by JoAnna Grace
“My Lord, our king has been murdered. Shall I go in his stead?”
Hermes’ eyes narrowed on Ryse. Yes. You are the heir. You shall go. I will return before sunset tomorrow. Make your preparations. Hermes’ body glowed until the light burned so brightly, everyone had to turn away. Gale force winds swirled from where he stood and knocked people off their feet.
When the wind ceased and light faded, Hermes was gone.
After a moment of stunned silence, the crowd erupted. Some prayed aloud, some worshipped, some screamed in fear. A god had come to them for the first time in centuries. History was made.
Ryse reacted immediately. There was much to be done. A gathering of all the kings was unheard of. If Hermes appeared to them, he would also visit the other Deities. With Troy dead, Ryse and Hayden being summoned to the Heavens, it left General Falcon with the responsibility of the Haven. Unease settled in his gut when he realized how vulnerable the Havens around the world would seem without their kings. Ryse had to conference with the generals, prepare them for what might come.
Elites and Thracians went into action. There was protocol set into place and now it would be implemented. All over the world, Havens with Deities and without were locked tight. Olympians living in the human world were contacted with the chance to journey to the nearest Haven. Once the Deities were gone, the Havens would be on hard lockdown. Thracians would patrol their borders and those soldiers working on the outside would be on high alert.
While everyone was distracted, Ryse snuck in to see Avery. The sight of her made his heart ache. Soon he had to leave and she would be vulnerable. Time in the Heavens passed differently than it did on Earth. What might seem like only a day or so to him would be weeks or even months to her.
“Wake,” he whispered, willing her to follow his command. “Please, my love, open your eyes.” He clenched his eyes shut, his jaw so tight it could break. Tears threatened to spill. “I need to know you will be safe while I’m gone. You can’t defend yourself like this. Wake up.” Ryse pressed his lips to her forehead.
Avery never moved. Heart heavy and burdened, he rose to leave.
His mother stood silently behind him. Tears streaked down her cheeks. She rubbed her hands together in jerky movements. “This is a miraculous occasion, you journeying to the Heavens.”
Gods love her, she was trying to be strong. Ryse went to her and pulled her into the cradle of his arms. She clung to him like he was a lifeline.
“What is it, Mother?”
“I will be alone with you and Hayden gone and Avery in this state. What will I do in your absence? I’ve never been alone.”
Ryse gently took her by the shoulders and made her look into his eyes. “You will not be alone, Mother. Hanna is with you. Yankee will be here, along with Brenden and Dante. Hammon, Cutter, and Philippe will be aiding General Falcon, but they too will be checking on Avery. Today, everyone in this Haven witnessed a god revealing himself. The people will seek out your guidance. They need to know your faith is strong and they will follow you. Remember our people, Mother, and you will never be alone.”
Dyna took a deep breath and straightened her back. She wiped her eyes clean. “Yes, I must remember my station. Our people will surely be overwhelmed. Perhaps after you leave, I can travel through the village and minister to them. Many are camped by the portal. They will require provisions.” She touched a hand to her chest. “Having a god in our realm; what a miracle. These are interesting times.”
“That’s the Divine Grace I know.” Ryse embraced his mother once more.
Over her shoulder, he cast a glance to Hanna. She tipped her head in silent acknowledgement. Even if it cost her life, she would protect his mother.
Not too many people knew of Hanna’s gift. If they did, they would be terrified. The power she wielded had a price, though. The greater words of power she called on, the weaker she became. Telling a person to have a nice day made her feet tingle and her hands go numb for hours. Manipulating a person’s actions would knock her to the ground, her legs crippled for a day or two afterward. Ryse had only seen her pass out once and he prayed he never had to see it again. She had willed Andreas, her mate and fallen Elite, to live, and it had nearly killed her too.
