos and I locked eyes. “I love you so much, Arya. I will always be with you, my darling.”
The god watched us with curiosity. “Well this is quite the dilemma.”
The god called Dionysus leaned over and whispered something into his father’s ear. He nodded, listening intently, then raised his hand for silence, turning his attention back to us. “Chaos has been gone for three months. He has defied me for three months. In return, he will serve a three-month sentence in the Elysium cells. After his penance, he may return to his own realm here in Elysium. You may visit him once every three months for three days only. That is my final decision.”
I fell to my knees in front of him and cupped his face in my hands. “I don’t want to leave you…” The tears poured down my cheeks.
He kissed my trembling fingers. “You have to, my love. I will find a way back to you. I promise. But you have to go now. I cannot bear anything to happen to you. I will be fine. This is my home. I can handle whatever comes my way, but I need you to be safe.”
I nodded, kissing his lips, his cheeks, stroking his hair. “I’m going to find a way to get you out of here,” I whispered.
He shook his head. “Don’t do anything reckless. Go, live your life. In three months, I will see you. This is not goodbye, my love.”
My lips quivered as I gave him one last kiss. A kiss that I would lock in my heart forever. He inhaled deeply, as if he were trying to memorize my scent. And like the flip of a switch, my sadness turned to anger. A rage grew inside of me as I realized that these gods were not merciful at all. They were not just, but selfish and stubborn.
I rose to my feet and turned to face them, my fists clenched. “My ancestors are waiting. As soon as I know they are safe, I will take my friends and go.”
The god nodded, his face expressionless, and motioned for me to follow him as he stepped down from the podium.
I started forward and felt everything in my body harden. Every cell turned cold as I walked away from the love of my life, leaving him bound and broken with no way of escape. Every inch of me wanted to look back, but I knew he didn’t want me to. He didn’t want me to see him this way. So I kept my head focused on the path ahead. Forced myself to look brave while everything on the inside felt like it was slowly dying.
As soon as the field was far behind us, I heard it. Chaos roared a thunderous cry of anguish and rage. The ground shook and the sky cracked open and the rain rushed down around us. I wanted to run back to him. I wanted to tell him that I would sit in those cells with him every day. But that would only break his heart even more.
Instead, I took a deep breath and shot the gods a seething glare. “Let’s just get this over with. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Twenty-Eight
Everyone was waiting, gathered in Chaos’s realm. And everything was a blur from that point on. The gods spoke to the crowd about forgiveness and second chances, ushering the ancestors away as they breathed sighs of relief and gratitude. Gratitude for what? They had been punished for centuries for a crime that had nothing to do with them. They suffered for their gods and now they were grateful to them for releasing them while Chaos’s flesh burned in chains. It made me sick.
My mother embraced me, teary-eyed, but joyful. “Arya, you did it. You set us free.” I nodded and hugged her back. But at what cost?
She patted my cheek. “Farewell, my daughter. I hope when we meet again, it is a long time from now.”
I choked back a sob. “Until we meet again. Take care of the others.” I had gained so much, but it felt like I was losing everything.
She strolled ahead to join the others. I stood at the base of Chaos’s tree house and watched my family disappear with the gods. Surrounded by my friends—Seven, Diego, Sapphire, and now Shade—I had never felt more alone. Not to mention, Lorenzo was still lurking around, shooting death stares at Diego. I just wanted to sleep for three months. To wake up and be back in Chaos’s arms.
I flinched at Seven’s touch. He jerked his hand off my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Arya. I didn’t mean to startle you. But where is Chaos?”
“They took him. For three months… He’s gone.” I could barely form the words, barely stand the hollowness of my own voice.
“I had a feeling this would happen. Is there anything I can do?” Seven asked.
I shook my head. “No. Thank you for everything. Go to your wife. Hold her close.” My eyes stung from crying.
He pulled me tight to his chest. “You will see him again. He will move forests and mountains to get back to you. This I know more than anything.”
I cried into Seven’s shoulder as he held me. “Thank you, my friend. Farewell for now.
He said his goodbyes to everyone and flashed one last somber smile before disappearing through the opening of a large oak tree.
Dragging my feet, I followed Shade and the others through a different tree, back to our realm. The sight of the Harpy Forest was a bittersweet welcome. The air felt normal again. Breathable. But an ache grew in my belly. The further we moved away from Elysium, the further away I was from Chaos.
