Chapter 39
Daisy
As one, the gods populated their thrones and chairs, noble beings with purple velvet robes and large crowns of glowing starshine. Each was larger than life, twenty feet tall or more, towering over the marble space with an omniscient presence.
“That one in the middle,” Zorn whispered, pushing up closer to Daisy. He ignored Tarian’s presence entirely. “I saw her as we crossed the Faegate. She was kind of translucent, huge, like she is there, and leaning over the wall, looking at us. Laughing.”
“Yeah. They’re a bunch of absolute fuckers,” Daisy told him. “I’ll explain everything later—if we’re not gruesomely killed first.”
He grunted and stepped away. That was good enough for him.
Tarian turned to glance over his shoulder at Zorn. How likely is he to attempt to kill me in my sleep?
Daisy snickered. If you wrong me, very. Unless he can find a way around your power and torture you when you’re awake. If you’re nice to me, he’ll forgive you. Eventually.
That…I doubt.
The female on the throne in the very middle raised her hand in salute, and suddenly, the raised platform was right in front of them.
The gods had reduced to normal fae size, if a bit on the tall and robust side, except for one.
The female on the throne to the right of the middle stared at Daisy between strands of somewhat lank black hair.
Her face was familiar, her posture and poise more so.
She was the female from the games. The one who had helped Daisy and killed herself in the process.
Daisy also recognized one of the two males. He was the god of the afterlife, his eyes shining with a violet hue and the flames gone. In fact, all of their eyes burned violet in their depths, marking what they were.
The god of the afterlife was looking past the others, appearing intrigued as he noticed Lexi.
“The crystal chalice, in the flesh,” the middle god said, her voice everywhere and nowhere, in Daisy’s head but out loud for everyone to hear. “Daisy, that is your name, correct?”
Daisy inclined her head. “Yes.”
“Put her down, Tarianthiel. She is strong enough now.” The female waved her hand.
In a blink, Daisy appeared beside him. She felt refreshed, as though she hadn’t just come back from the dead.
Tarian reached out his hand to her. She took it and scooted closer, glancing behind to make sure her family and his were all intact.
“Well, I am impressed.” The female smiled at Daisy.
“Call me Equilas, child. As I was saying, I am impressed. We have known all the crystal chalices, of course. Even if they were never discovered, and most were not. Hardly any ever learned their magic. They didn’t have a guide, like you did.
So few ever realized their true potential.
Their inherent power. None, not one, has ever survived the magic they were able to boost. Until now. ”
Elbow braced on the arm of her throne, she leaned, bringing up her hand to partially cover her simpering smile.
“And this is the most power we have ever seen come out of a crystal chalice,” she continued. “Isn’t it?”
She turned to the others. All of them reacted in some way, to maybe lean, or sit back, or narrow their eyes in thought, but none answered the question.
“And that is because of the Ancestral Magic of Sevens.” Her shining eyes switched to Tarian, and the violet within them glowed.
“So much power. So much potential. So young and inexperienced. Your power should’ve protected you, but instead, it was the key to your downfall.
It has been so interesting, watching jealousy and wariness and loss destabilize a kingdom that had never been so solid.
It was about time someone shook it all up. ”
“Forgive me,” Tarian said respectfully, “but how could you let things get so bad? The magic so twisted? The whole of the realm was suffering, leaking into the human realm. Scrolls said that, in ages past, that was enough for a war of the gods.”
She turned to the female on her right. “I think he wants an explanation.”
“I would want an explanation,” another female said, looking around. “It has been an amusing distraction, but it certainly did go to extremes.”
“Yes.” Equilas looked at Tarian for some time before her gaze roamed to Daisy. “Are you not curious why your ink turned from the gold of your birth to that which you now wear?”
“I did wonder, yes. Eldric didn’t know.”
“I’m back here, Your Mightiness. I do admit, that was a glaring hole in my knowledge base. I—”
She waved her hand, silencing Eldric magically. Her gaze never left Tarian.
“Your birth was of great interest to the more romantic of us,” Equilas said, and the god of the afterlife rolled his eyes and hunched in annoyance.
Clearly, he wasn’t one of them. “The moment you came into the world, Elysara Saw your fated match.” Her gaze switched to Daisy, who froze.
“Elysara is the Divine Seer, the youngest of the sisters.”