That night, Ryse sat at the dinner table with Dyna, Hayden, and the Avondales. Charles, Filene, and Ashton were quiet. They all were. A great chasm had formed between their families and neither party wanted to admit it. Filene had never looked worse. Her usual physical perfection was a far cry from the red-eyed, pale-faced, twitchy woman at the table. Then again, his mother was also the picture of distress. Pastel gowns had been replaced by black while she was in mourning. Troy loved her hair loose and that was how she’d kept it for decades in order to please him. Tonight, it hung down her back, tied with a strip of ribbon.
“How are the grape crops this year?” Dynasty asked. The members of the Castille family, left abroad, kept up a winery and supplied the Avondales with fine wines.
Filene’s head rose and tilted sideways a fraction as if she couldn’t believe Dyna was asking about grapes at a time like this.
“They are wonderful. Thank you,” Charles answered when it was clear his wife would not. “Hayden, my boy, how go your studies and history documentation?”
“Very well. I have much to write these days. Unprecedented events have happened.” Hayden realized what he said and looked back down at his plate.
“I’m sure you do.” Charles’ shoulders slumped. “I’m sure you do.”
Ryse took a drink of his wine when Filene met his eyes.
“Are you going to kill my daughter?”
Hayden fumbled with his silverware and the only sound in the room was cutlery hitting the floor. Charles cleared his throat, but didn’t move to change the subject. All eyes turned to Ryse.
Slowly, with more control than he realized he had, he set down his cup and leaned back in his chair. He spoke low and calmly. “I will do as the gods instruct me, as I have done for two and a half centuries.”
“Will you not even attempt to spare her life?” Filene cried out. The woman was on fire inside and it burned in her words and her wild eyes.
Fury built in his gut and he could feel his eyes glowing with the light of the gods. Only the unshed tears in his mother’s eyes kept him from exploding in rage. “I will obey the gods. Perhaps they will show her the same mercy she has shown to others.”
“She’s but a misguided child,” Filene argued, but Ryse didn’t listen.
Unable to take any more of this topic, Ryse pushed back his chair and stood. “Forgive me if I can’t stomach your concern for her. My father and my Divine Grace are dead. Dozens of my Thracian brothers are dead. If I have the chance to beg mercy for anyone, it will be for them.”
“Ryse.” Charles stood and held out his hands to stop his remarks. He was known as a peacemaker and, while Ryse respected his attempts, it was useless. “Please, son. We are all hurting for the loss of Troy and your Avery. We simply don’t want to add more death to the situation. Please, sit down and let’s finish our meal. In the coming days, we will all need our strength. No more on this subject. I promise.” He cast a stern glance to his wife, who looked as if she might argue. Instead, Filene turned her eyes to her plate and moved food about with her fork.
Dynasty’s eyes pleaded with him, so Ryse nodded to Charles and took his seat.
Not another word was spoken during the meal on any subject.
Dynasty pulled a blanket tighter around her shoulders. Flames danced in the hearth and she recalled how Troy’s body had burned like the wood. So had Avery’s, yet miraculously, her body was reborn and in the next room. At least in her mind, Dyna knew her beloved’s death had not been in vain.
If only she could convince her heart. For over two centuries, that man had been by her side and loved her so mightily she never once doubted they would be together forever, even in death.
Sleep eluded her during the nights after his murder. Every time she closed her
eyes, all she saw was the grotesque way he had died. She could still hear his screams and see the fear in his eyes when he looked up at her. When she did sleep, her nightmares were full of blood and death and anger.
Who would have thought she could hate someone the way she hated Salina? A child she had known since birth, the girl was akin to family. Now? Now, Dynasty wanted to see her dead.
“Grave things haunt your eyes, mistress.” Hanna adjusted the blanket that fell when Dyna used a tissue to wipe her eyes.
“Forgive me, Hanna. I know this is painfully familiar for you as well.”
“I’ve had years to deal with my grief, mistress. You’ve only had days.”
“Will you sit with me? Tell me how you ever overcame your sadness. All I want is to curl up in our bed and never come out again until the gods call me home. If not for my sons, for Avery, I think I would.”
