32. Finny

The caldron looked seconds from bubbling over. Steam fogged the glass ceiling, raising the temperature in the small room to a hot spring. Jars floated across the air from the rows of shelves along the back wall.

"You want me to find a spell strong enough to trap a High God?" Avi scratched at his chin, peering across the room to a small bookcase. He stalked over and scanned the spines.

Naia held her mug of decaf coffee to her chest. "Is it something you can pull off?"

"Of course," Avi returned, holding a small leatherbound journal. "Thank fuck for fireproof safes. I have plenty of perimeter spells. If I tweak one a bit, I think it will work."

Theon held a jar of white stones as he read from a floating grimoire. He shook his head, puzzled. "This recipe isn't specific."

Avi turned and stretched to see the grimoire more clearly. He pointed at the page. "Right there. Toss three in."

Naia glanced up at the bundles of rosemary and sage hanging above them. To be honest, the place looked livelier since he'd taken over Yuki's potion room. The jars were all stocked with ingredients. The herbs and plants along the walls weren't overgrown anymore, and there was something satisfying with all the full vials of miscellaneous potions placed in an organized row along the shelves.

Ronin sat on a stool near the workbench, showing no interest in the conversation whatsoever. Too busy pointing out something on the page to Theon, and judging by the mischievous glimmer in his eyes, it was not with good intentions.

Avi returned his attention to Naia, mid-sip of her coffee. "Which High God am I trapping?"he asked.

She made a face from the bitter taste. "The High God of Death and Curses."

"Told you it needed more sugar for you to like it," Ronin mumbled and poured a jar of bat blood into the caldron.

Theon looked up from the grimoire simultaneously, his big, round eyes constricting around her. "You can't be serious?"

"It wouldn't need to be permanent," Naia defended. "Maybe twenty-thirty minutes, tops."

"And in the meantime," Theon drawled through his mask, "what is your big plan to break the curse?"

Naia cast her gaze onto Ronin.

Avi and Theon swiveled to find him dropping a small animal skull in the cauldron's contents. The mixture oozed black, tar-like foam down the sides.

"For fuck's sake!" Avi startled, his hand coming up to command more jars off the shelves. "How many times have I told you not to touch my potions?"

Ronin chuckled, raising his arms in mock surrender. "I was only trying to help."

Avi lightly shoved Ronin away from the caldron. "Go over there."

Theon flashed his gaze between Ronin and Naia, his left eyebrow twitching. "How do you plan to break the curse?"he repeated.

Ronin sighed, dropping his arms. "You wear that mask because your face is a perpetual serious expression, isn't it?"

"Do not play games with me." Theon glared at Ronin.

Naia pursed her lips, hiding her smile behind the rim of her steaming mug.

"What's your plan?" Theon asked, his tone short.

A somber expression replaced the humor on Ronin's face as he looked to Naia with contemptuous disapproval.

His nostrils flared as he folded his arms. "We're going to see Finnian."

When she'd first broughtit up, Ronin shot her down without hesitation.

Lying in bed, their heartbeats regulating back to normal, she'd proposed the idea.

"Fuck no," he'd grumbled.

She sat up. "It's the only way."

In the end, Ronin agreed to go along with whatever she thought was best.

"If he tries anything, I'm putting him down." Was Ronin's only condition.

The next day, Ronin ordered Noah to send the message to Runa—a leader of an organization under Finnian.

A week later, Ronin and Naia stood outside the Kahale residence behind the barrier spell surrounding the property.

That was the other condition—under no circumstances was Naia to step outside of the barrier.

The others were inside, and Naia could only imagine them peeping out the windows, prepared to act at the first sign of suspicious behavior.

Naia's pulse drummed in her throat as she peered into the thick shadows of the tree line, awaiting Finnian's arrival. She was disgusted by her treacherous excitement to see him.

He betrayed you.Gave you away to Malik.

Ronin squeezed her hand, a subtle assurance to let her know he was there. Always behind her. Ready to act.

She inhaled a deep breath, one of moist leaves and floral fragrances braided in the seaweed breeze, and spun the band on her finger in fast circles with her thumb. A band identical to Ronin's. Matte black with a ruby gemstone in its center.

Finnian materialized before them, the sound like a fluid swoosh. She made out the silhouette of his figure first, barely a few inches taller than her own height. Most gods Naia had crossed paths with were broad-shouldered, arms corded with muscles, but Finnian was the opposite. He was lean and possessed the stealth of a feline as he strolled into the bright rays streaming across the clearing from the streetlight.

He stopped a few feet from them, glanced at the invisible barrier with a jump to his lips. Naia didn't want to think about how easy it would be for a High God like him to break it.

Ronin let go of her hand, as if he readied himself to attack if necessary.

Naia rolled back her shoulders and said, "Thank you for coming."

Finnian's long hair was pulled back behind his shoulders, leaving his bangs to frame his face as he assessed her. "It seems you've gotten yourself into one hell of a mess, Sister."

His voice, his presence—Naia hated how much she'd missed him.

She fisted her hands at her sides, solidifying the tenderness in her heart. "It is why I called you here."

His brows arched. "I'm listening."

Naia brought her hand up to display the wretched curse mark. "I need your help to break this."

Finnian had resources, a High God's knowledge, and the freedom to go wherever he pleased to hunt down answers. He'd also somehow deflected Cassian's wrath and continued practicing necromancy in spite of the High God. Finding a way was a talent of her infuriatingly willful little brother, it seemed.

Finnian's expression hardened as he stared at it. "Your mark differs from his others. It possesses more of his signature aura. Clearly, your child is of grave importance to him."

