Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

Death

"You took everything from me," Nox screamed. "I created you and your brother. He was mine , and you snatched him away." Lightning danced across her fingers before she fired it at me.

I fired back, knocking it away easily. She screamed again, her fury cracking thunder above us. Nox was far older, and because of that, she had always been stronger than me, but she'd only stayed that way from the gifts she'd received from other gods—gifts she'd received from selling Somnus to whoever wanted to use him and his powers.

She didn't have Somnus now, though, and she hadn't for a very long time, and the gifts she'd been given had all been used up. She was weaker than me now. Fury burned in her eyes but also fear, because she knew it as well. Her skin and hair were singed from my lightning, and she was panting hard from the exertion.

The last time I'd been able to break through the block she had on my power was after she'd murdered my consort and stolen my child. Sheer rage had done it. She'd been stronger than she was now, and the curse had prevented me from taking Marigold from the Night Realm. I'd only been able to take her to my temple, so at least Nox couldn't get near her.

Breaking the curse had been a massive drain on my mother, and once I got to her temple, I'd easily shattered the bind she had on me. My powers throbbed through me now, wild and unstoppable.

She swiped away the sweat that poured down her face with shaking hands and held them out in front of her.

I almost had her, and I would not leave until her body lay charred and broken on the ground, until I'd heard her scream in agony and not just fury. I couldn't kill her, but I could break her. I could break her so badly that she would take centuries to recover.

My vision burned red as I slammed my staff on the ground and another bolt of lightning shot from the top of it. Dark laughter fell from me when it hit its mark, knocking her back. "You can't win. You can barely stand," I snarled and hit her with another bolt.

She flew back, slamming into a marble column, then hit the ground. I stalked toward her, towering over her, holding up my staff, that glowed bright with power.

A smirk curled her lips. "I murdered your consort once, and I will do it again. No matter how long it takes, I will take her from you."

"You won't get near her."

"You know I can." Triumph lit her eyes. "I already got to her once. I gave Fluke my blood to mark her so you couldn't find her." Her eyes flashed. "You love to punish me, you took you and your brother from me. So if I can't be with my children, then neither can you. Marigold is mine, and you will never have another." She smiled, and it was pure evil. "Fluke took her womb so if you ever did find her, she would never be able to give you another child. Now what do you say?"

"I say you are poison, and I will not stop until you are broken and alone," I snarled with all the hatred in my heart.

She actually frowned in confusion. "Did you not hear me? She is barren."

Nox truly thought I would reject Zinnia over her inability to bare children. "I already know the evil you did."

"Then why are we fighting? What use is she to you now?"

Unconditional love wasn't something she had ever understood. Loving someone with your whole heart and not asking for or wanting anything in return was foreign to her. "Use? I love her. She is all I need. All I will ever need."

"I don't believe you." Nox shook her head, eyes wild. "Give me Somnus, and you can have Marigold."

She didn't get it. She was also in no position to make any deals, and she knew it as well. She knew she was losing.

"I already have Marigold."

I spun around at the sound of Zinnia's voice. She strode toward us, dressed in all leather, my cloak flowing around her, her wild red hair spilling out from under a pointed leather hat. She was beautiful and fearless, and she shouldn't fucking be here. "Stay back," I growled.

She shook her head. "This needs to end, now." Her gaze sliced to my mother. "Sorry the whole ‘I took your consort's womb' thing wasn't the gotcha moment you were hoping for. You thought it was the ace up your sleeve, that you'd tell him, and he'd leave me?" She shook her head. "You really don't understand how love works, huh?"

"You will not win," Nox shrieked, getting to her feet.

Zinnia's lips moved, but she wasn't talking; she was spelling under her breath, chanting as she strode closer. Ignoring Nox, her green eyes came to me. "It's time to go now, Mors," she said gently. "You need to stop fighting. Marigold's waiting for us."

I looked between her and Nox. "Not yet. Not until she's bleeding and broken." I tried to pull her behind me, but power sparked off her, throwing my hand away.

Nox straightened, triumph on her face. "I created him, and now you can watch as I destroy him."

I stepped in front of Zinnia and lifted my staff—

She touched my arm and shook her head as she moved back around me. "No, my child," she said in a voice that wasn't her own, not anymore. Her eyes, now black, glowed with otherworldly power—with godly power. "Your mother and I have a few things to discuss."