I wanted to curl up in a corner and sob. I wanted to grieve. But looking at my friends’ expectant faces as we stood at the edge of the forest by the stone bench, I was reminded of the work I still had to do. I was the Aether now. I needed to start acting like one.
I sat Lorenzo and Diego down next to each other. “It is time for a truce. You are brothers.”
Lorenzo snarled. “He chose this. His banishment stands.”
“Because that worked out so well for my ancestors, didn’t it?” I snapped. “I don’t want to hear any more talk of banishment. Diego is your family. So he doesn’t love the same way you do. So what? At least he knows who he is. You are an alpha who clearly doesn’t want to be.”
Diego threw up his hands. “Don’t waste your breath, Arya. He will never understand me.”
“I don’t care that you prefer to lie with a man. Go ahead. Lie with as many men as you want. What I care about is that you had to make it public. You had to get yourself kicked out of the pack, and now I’m forced to be in charge. I never wanted to be.” Lorenzo kicked the dirt, cursing under his breath.
“So you would prefer I pretend to be in love with a woman, just so you don’t have to hold any responsibilities? Is this what this is really about? Pathetic.” He spat on the ground and Lorenzo lurched back as if Diego’s saliva were laced with venom.
I moved in between them again. “Lorenzo, if you don’t want to be the leader, then don’t be. Diego made his own path. So can you.”
He shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Our pack is our family. Only male heirs can inherit it. Without me or Diego, there is no one else. The pack will fall apart.”
Diego rose to his feet, his fists clenched. “Those are stupid rules and you know it. We have a sister who is perfectly capable of being the alpha. In fact, she’d be better at it. Just like Mama would have been better than Papa. But you insist on playing by these archaic rules that serve no one except the men who made them.”
The muscles between my shoulders ached, my head pounded, and my heart was broken. This feud between brothers was testing my last nerve. “Here’s the deal, Lorenzo. If you don’t want to have a war with the witches, you will lift the banishment on your brother. And as a woman who is more than capable of running a coven, I suggest you rethink your pack rules. An alpha should be able to make new ones.”
Lorenzo jumped to his feet, both of them refusing to sit down now, and thrust a tanned finger in my face. “How dare you make demands on me. You are not a Lupi wolf. You do not get to decide what we do.”
Sapphire charged forward, unsheathing her sword. She stopped mere
inches away from him, pointing the tip of her blade at his throat. “Shut up. You are the most cowardly alpha I have ever met. There are still Crescent coven leaders and Lupi alphas missing. You will do as Arya says or I will slit you in half, top to bottom.”
He eyed the tip of her sword, nostrils flared. “Fine,” he said, watching her close as he inched away from her blade, his glare still sharp. “But the rest of the pack is not going to like it.”
My patience was wearing thin. “They don’t have to like it, but they will accept it. Diego is my friend and I’m not going to allow him to be treated this way anymore.”
Diego waved him away. “Lorenzo, just go. Go back to your little world of pretend. I have no desire to be part of your pack anymore.”
His face twisted in pain. “Dammit, Diego…” He opened his mouth to speak again but then closed it. Sapphire lowered her blade and allowed him to leave in one piece.
Diego watched him go, his face a mixture of sadness and regret. “Some things are just rooted too deep,” he murmured.
Sapphire wrapped an arm around him. “You have us. You will always have us.”
Shade, who had been so quiet I almost forgot he was there, cleared his throat. “I’m going to need some tools to do the locator spell. That is, if you still want me to?”
With Chaos and Seven gone, I had to start taking control of my own destiny. They weren’t here to disapprove, but that didn’t change the guilt that was clawing at my throat.
I glanced over at Sapphire, her eyes desperately pleading with me. “I made a promise. What do you need to start?” Sapphire let out a sigh of relief, a grateful smile spread across her face.
Shade started naming off a list of talismans and documents. “If we split up, we can cover more ground and then meet back at the Luminaries’ compound in Malta.”
I shook my head. “That won’t be necessary. Everything you need is at Sanctum. If we leave now, we can be there by nightfall.”
Smoke and Ritual (Beautiful Dark Beasts Book 1) Page 24
