Chapter 50

" Elpis, my dear. You made it! Good. Good. What a wonderful little family reunion." She leaned her head in her hand and kicked her foot casually across her knee.

"Aunt Elpis?" Vikar's eyes widened. "You're supposed to be in the tower."

His throat bobbed against the deadly edge of the blade. I hadn't noticed before, but blood dripped from the rigid, black vines wrapped tightly around his ankles.

"Let him go Tethys, or I-"

"Or you'll what? Kill me? I'm immortal, or have you forgotten? Stupid, insolent girl." Her lips spread into a dark smirk. Each perfectly placed dimple glared at me with poised cruelty. I clenched my fists, trying to keep the stitches of reality from reeling apart. I had to stay in control, even if it took every drop of self will not to unleash the demon and let her rip Tethys apart limb by limb.

The goddess pressed her blade further into Vikar's throat. A small droplet of blood leaked from the incision, streaming down his neck and staining his perfectly pristine amethyst tunic. "Take another step, and I'll slaughter him where he stands."

Vikar sobbed, his eyes pleading to be spared. Although a foot taller than the last time I saw him, he had the same boyish features. His voice was deeper, more mature than I'd remembered, but the familiar sweet undertone of childhood still lined his words.

Arcturas growled deeply beside me, her deadly eyes like arrows aimed at their target. One word and she'd pounce. Fury blossomed in the pit of my stomach, like a virus infecting my bloodstream until it devoured me entirely. I didn't notice that I'd stopped breathing amidst the shaking rage now coursing through my veins. Stay in control.

"Let him go. He's not a part of this," I hissed, watching the immortal rise to her feet.

"Oh, Elpis. He's as much a part of this as you are. You think I didn't know the moment I left Venia that you and my son had conspired against me?" With a snap of her fingers, the vines slithered up Vikar's legs and tightened around his chest, pinching the exposed skin of his arms until they drew blood.

"It's me you want. Not him. Let him go," I said, leaping forward the second her weapon left his throat.

She snapped her fingers again and a wave of power jolted through me, sending me spiraling through the air. The all-too-sweet smell of honeysuckle was heavy in the air, sucking up the oxygen until my lungs struggled to breathe.

"Haven't we done this before?" she laughed. "You can't touch me. Don't waste your breath even trying."

"LET HIM GO!" I roared, rising to my feet and unsheathing my sword.

Tethys froze at the sight of the golden blade. Her eyes followed the citrine gems that lined its center. "Why do you have that?"

I remained silent, charging at her again. Another snap of her fingers and the goddess evaporated, only to reappear on the opposing side of the throne room.

"Why do you wield that blade?" she asked. There was a tinge of desperation in her voice.

She snapped her finger again, freeing an invisible force that shoved me into the unforgiving metal armrest of the throne.

"It was a gift," I said, wiping blood from my lower lip.

"From whom?"

Arcturas pounced for her with bared fangs, only to skid across the floor once Tethys disappeared again.

A single out-of-place ringlet of golden hair hung down her cheek. Tucking it back behind her ear and smoothing the wrinkles in her blush colored dress, she asked, "Where is my son? Where is Aryx?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, frozen in place at the mention of his name.

"Well?" she asked.

I halted in my tracks, the sword suddenly heavy at my side.

"Where is he?"

I looked into her eyes, rage burning through me until I felt like I might combust. "He's gone."

She stopped short, eyes widening. "What do you mean, gone?"

"He's dead. Your son is dead. Gone. In the immortal realm," I cried, swinging my blade toward her. She snapped again and vanished, only to reappear behind me.

"I see." A pang of sadness flicked across her perfect face, only for an instant.

I lunged for her again, and again she snapped and reappeared behind me.

"You might as well quit doing that. I wouldn't want you to tire yourself out."

"He's dead because of you." The words seethed through my gritted teeth.

"No, my dear, he's dead because of you. I've done nothing."

I leapt for her, the demons scratching against my mind. With a wave of her hand, vines erupted from the stone floor, wriggling and slithering toward me. I slashed them away, cutting branch after branch around my ankles. There were too many to escape. The tendrils weaved between my feet, knocking me to the floor. Pain exploded at the base of my spine, leaving me breathless on the throne room tile.

Tethys stepped to the window, watching the violence and bloodshed transpire in the courtyards below. The walls dripped with scarlet death. The clank of blade against blade was deafening, and the roar of wounded men echoed through the keep's interior walls.

"Vikar, it seems your loyal army has sent reinforcements to you," she said, clenching her fists at her side.

"Please, Goddess, please let me go," he cried, struggling against the binds. With each frantic flail, they pressed into him more. Wheezing and gasping for air, my nephew struggled to breathe as they tightened around his chest.

"Vikar, stay still! They'll strangle you if you keep moving like that," I cried, watching as he gulped for breath.

"How sweet it is, how much you care for your nephew." With her hands laced behind her back, she stepped in close to Vikar. He shrugged away from her as she stroked a long, vicious finger down his cheek.