Nox flinched, stumbling back in shock. "Terra?"

Terra? Mother Nature, the Great Goddess, the creatress of all life, or the mother, as the witches who worshipped her called her. I felt her now, dark and light magic, her incredible power flowing through Zinnia's body.

"You created him, did you?" Terra said.

Nox flinched.

"Who is the creatress of all life, Nox?" She shook her head. "You played but a small part in the creation of your sons, and you know it. Without me helping you, they would not exist, and neither would Aster and her sisters. You begged me for help, and what did you do after I gave you what you wanted? You abused them. You used and bartered with my creations to increase your own power, and then you hid here from me in the Night Realm." She laughed. "You cannot hide anymore. Zinnia Thornheart has made it possible for me to reach you anytime I like. Make no mistake, you may not harm my creations, and now Zinnia has been possessed by a goddess, you cannot harm her either."

Nox shrieked. "You do not come to my realm and tell me what I can and cannot do—"

Zinnia's hands flew up, the power of a goddess flowing from her, and she slammed Nox back down before she lifted her off the ground and held her against the column behind her. "I can and I have. I am older than you, stronger than you, and you will do as I say, or I will tear you apart piece by piece." Terra strode up to her. "Do we understand each other?"

She shook, fighting it, but Terra was right—her power was far stronger. "Fine," Nox bit out. "Now release me and leave my realm. Leave!" she shrieked.

Zinnia's head tilted back, her body jolting, and I felt the goddess leave her. Zinnia stepped back as Nox hit the ground. I grabbed my consort around the waist and pulled her back. Zinnia shook in my arms but not from fear, from fury.

"You fuck with me or my consort, you come near Marigold or Somnus or Pascal…" Her hands curled into fists. "If you try and hurt any of my family again, I will call Terra back. I will let her have me, and she will tear you apart, because she wants to. I felt it, her hatred of you. All she needs is a reason, and if I give her one, she will destroy you. She's already proven she can create gods. She can replace you."

Nox stared at her, full of fury that she couldn't unleash.

Zinnia dismissed her, then turned to me, taking my hand. "Our daughter is waiting for us."

I didn't dare fight her on it; I didn't want to. No, I let my exquisite, strong, beautiful, fierce consort lead me from Nox's temple.

* * *

"Thank you for what you did for Zinnia and for protecting my daughter," I said to Pascal. "Anything you need or want, please ask. I owe you a debt, and I won't ever forget it."

The male turned from the ocean to me. "You owe me nothing. It was my honor, my lord. I've spent a lot of time with Marigold in the Dream Realm." He smiled. "I'm extremely fond of her and your brother."

"He'll be awake when we return," I said.

Pascal's chest expanded on a sharp indrawn breath. "I know."

"Will this be the first time you've seen each other out of the dreaming?"

"Yes."

I could feel how much he cared for Som, and I could feel the goodness inside him. "All will be well," I said, not sure how to reassure him. But I knew my brother. If he'd allowed Pascal around Marigold, he trusted and cared for him.

Leaving Pascal to contemplate his reunion with Somnus, I headed below to the cabin. When I opened the door and slipped inside, I stilled. Zinnia lay on her side, Marigold tucked in close. Her little arm was wrapped around her mother's neck, her fingers in Zinnia's hair. Hemy was curled up behind Mari, tucked in close. Pulling off my shirt, I climbed on the bed behind my consort and wrapped my arms around all of them.

"Hey," Zinnia said softly.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, I couldn't sleep." I heard her swallow. "All my life, I've had this feeling that something was missing, that there was this hole in my chest, that I'd been born with a fundamental part of me missing. I don't feel that way anymore."

I lifted up and looked down at her. "You don't?"

A tear slid down her cheek, and she shook her head. "How could I when I have everything I've ever wanted right here in this bed? The male I love more than life itself, who owns my soul, and a daughter who is my entire heart."

"And you own me, heart and soul, my precious consort." I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Thank you, Zinnia, for choosing me, for pulling me from the shadows and loving me. Now, we have an eternity to look forward to, and I promise you that nothing will ever part us again." I wrapped them both tighter in my arms, holding them safe.

"Nothing," she said softly.