Hanna, always conscious about the words she spoke, sat down and thought for a moment. Her gifts could not affect the events of the past, only the future. Still, she meditated on each word, played with the long, black braid of her hair as she spoke. “When my beloved died, I thought my heart would break into a million pieces and never beat again. It was the little reminders that hurt me so deeply. To go into our home and see evidence of his life. A cup here, a shirt thrown across the bed, his shoes in the corner by the front door. The smell of his clothing, the lack of his warmth in my bed, eating alone, not hearing his terrible singing as he bathed, the absence of his weapons.” She sighed and her breath hitched. “Those were the things that stung my soul. I knew he died honorably, but no matter the means, he was still lost to me. Perhaps it makes me a terrible citizen of this Haven, but I wanted to tell his fellow soldiers to curse their honor. I wanted my husband back.”
“How did you carry on?” Dynasty wiped fresh tears from her eyes, understanding all too well what Hanna meant. Cleaning out Troy’s clothing was like taking a hammer to china, smashing her to uneven shards.
“There are days when I’m not sure I have. There’s not a day that passes that I don’t think of him. I must believe the gods have a purpose for me, though.”
“Usually, when I’m in distress, I call upon Filene. Now, in my darkest hour, I have lost both husband and dearest friend. Perhaps your purpose is to comfort me? Would that be a disappointment to you?”
“No, mistress.” Hanna smiled with deep affection. “I miss Andreas with every fiber of my being, but if my testimony might help you, his death will have saved two lives. Ryse’s and yours.”
“I’m so blessed to have you with me.” Dyna reached for her hand. “Andreas was an honorable man, Hanna. I know he is serving in the halls of the gods, where only the most distinguished of Thracians have a place.”
Hanna, her eyes misting over, nodded quickly and bit her lip to stop the trembling.
The two widows sat in companionable silence as the fire crackled. Both of their mates had died horrific deaths from the same poison. Surely the gods would not let this evil claim another woman’s husband.
***
BRENDEN WENT DOWN to the makeshift hospital room where Nikki was held. Wires and tubes stuck every which way from her body. In the last few days, she had lost a substantial amount of weight and her cheeks were hollow. Dark circles formed bruises under her eyes. Flaming red hair that had once shone with radiance seemed dull and flat. Every moment, she slipped further away and he could do nothing to stop it.
Just like he’d been unable to stop Avery from dying or his sister Meg so many decades ago.
Wasn’t it only a couple of days ago that he’d fought Ryse for the right to be Avery’s guardian? It seemed like so much longer since their first kiss. His heart clenched as he thought about how Nikki had taken care of him that night. Ryse had given him the ultimate test of his strength and he had the bruises to prove it. Nikki’s hazel eyes had been full of adoration and compassion, drinking him in. She’d checked his bandages a thousand times and he’d teased her about using it as an excuse to touch him.
“If I wanted to touch you,” she’d challenged, her lips quirking up, “I wouldn’t bother with excuses. I’d simply reach out and place my hand here.” She pressed her palm against his chest, then slid the other one to his neck. For all her bravado, she was shaking; not that he was going to mention it.
His body tightened at her nearness. The sweet scent of her shampoo, something floral and soft, filled his lungs. He took a deep breath, memorizing every layer of her scent, his animal abilities recognizing so much more depth than the average Olympian could.
“Nikki, my beautiful Nikki.” He bent his forehead to hers, closed his eyes, and wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. She was so small compared to him, like she could float away with a strong wind. Yet she had a will of iron, firmly planted in her beliefs and duties as a Shadow Lady.
“Brenden?” she whispered, forcing him to open his eyes with the catch of her voice.
“Yeah, red?”
“I’m afraid.”
Those two words made every Thracian instinct shift into protection mode. “About what?”
“I’ve been trained so hard to be the best Shadow Lady possible. It’s a great source of pride for me. My family finally came around and they’re proud of me. Especially given that I am in Avery’s service.”
“You should be proud, Nikki. You’re amazing at your job.” He ran his hand over her thick, red hair. So soft.
