Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

I stand in the entrance hall of my home, and my heart pounds in my chest as the castle walls groan in disapproval. This plan is stupid and insane, but at this point, I'll either do this or lose Emrys—and the chance of losing this entire world with him. The longer I leave them there stirring, the more risk they will attack us first, and we will lose in the state we are in right now. The courts are a mess thanks to Aphrodite invading each one, and the Air Court has fallen. I don't know how I'm going to tell Emrys that we couldn't save his court, his people, and there are only a few survivors. If he is still in there, in his body, which I have to believe he is, then he likely saw his own court get destroyed. How does he recover from that?

My mother stands at my side, and at the same time, Emrys's mother is upstairs crying her eyes out and has been crying since I told her everything that happened to Emrys. Her son. Her heir. I try to make a smile, but I don't feel it, not in my soul. I'm angry and so fucking done with the gods. I can't lose him.

"You look ready for war, darling, and I love seeing you strong like this but not when you're heartbroken and about to face an enemy who has defeated our family once before." She's right.

I smooth my hands down my tight clothes. We're both wearing all black, a silver crest of a crown with a dragon wrapped around it, clipped over my heart, right in the soft protective leather that goes from my neck to my ankles, its scale design reminding me of Grayson's dragon. She braided my hair, which I re-dyed all purple last night with Livia's help. Grayson hasn't slept and nothing I say to him is making it better, but his lips twitched when he saw my hair this morning.

"We are the strongest royals left in this world, and if we don't face them and try, then we are just as bad as they are. I am heartbroken, but I am angry. I'm angry enough that they should be scared," I tell my mother, my eyes softening. "I know they scare you, and you don't have to come with me. I understand and would never judge you for it."

She touches my arm. "Daughter, there isn't a fight I would not take for you. I fended off madness in a prison for years with just a dream of holding you one more time. You are my light and my reason to stand. I will fight with you; I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

"I love you," I whisper, emotion threatening to overwhelm me. Just then, Lysander comes over, searching my face, but I reassure him. "I'm ready for this. You don't need to check. I'm okay."

Lysander arches a perfect eyebrow on his deliciously pretty face and smirks. "I know. I was admiring your outfit." Such a liar and he does it on purpose, knowing I'll smile. I want to make a joke, say something, but all I can see is Emrys literally choking me. Emrys…disappearing into himself. Lysander cups my face with his hands, no doubt feeling all of my emotions like they are his own. My mother walks away to Arden and Grayson to give us some time.

"The plan will work, and we will get him back," I insist.

"If we don't, help me destroy everything, my enemy?" My lips part. "I'll be the villain, and you can use me however you want as long as I'm with you." He rests his head against mine. "Say the word and we go in there and just start killing."

I gulp, knowing he would raise the sea and wash the world away for me. So much power, and yet it wouldn't save Emrys. I don't even know if he can be saved.

A roar outside, a dragon roar I know well, makes me look away. It's only been a few hours since we made a decision and a plan. Terrin listened to all of it, but he's still not spoken a word to me other than to see if I'm okay, and I hate leaving here while he is riddled with so much guilt it's choking to feel him through the bond. I know he is protecting me in his own way, but something feels different. "Let me come with you," Terrin finally speaks to me in my head.

Sighing, I look at the castle walls like I can see through them and to my massive dragon flying in the rain outside. "I need you, but not when you're a dragon. I'm sorry, but there's little you can do in the Air Court. I need you to stay here and look after the people, our people."

"I hate being parted from you when you're about to go and do something dangerous and reckless." He growls.

"I thought that was why you fell in love with me. The continuously doing dangerous and reckless things, like riding a dragon, for example," I point out, needing to distract him.

It doesn't work. "It's my fault. All of it. I should have told you everything, and I didn't. When you get back, I need to tell you something that I didn't tell you before, but now that the tsar is here…well, I need to tell you."

I can hear the seriousness in his tone along with the guilt, but I'm confused about what he needs to tell me. "You know that your sister's decision to take a new rider wasn't your fault, or for him to bring the West army here. The war, it's not on you."

"We need to talk when you get back," he says with a finality that tells me this conversation is over. "And I love you. Be safe."

"I love you too," I whisper into his mind and feel him focus away from me. I get the sinking feeling Terrin has been keeping a big secret from me, and I need to know what it is. I trust him, completely, and I'm surprised.

