Chapter 20

I t wasn't until we reached the city gates did I loosen my grip on the dagger. Sheathing it back against my thigh, I uncorked my water pouch and drank deeply. The afternoon's journey left my mouth parched.

A double lane stone bridge with guard towers erected on either side marked Venia's entrance. A crystal river below roared over rapids and glittering fish breached its iridescent waves. The reflection of the city lights flickered with the setting sun.

Wildflowers of every color bloomed brilliantly along the river bank and blades of grass rustled in a warm breeze. Even the city walls felt alive with greenery. Honeysuckle and ivy vines crept along the marble bricks, releasing their sweetness into the air. As the final beams of daylight faded away, we scurried past the white marble turrets, every so often glancing up at the guards who swung their bows and leaned lazily against their posts. With Tethys's reputation, it wasn't likely they'd suspect travelers sneaking through the gates.

Unlike Ursae, the streets of Venia brightened the nighttime air. Candles burned from every window and sconces roared at every street corner as if the city itself tried to wash out the stars overhead.

Rune, having regained his strength, grasped my hand and pulled me silently behind him. I glanced at the starless sky above us, shrouded in clouds. My connection to the sky, and the northern goddess who ruled overhead, was snipped as we snuck through the open gates. Without her watchful eye in the presence of moonlight, I felt a void growing deep in my chest. Every fiber of my being was on high alert.

"It's alright. You're safe here." Rune squeezed my hand.

"I know… I just don't feel right." I whispered.

Arcturas brushed against my leg, her brilliant eyes illuminating the shadows of the city's entrance. Rune's brow glistened with a nervous sweat, and the familiar sheen across his features now glimmered brightly and rapidly. A suspicion flowered at the back of my throat. Something was wrong. Had I made a grave mistake in trusting this man to lead me here? Was I walking straight into my enemy's hands? I inspected his face, my eyes narrowing with the bloom of hesitation.

"You trust me, right?" he asked, leading us down the gravel street. He smoothed back my disheveled hair and brushed his lips softly against mine. When I pulled away, the glimmer was gone and only honey-brown eyes looked back at me. The growing uncertainty faded with the touch of his lips, replaced only with a warmth that spread across my cheeks. I trusted Rune with my whole heart. He'd pulled me from the depths of myself. He'd awakened my old self, my best self, despite all the rage that surrounded me. Even in this strange city, with lights that outshined the moon, I was safe. Settling into the soles of my boots, I took his hand and swallowed the rising lump in my throat.

"Yes, of course," I said, and we continued deeper into the heart of the city.

Picketed gardens of endless floral blooms spilling from their neatly trimmed hedges rustled in the springtime air as we traveled further away from the city's entrance. Pale pink and yellow flags, masted on marble pillars, billowed in the night time. Two interlaced swans, crested between ornate golden vines, the sigils of Tethys, were painted on every pristine white wall we passed. Babbling fountains and man made brooks whispered peaceful lullabies to a sleeping city. The quiet was eerie. We were two sneaking souls, disrupting the stillness as if we were the only two left in the realms.

"I know somewhere we can stay the night," Rune said, leading us down a side street. Hedges, speckled with white blooms, lined row after row of stone townhomes. At the end of the sidewalk, a crystalline woman stood tall, her delicately carved fingers plucking from a harp. Amber candlelight reflected on each geometric surface of the statue with beads of topaz lining the flowing crystal robes that draped against her delicately carved frame. Even in moonlight I recognized that divine face, causing my blood to flare.

"I thought Venians hated their patron goddess," I said, tracing the delicate curves of the statue's curly, long hair. Even in the crystal, malice filled her eyes.

"Most do. There are some still loyal to her, waiting for her return. Queen Magdalaine and her mortal court have tried to remove these shrines, but it's pointless. The high born who insist on maintaining them have too much influence. Too much wealth." Rune bit his lip in disgust as he, too, looked upon the crystal goddess. Her hands, neatly clasped at the base of her dress, were slender. The essence of femininity. Also, the essence of death. The base of my neck burned at the vision of her fiery smile as she wrung the breath from my lungs.

"Are you cold? Let's keep moving and get you by a fireside." Rune brushed his thumb across my cheek. I didn't notice I was shaking until his touch pulled me from the statue's hypnotic gaze.