“My teachers never prepared me for this.” She reached up and touched the scruff of his jaw. “I was never taught about relationships or love or how to balance my duty with a personal life. I don’t think I’m supposed to fall in love, much less with the Head Guardian of my mistress. I adore Avery.” She looked up at him with wide, fear-filled eyes. “What if I mess this up? I’m terrified of failing her. But I’m terrified of how I feel for you too.”
Brenden closed the distance between their lips and gently coaxed her into a kiss. “Whatever happens, Nikki, I’m with you. Look at Avery and Ryse. Look at how strongly they love each other. A love like that endures. So will ours.”
Her shy smile was forever engraved on his mind. He’d do anything for that smile.
Now, in the darkest hour of her life, Bren vowed to stand by her side. When she woke up—and he had to believe she would or else he would go insane—she was going to have to deal with the reality of what had happened. He couldn’t stand to think about the guilt she would carry.
He would be there to help her, to share the load and bear the burden.
“Don’t leave me, Nikki,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m not giving up on you. The gods will have mercy; I know it. If Dynasty can forgive you, then surely the gods will too.” He looked at the lines on the screen that showed her pulse. The beats were sporadic, much too far apart. “Hermes is taking you to the Heavens, baby. Hold on one more day. One more day for me, Nikki. That’s all I ask.” Brenden bent down and pressed his lips to hers. “I might not be able to go with you, but I’ll never stop fighting for you.”
Hayden downed another shot of alcohol with a proof so high that humans couldn’t stomach it. The substance would put him to sleep. Thank the bloody gods.
Comfortable in his bed, he waited impatiently until the alcohol relaxed his body. He had someone to meet. With Hermes summoning him and Ryse to the Heavens and the thought of all that entailed, it was a miracle he could relax at all. Hello, self-medication.
The haze began to form and his pulse increased. The sweet scent of lavender and roses filled his head. He stepped onto the stone path he knew so well and made his way to the arbor. He could barely contain himself. In the middle of the garden sat a fountain—the same fountain that sat in the gardens behind the Haven. The dream was a replica of the reality.
Something changed. Frantically, he tried to find his night angel as the picturesque garden morphed into a ratty apartment. Lush, green grass changed into green shag carpet that had been old thirty years ago. Dingy walls in desperate need of paint replaced flo
wers. The fountain melted into a beaten down, raggedy sofa bed. In the middle of that bed, curled up in a thread-bare blanket and shivering, lay his angel.
Her black hair fell against the pillow, her face so serene it was heartbreaking. What was she doing in this place? Was this where she lived? Dear gods. Hayden looked around again. The shelves were bare. The walls were peeling. Rat poison sat in a corner. One radiator heater, not nearly enough to warm the space, worked overtime. The place was a drafty dump.
“Oh no. No. This isn’t right. You’re not supposed to see this.” She sat up in the bed, the thin blanket cradled to her chest.
“What’s wrong?” Hayden went to her and sat on the edge of the bed, or cot, more accurately. It groaned and creaked with his weight. “Where are we?”
Black eyes glistened with unshed tears. Her bottom lip trembled. “This is my place. This is where I live. I can’t believe you’re seeing it. Why didn’t we go to the gardens?”
Hayden shook his head. “I don’t know. I started there, but then I came here.”
Tears crested her lower lids and fell down her cheek. She ran her hands through her hair. Usually, in his dreams, the black mass appeared perfectly groomed and hanging down her shoulders. Tonight, it was braided and strands escaped around her face. Instead of long, flowing, white gowns, she wore a baggy jersey and cotton shorts.
“I hate this place. It’s cold and dirty even though we clean and clean and clean. I never wanted you to find me here.”
“Hey, whoa.” Hayden pulled her into his lap and closed his eyes at the perfect feel of her body against him. She smelled of winds over the ocean, fresh and warm. “I don’t care about all that. I want you safe. Are you safe, at least?” He kissed her hair while she took time to answer.
“I think so. I don’t know.” She turned her face to his and her eyes went over every feature like she was trying to memorize everything about him. “You’re so handsome.”