I was so distracted that when I look back, Arden and Grayson have joined us. Each of my kings are ready for a fight, and I'm as turned on by their dark clothes, weapons and general look as I am terrified to lose them like Emrys. Arden kisses my forehead. "I'm glad that he can still speak to you, princess. You need someone in your overthinking mind."

"I miss all of you speaking to me like that." I turn to Grayson and focus. I know every second we don't go to the Air Court, it's tearing him apart as much as it is me.

Emrys. Please let there be something left for me to save. If he is really gone…I can't. Pain shoots through my heart as Grayson makes the portal and I think of my air king. He never deserved any of this. Lysander's hand is like a rock in the sea, making sure I don't drown in my own feelings as the Air Court spreads out in front of us. Angry, violent wind blows harsh and forgiving against the thrones and the broken archways that hang above this place. It's changed since I was last here. There has been more destruction, and it's almost like the air element has taken out its anger on the throne room. Even on this side of the portal, I can feel the icy breeze through the clothes I'm wearing. The sword seems to warm on my back just for a second, knowing that if I need it, that'll be my next move. It creeped me out on the battlefield, but I'm not holding it again unless everything hasn't gone to plan.

I have to believe in myself, in my kings and the plan we have, otherwise my legs would never move. We walk through together, my mother following after us. The wintry winds of the Air Court almost seem angry, bitter, but it doesn't match the pure wrath in my chest as I see Emrys sitting on a throne. It's not Emrys at all. His eyes are glaring red, burning, like I could see Ares's soul right there on the surface of his handsome face, smothering my beautiful mate's soul that is mine. He has always been mine.

Emrys is wearing all red, the colour washing out his tanned skin, only making his white hair look too pale, too much like death. Instead of Emrys's green eyes I fell in love with, his are now red like Arden's but a darker shade like blood. I grit my teeth, tempted to rush over and plunge my sword straight through his chest to get Ares out. Even if it breaks me, that would be Emrys too. Ares, the smug bastard, smiles, knowing that I will not harm him. Ares wearing Emrys body is the perfect defence. Aphrodite saw the love between Emrys and me and set up the perfect way to keep them both alive. I wonder how many people they have done this with, how many hearts have felt like mine and been broken by the goddess of love and the god of war? If I don't stop them, will it ever end?

Aphrodite's lounging on the throne next to him in a long red dress. It's wrapped tight around her neck, and the silk falls around her curves. The bottom part sparkles like diamonds on the stone ground, and it matches her blood-red lips. She brushes her braided hair over her shoulder and smiles at me like we are long-lost friends. Every bit of hate, disgust and desire to kill her must be written all over my face, because she stops smiling for a second and looks away.

"You brought most of your lovers and mother here to die a quick death? They should thank you, and it does save me chasing them down in each of those pesky courts." She makes a joke like this is all nothing to her. Maybe it isn't to her, I don't know, but she is ruining my life and joking about it.

I step away from Lysander and lift my head high. "Gods like to play games, so play one last game with me with the stakes higher than they have ever been." She rests her head on her bent arm and waves at me to continue. "You liked that I won your trials. I saw it. It was probably some sick but fun entertainment for you. It must get boring after all these years of being a god of love, trapped and married to him. Who better than the goddess of love to play with a girl that has five men in love with her? So, I offer you one more game. The winner gets this world and everyone in it. That includes my king, and Ares has to leave his body. I want Ayiolyn and I will claim it. Play or we can do the boring thing and fight until you are dead."

Her painted lips turn up into a huge smile, one that unsettles my stomach. "You're smart, smarter than your mother?—"

My mother steps forward to my side. "Careful how you speak about my daughter. I watched you, goddess of love, and I know you're nothing but a sad woman who is suffering, so you're going to bring the entire world down with you because you aren't happy."

Emrys…no, Ares speaks. "I'd like to trap her in a prison for years again. She clearly didn't use the time to learn how to shut her fucking mouth."

Aphrodite puts her hand on Ares's arm. Touching Emrys. Touching my mate. Burning jealousy makes the entire world darken around me, shadows slithering into gaps in the stone and waiting like snakes to strike at my command. Aphrodite doesn't move her hand, but she straightens. "The first thing my husband will do is kill Emrys's body and soul for good if you dare attack me in my home."

"This isn't your home," I snarl.

Grayson comes to my side, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Where's my sister?"