"Oh, um, yes. Let's go," I said, taking his hand in mine.

We continued to sneak through the sleeping streets. Rune led me deeper into the city, passing lush courtyards and tidy chateaus. As we twisted and turned through rows of flowers and uniform trees, my pulse quickened. Every fiber of my being screamed to turn and run, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't.

Fully trusting Rune's guidance, I had lost my footing in the seemingly endless maze of white and yellow townhomes. Finally, the narrow streets opened to a three story manor. Arched windows lined the faded blue siding and fields of plumeria trees bordered the gravel roadway at the manor's front gate. Torches cast flickering shadows across a labyrinth of clipped, blooming hedges that stretched infinitely in front of us.

"It's my family home. No one's lived here for years. We'll be safe here," Rune said, gripping my hand and leading us to the main gate. "Only the city gardeners who tend to the courtyards walk the grounds, but they're only day workers."

I remained silent, lost in the estate's grandeur.

"You said your family holds court in the city. They must have high status. This place is… impressive."

Rune grimaced at the mention of his family, kicking up gravel with his gaze lowered to the ground.

"We did once. When we lost my mother, though, things sort of fell apart for us. Now all that's left is this house." His voice was strained as he swung the wrought-iron gate open, letting Arcturas and I pass through first.

The sweet perfume of plumeria was overwhelming. Its stifling stench crept into my lungs. Rune's demeanor darkened with each step as we continued past a peacefully bubbling fountain and reached the manor's entrance. Wiping away a film of dust coating the amber glass panes, Rune pulled on the door's golden handle. With a heavy groan, it croaked open.

Cobwebs lurked in every corner of the dark foyer. A golden bannister coiled around a grand marble staircase that centered the room. Ornate sconces, cold and forgotten, hung between massive portraits of men and women draped with gems and silken fabrics. Overhead, a golden chandelier with crystal-carved candelabras swung lightly from our intrusion. The dust settled in thick layers across the checkerboard tile floor. It seemed only the outer grounds were maintained. The interior was left to rot away, isolated in time.

"I'll see if I can find some candles for these sconces. The house should be empty, but be careful if you decide to look around. I'm not sure the condition of the floors upstairs. It's been years since I've been here." Rune smiled sadly, then disappeared into a dark hallway to our left, which I assumed led to the kitchen.

A soft draft licked through the foyer, raising the flesh of my arms. Arcturas, rubbing between my legs, leapt up the stairway. Lost in the fresh smells of springtime and abandoned wealth, she climbed the steps. Her nose collected dust as she sniffed a trail to the second floor and out of sight.

I sighed, not wanting to be alone with the lurking gaze of Rune's ancestors scattered across the walls, and followed the wolf. The steps creaked in protest beneath my weight. They most likely hadn't been disturbed in years. My family's palace was incomparable to the opulence of this home. If all the lords and ladies of Venia lived in manors like this, I couldn't imagine the royal palace.

A match flick echoed through the foyer below as Rune lit each sconce, casting out the abandoned darkness with blazing candles. The light kindled across each portrait, illuminating tanned complexions and golden blonde hair. Each painting was rich with color- gold, pinks, and deep oranges, reminding me of the most glorious of sunrises. Every lady's neck was extravagant with diamonds, topaz, and delicate laced gold. All the lords held finely carved swords embedded with hundreds of gems.

At the top of the stairs, a portrait far larger than the others hung proudly. I stopped at the last step, fingers curled around the cold, metal bannister. The portrait hung so high only the rim of the ornately detailed frame was at eye level.

My lungs collapsed as I followed the canvas up the wall. Staring down at me was a woman with cruel eyes and a delicate frame. Blonde hair flowed in ringlet curls down her bare shoulders. A circlet of topaz sat atop her slender head. I slowly reached for the dagger against my leg. Expecting to wrap my hand around the heavy metal hilt, my fingers only hit the stitching of an empty leather sheath.

My muscles froze as the realization sank its teeth into my chest.

A pained yip echoed from the darkness down the second story hallway, and without thought, I slammed into the shadows. The yipping turned into agonized whines as I threw myself into an open doorway.