"Don't touch him," I growled, attempting to stand. My back protested, sending agonizing springs up my spinal column.

"It's only fair, Elpis. You took the life of someone I hold dear, now it's my turn." She snapped her fingers, and the vines pressed further into his skin.

Vikar coughed and groaned, his complexion turning blue from lack of oxygen. The vines continued to close around his abdomen, squeezing the muscle until it shredded beneath his skin.

"No!" I wailed, watching my nephew crumple into a heap of broken, bloody bone.

My heart stopped as I entered a world where Vikar ceased to exist. The taste of desperate grief was like iron on my tongue. Tethys smirked, watching me drown.

They say vengeance is never the answer. Retribution was more harmful than healing. In this moment, I didn't give a fuck. I needed to feel Tethys's life slip away between my hands. I needed to watch her body sink into the ground beneath my feet.

For Aryx.

For Vikar.

For all of my men that lay still on the battlefield outside.

For all the innocent mortals slaughtered on the streets of Aquilae.

For my sister, whose death was my prison sentence.

For the woman I could have been.

"You aren't leaving this island alive," I growled, unclasping the dagger at my side. Concealing the weapon behind my back, I took a deep breath, inviting the tingles that rushed from my feet, through my chest, and into the crown of my head. Arcturas hunched low and ready for my command.

I unleashed the demon from her chains. Muscle fibers reattached, bones splintered back into place. The pain was dulled enough for me to rise to my feet. My eyes glowed with moonlight. Wisps of loose black hair floated around me, a current rippling through each strand. Shadows burned in my palms. Time slowed to a stop.

Beams of starlight bounced off Aryx's blade, casting speckles of stars across the room. For a moment, we were floating in the infinite of space, isolated from all else in the world. My wolf's howl raised the hairs on my arms.

Tethys lifted her hand to swipe me away. Before she could, however, I hurled my dagger from behind my back, its silver point glowing brightly with amethyst. In slow motion, the dagger spiraled through the air, piercing the center of her palm until the entire length of its blade embedded into flesh.

Screaming, I threw myself at the now-horrified goddess, swinging the sword down furiously across her slender bicep. The severed limb fell to the floor with a thud as her shrieks boomed in my ears. My heart pounded against my chest as the demon clawed against my mind, roaring with violent delight. Tethys fell to her knees, cradling her vacant shoulder. Blood spurted from the gaping wound.

"What did you do?" she hissed. Her soft pink gown, now stained a bright red, pooled around her delicate body. I stood over her, realizing how frail she truly looked when her facade of power was ripped away.

"Like I said." I knelt over her, the tip of my nose nearly touching hers. "You're not leaving this island alive."

She brushed her hand across my cheek. The sensation of her spidery fingers against my skin was cold, leaving the vile taste of disgust heavy on my tongue.

"Oh Elpis, my dear. You won't kill me," she laughed.

"And what makes you think that?" I raised the sharp edge of my sword to her neck, applying just enough pressure against her perfectly tanned skin to draw blood.

"Because I can help you bring back my son."

I sucked in a breath. "I don't believe you. His soul is at rest in the immortal realm. There's no way of bringing him back. He's gone."

I pressed the blade further into her skin.

"You're only half correct. His mortality is gone. He shares my blood. His immortal soul is still very much alive."

"This is just another one of your vicious lies, Tethys. I will not let you slip through my fingers," I hissed.

"Fine. Kill me. Live a life without him. Or take a risk, listen to me, save him."

With my blade still pressed against her throat, I considered the options. Did I dare trust her? Did I let her live after everything she'd done, all the blood she spilled? And what of Aryx's father? I wasn't sure where he was or how to find him without her. I searched her eyes for any hint of sincerity, any flicker of honesty.

"Where is Aryx's father?"

"Araes? He's not here."

"Tell me where he is and how to find Aryx. Maybe I'll consider letting you live a bit longer," I said, my fingers itching against the cool hilt of my weapon.

"Oh, sweet girl. Araes is locked away with all the idiotic mortals that dared to question me. Along with those pathetic old men you call your elders."

"What do you mean? I thought the Elders were loyal to you."

"They were once, but over the years, it seems they developed a sense of morality. It was exhausting," she said, wincing as she reached for her grey, limp arm oozing a pool of blood beside her.

"Tell me how to get to Aryx." I kicked the limb out of her reach.

"You have to go to the immortal realm. Past the kingdom, there's a river and a ferryman, Chiron. Make him an offering and he'll take you to him. Now please give me my arm back before I bleed out even more? This is my favorite dress, and it's ruined already."

I reached for a rusted chain beside us and wrapped it around her waist, making sure the bind was uncomfortable. Pulling Tethys to her feet, I gripped the chain and tied her amputated arm against my back. "First you're going to take me to Araes, then you'll show me the way to your son," I said, tugging on the chains. She grimaced and stepped in line behind me as we began down to the fortress yards, passing wide-eyed soldiers, bloody from battle .