The female to Equilas’s left, her white-blond hair glowing as though made of stars, inclined her head.
“It has been an age since a Sight has been so riveting. So wrapped in love and loss, feast and famine. A tale of torture and pleasure. And without an outcome! I Saw events as they could be, as they might be, but not as they would be.”
“As you know, my task in this collective is to keep balance,” Equilas said.
“Your death would’ve been a natural return to that balance.
You had too much power, Tarianthiel. You pulled too much at the tapestry of Faerie for the position you held.
Taking the throne and mitigating your power in intervals would’ve worked.
Your family knew that even though you did not.
They knew the choice was your death…or your elevation to the Diamond Throne.
For you, there were no other options. Even now. I think you know that.”
He pulled Daisy closer still. He knew, and it was why he’d resigned to trade himself. Not for the gods’ entertainment, but to protect his family. To protect his father.
She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his middle, her thoughts whirling. He covered her shoulders with his arm.
“So yes, your death would’ve relieved the pressure on the fabric of Faerie,” the god continued. “But…”
“Your fated mate was to become the crystal chalice!” Elysara exclaimed, and Daisy’s stomach filled with butterflies.
She looked up at Tarian in disbelief. He met her gaze and sudden understanding lit his eyes. His smile was just for her.
It wasn’t the gods at all, he thought. It was destiny.
“Yes, that,” the god went on. “And…well, you were always my favorite, Tarianthiel.” Equilas smiled behind her fingers at him. “So dashing. So handsome. I’d thought to take you for myself…”
“Definitely not.” Elysara glowered at her.
“He should’ve been mine,” the god of the afterlife said. “He would’ve died fairly. He would’ve been a great favorite in my domain.”
Elysara extended her hand toward Daisy. “And deny him that? And her that?”
“Anyway.” Equilas dropped her hand. “It was thought you needed another chance to fulfill the Sight.”
“And while they waited, they thought it would be fun to take bets on the outcome,” the female with black hair said in obvious disdain.
“Would it kill you to have a little fun?” Elysara rolled her eyes.
“Half the Obsidian Court is dead,” the other said. “The magic was so twisted by the end that it had taken on a life of its own.”
“They would’ve been killed anyway.” Equilas waved it away. “Plus, your obsidian prince still lives. He can take over. You liked him best anyway. I know you’ve dabbled with him.” She lifted her eyebrows at her sister, who didn’t respond.
Equilas smirked, returning her attention to Daisy and Tarian.
“But…what if I had failed?” Tarian asked.
“We would’ve handled it. We were monitoring you every step of the way—”
“And taking bets,” Black Hair murmured.
“I have to admit…” The god of the afterlife scratched his chin, back to looking at Lexi. “It was interesting there toward the end.”
“So you see—” Equilas tried to continue.
“Long story long,” the other male muttered.
Equilas sighed in annoyance. “So you see,” she went on pointedly, “her markings are divine crystalline, as befits her station and her magic. Crystal holds energy. It boosts power. As her fated mate, Tarian, she gifts this great marking to you, the noblest in the realm.”
“Her station?” Tarian asked guardedly.
“But of course. She is the prize of Faerie, child, chosen by the stars. Her magic grants her eternal life and the potential for godly power.”
“A power that’ll kill me,” Daisy said.
The simpering smile was back. “Yes, that is the drawback. Eternal life doesn’t go very far when the highest form of power ultimately kills.
It keeps things fresh. But look, you have a resource to keep you alive.
The very same creature who granted you the power in the first place.
This whole journey has been so very interesting. ”
“Fascinating, definitely,” the other male said.
“That is why your gold ink has turned to crystal,” Elysara said with a beaming smile. “To correspond with your fated match. To proclaim yourselves to the world!”
Daisy’s heart soared. It felt like it filled her whole person to bursting.
She was glad it had turned out the way it had.
Because of Tarian’s dire situation, that in turn had affected her, they’d fallen in love the hard way.
They’d had to deny their attraction as much as possible until they’d earned it.
Until they’d learned to trust each other and depend on each other.
She’d go through it all again to end up at his side—and hate his gods just as much.
Tarian’s thumb stroked Daisy’s shoulder. It was a reminder that the gods weren’t done with them yet. She could fall into this new information later. First they had to secure a future.
“You kept me alive so I could find my fated mate…only to kill her?” The tremor this time was in anger.