Aphrodite looks him up and down in a way I don't like. Fuck her. "Safe, below, in the dungeons, earth king. You're too pretty to see cry, so I won't kill her…yet. It's a bit cold, mind you. I might chuck her a blanket if you play nice. She cries all the time. She's rather annoying."

Grayson tenses and the ground cracks under our feet. "Give her back, you fucking?—"

"Why would I do that? I'm not stupid. I realise exactly how powerful each of you is. My husband's in the air king's body and feels his power. He could suffocate this entire world if he wanted to. You could burn it down. You could drown it, and you, earth king, could rip the earth apart."

"If you touch a single hair on her head or she dies from the cold… If she has cried this entire time, ripping the earth apart would be the least of your problems. I'll help Ellelin rip you apart with her shadows and watch you scream. Trust my words. We will enjoy it." He cocks his head to the side. He isn't wrong. I've wanted her dead for so long, and every time I think there is a chance I could get time with my kings, something always goes wrong. My uncle Phobos once told me that murder doesn't count if they are annoying shitheads who deserve it, and I've kept that motto in my heart. "There won't be anything left of you to go to hell when we're done."

I see a flicker of fear in her eyes, and she purposely looks away from Grayson to me. "I do like games. It would be easier than attempting to kill you all. I want the world to worship me before I take on another, and this ultimate game, the last test, will be a warning to anyone that tries to revolt after I win. A legacy of the last royal dragons." She taps her fingers on the chair as the angry, stiff wind blows around my legs.

My mother suddenly disappears and my hand grabs for the empty space. "Where the fuck did you take her?" I scream, my shadows rising like pillars into the sky.

"Calm down," Aphrodite laughs. "I sent her down to the dungeons to keep that crying girl company and to add to the stakes."

I grit my teeth and look at Grayson, Arden and Lysander. One word and we fight until the death. My eyes drift back to Emrys, and the thought sinks in my chest. Even if we did win against Aphrodite, the last thing Ares would do is kill Emrys to spite me. Aphrodite carries on when I look back at her. "Here is my deal. Four tests, one for each of you to complete and win. You need to win three out of four, and if we draw, I win. One of you will have to come back each day. If you win, then I will leave this world. I will take Ares's soul with me and leave Emrys's body here for you to sort out. Alive, of course. I will not hurt anyone, and I will leave the princess and your mother here, too. Unharmed."

"You leave this world with no powers. You lose everything, including your magic," I add in before she can continue. "If I'm risking everything, so are you. Unless you're frightened."

Taunting her is easy. She laughs, but Ares isn't impressed. "Fucking hell, do not make that deal for a stupid game. It isn't worth?—"

"Deal," Aphrodite interrupts Ares, who slumps back in his seat, looking pale. Emrys looks sick and I hope it's because Emrys's soul is fighting in there, making it hell for Ares. "But if you lose, I'm going to take over with four dragon kings at my side, the four elements, and they will be tasked with killing you in front of everyone." My mates blanch and my heart races. I stare at my mates, wishing that we could talk in our minds to each other. But I don't need to do that to know that we can't go back now. Our decision was set before we came here.

"You have a deal."

"Good. Water king, your test is first. Come tomorrow, at dawn, alone. Anyone that comes with you is dead," Aphrodite demands. "And I vow to abide by the rules set today and promise safety in and out of the tests. I vow it on my blood." She touches her neck, running a nail across it. Her blood freely flows down her pale neck.

"I make the vow too." Lysander unclips a blue shimmering dagger from inside his cloak and quickly cuts his hand. Each of my kings makes the deal until I am left. The blood of my mates drips off the dagger like a warning as I slide it across my own palm. I vow to any gods that are listening. Let this be a warning of what happens when gods come to our world. I twist the dagger around and point it right at Aphrodite. "You are going to be a warning that haunts all the gods that are scattered across the worlds. This is what happens when you come to a world that is not yours and you try to mess with the rulers. When you're dead, this final game is going to be our legacy. Not yours."

Her eyes flicker with something, something I can't read, but I look one more time at Emrys with my heart, feeling like it's in his hands, being crushed, before nodding to Gray. Grayson opens a portal right behind us, and I take his hand as we walk back through. When it closes, my heart doesn't feel like it came through, and it will be lost with Emrys and my mother in the Air Court until this game is over.

"Granddaughter." I spin around to see my grandmother and Cronus standing in the centre of the room.

"How?" I splutter, unable to get any other words out, but my grandmother opens her arms.

"Your family is here and you're not fighting for this world alone. Now tell me, where is my daughter?"