There, with her claws wrapped around my wolf's neck, stood the goddess, an exact duplicate of the oil portrait I'd just laid my eyes on. Arcturas screeched and scratched at the goddess who was, without effort, holding her in midair as if she weighed only a feather. My nostrils flared and with clenched fists, I lunged at the Spring Queen. Flicking her open hand, a wave of invisible force sent me flying back and I landed on my tailbone, the remnants of breath pushed out of my throat.

"Get your fucking hands off my wolf," I hissed, rubbing my aching back.

"Oh, Lady Elpis, I couldn't possibly do that. This beast would tear me to shreds the minute I released her." Tethys's voice was just as velvety as it was in my dreams. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear and smiled sweetly at me as she tightened her grip.

Arcturas, now squealing frantically, nipped at her fingers, choking as Tethys cut off her airway.

"Let her go. Now," I screeched, jumping to my feet and lunging again.

Vines pierced through the deep crimson carpet beneath us, binding my ankles to the floor and trailing up my body, paralyzing me with their venomous thorns.

"I think it's time I tamed this beast." One second Arcturas flailed in her outstretched arm, the next she cracked against the floor, limp and unmoving.

Something within me snapped and the tether between my wolf and me faded until I could barely feel the thread of her life against mine. My blood turned to flames. Rage ignited across my skin as the hair on my arms pricked up. The scream that poured out of me was more than agony. It was a primal, animalistic roar of sheer anguish.

"Oh, don't be dramatic." Tethys stepped towards me, floating across the dusty floor until her bright eyes were mere inches from mine.

She smelled of honeysuckle and the dewy air of early morning.

With a click of her tongue, she brushed the back of her hand against my cheek. "It's not dead, just subdued."

I trembled against her touch. If I could wriggle out of these vines, I'd rip her throat out with my teeth and watch her blood spill onto the dirty carpet.

"What do you want from me, Tethys?" I spat. "Let us go and I'll give you whatever you want."

"Well, Lady Elpis, you're the only thing standing in the way of what I want." She turned, lacing her fingers behind her back, and stepped to the large oval window that overlooked the manor's gardens.

Strings of pearly shrubs and blooming flowers swayed in the gentle breeze. The only light illuminating their pink and yellow petals was from the flicker of torches lining the gravel paths.

"I don't know what you're planning, but it has nothing to do with me. So let us go, please."

I glanced at Arcturas. She was too still. Too limp. The fur of her pelt brushed down her spine as if it were melting into the floor.

"You truly don't know who you are?" Tethys glanced over her shoulder at me, sincere shock stretched across her perfect lips. "Oh, you poor thing. Well, let me enlighten you. Twenty-three years ago, your saintly goddess fell in love with a mortal king. She whisked him away to the immortal realm and, while his kingdom starved and withered away, they had a child. Polaris realized that her infant daughter was prophesied to bring war to the mortal realms, so she sent her loving king and their child away. Did you ever wonder why your sister hated you so much? Or why your mortal mother treated you differently?"

"No. That's not true," I hissed, struggling beneath my tightening binds. Lies. She was just trying to get under my skin.

"Elpis, come now. You may be pathetic, but you're not stupid. Those shadows lurking beneath your skin had to have come from somewhere. No mortal holds power like you," she said.

I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks as thorns pierced the flesh of my arms.

"You are the daughter of Polaris. You're to bring utter destruction to the mortal realm. Thousands of lives will be lost because of you. I'm protecting not just my people, but the people of Ursae, Aquilae and Canissa alike. From you." She emphasized her words, enunciating each syllable with her full lips.

"That's why I sent my son after you. Although, I didn't think it'd be that easy to get you here. You really are too trusting. Aryx, come in here." With a flick of her wrist, the chamber door swung open, and a broad-shouldered figure stepped in from the shadows.

Dangerous power dripped from the man's entire being as he towered over his mother, making the immortal beside him look as weak as a mouse. Shoulder length, golden hair peeked from beneath a tinted black helmet that shielded all of his features. Amber pupils glowed from beneath his helmet, sending shivers down my spine as he scanned me from head to toe. Every hair on my body pricked at his energy. Never in my life had I experienced someone so deadly. Someone who commanded the attention of every molecule in their presence.

"Aryx, my love, take off your helmet. Let her see your face," Tethys grinned widely as he pulled the bronze off his face. My knees gave out and suddenly, there was no air left in the room for me to breathe.

Standing before me was Rune .