She cocked her head, baiting him. "Are you saying you are too afraid?"

Finnian gave a gut-rattling smirk. Clearly, he was tooeager. "And miss an opportunity to one up Cassian? Absolutely not."

Naia rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "You are still so easy to convince."

The glint in his gaze softened, and she hated how it thawed a bit of her bitterness towards him. "If you are referring to the time Vex and Astrid convinced me to give you that ghastly necklace, I could argue how I was only a child back then."

She scrunched her nose. "I taught you to have better sense than to believe those snakes."

He gave a low chuckle.

Naia took him in and how different his demeanor was this time around. He'd been cold and distant with her last time, not the least bit interested in holding a conversation. Now, it seemed his guard was lowered, and despite blatantly ignoring Ronin's presence right behind her, he was more tolerable.

Ronin shifted, the movement rustling the grass beneath his feet, as if to remind Finnian he was there.

Finnian fixed on, what was no doubt in Naia's mind, Ronin's glare. "It's been a while, Mr. Kahale. Your absence from my city has been like a delightful vacation."

"Don't direct any comments to me," Ronin advised brusquely.

The corner of Finnian's lips twitched. His gaze flickered back onto Naia and regarded her with a familiar look—one she used to catch glimpses of when he was younger, during feasts, or across Mira's long, narrow hall. A look of adoration.

It tugged at her heart and tears burned in her eyes. "Don't you dare look at me that way, Finnian."

An expression passed over his face, a boyish sensitivity she hadn't seen in ages, as he grimaced. "I never wanted this for you."

"You left me without ever looking back," she said, attempting to control her anger from slipping into her tone. "What did you expect?"

"I wasn't going to leave you there forever, Naia, but I needed time to become strong before facing Mother again."

"Why did you do it then?" She clamped her jaw, the sting of his betrayal pricking the inside of her chest. "Why did you hand me to Malik?"

"Father always used to say you had it in you," he whispered, as if the words were only meant for her to hear. "You do things in your own time, and one day, something would draw out your true power."

A gust of rage swept through her, and her clenched fists came up in the air as she took a step, intending to punch him. She could do it without worrying about his well-being, knowing it wouldn't cause him permanent harm. "Are you telling me you forced me into the situation with the triplets, believing I would reveal some dormant power because they threatened my freedom?"

Ronin caught her by the crook of her elbow, a swift reminder not to step over the boundary line.

"You're not selfish enough for something like your own desires to be the catalyst. You do not care about seeking vengeance on those who wronged you, or to allow the suffering you've endured to provoke you." Finnian's eyes dropped to her stomach and then flickered over to Ronin, before finally settling on her. "You and I are the same in that we love profoundly, and we will hold on to that love forever. Eternity is all we know. We refuse to let go and we will find a way, even if we must create it. For the first time in your life, Naia, fragility surrounds you. They are as breakable as a butterfly's wing."

She glared at him, knowing everything he said was right.

"The second time," she corrected, lowering her fists.

Ronin released his grasp from her arm.

Finnian scoffed. "Kaleo was unaware of your divine nature, and his death took you by surprise. You were too innocent to think Marina would murder the man."

For a moment, she was caught off guard, surprised he knew the intricate details about Kaleo's final moments.

Finnian intently searched her face for a beat. "How will you respond now, dear sister, with Ronin's life on the line? When all you've ever had to fear is Father losing his freedom or the prospect of my pain and suffering at the hands of Mother."

Naia spun the band around her finger in nervous loops. Mortals were as fragile as an autumn leaf on the ground, slowly perishing.How would she respond?

When she thought about it, a life force blazed awake in her veins. Whether she had the capability was not the issue. She would split the skin of the earth with her bare fists and use it as their shield before she let anything threaten the lives of those she loved.

It was astonishing to think how Finnian had turned against her, all in the name of her own interest. Because of his action, a broken trust lingered, forcing a part of her to swear to never grant him such delicate pieces of herself again.But she knew Finnian, and no matter how furious she was at him, it never made sense how he would side with Malik, the murderer of Arran, over her.

"In six months' time, I will meet you back here." Finnian bowed his chin slightly, conveying his promise. "If you need to get in touch with me before then, have one of Mr. Kahale's members reach out. Or you could join the modern age and get a cellphone," he teased.

It would certainly be more efficient, but her pride kept her from admitting such. She folded her arms and said, "I will consider it."

He turned to leave, only to pause in his steps, and angle his head along the length of his shoulder. "I am sorry for hurting you, Naia. That was never my intention. I was prepared to intervene if Malik captured you. If it makes you feel any better, I chopped him to bits while he was paralyzed, and then let my ghouls feast on him."

A surprised chirp slipped out of her, and she slapped her hand over her mouth. "That's awful, Finnian."

"It took him two days to regenerate completely and run home with his tail tucked between his legs. I doubt he will leave Kaimana for the foreseeable future," Finnian said.

From behind, a breathy laugh left Ronin.

Finnian was rooting for her—in his own twisted way. Of all the years she'd lived, not once had anyone in their family, besides their father, ever put their love for her over their own pride and apologized.

"I will do what I can to help you." Out of the corner of his eye, Finnian's gaze locked onto hers. "I promise."

He disappeared as soon as the vow left his lips, leaving her with nothing but a scarlet, shimmering tendril of smoke.

All remaining resentment towards Finnian vanished along with him. I forgive you. She hadn't had the chance to say it, but it was like a boulder lifting off her.

Ronin's chest pressed snug into her shoulder blades, and he kissed the side of her head.

She peered into the twinkling hue of the shadow her little brother left behind. "I'm counting on you, Finny," she whispered.