CHAPTER 50 #2
“I’ve been beginning to realize that,” Esmyra admitted. “But I wasn’t sure how much of a part this played in bringing me back.”
“And you said you weren’t a willing participant?” Jenli added. “Souls cannot be bound without consent. Otherwise, you may only give a piece of yourself away to another or surrender your magic. Are you sure she didn’t do one of those? Regardless, the god’s blood should’ve been enough.”
Esmyra’s brows furrowed, her lips parting as her stare fell back to the twisting serpents. “I certainly didn’t agree to this, but her words were clear. The goddesses’ souls are bound.”
“Syrena said that specifically? That it was the goddesses’ souls, not yours?” Draevyn asked.
She nodded in answer. “When it happened, I assumed it meant all four of our souls were bound, but the more time I’ve spent with Kaelypso, the more I’ve realized how separated we really are. Maybe it was on purpose that she only bound them.”
And once the kingdom is restored above, I’ll have no use for Esmyra. With her powers under my command, the seas will bend to my will, and Kaelypso will be nothing but a memory. Draevyn’s fire-fueled blood ran cold as the last words Syrena spoke to him came rushing back.
“Esmyra, why did you run from Maerinys?” Draevyn asked, his eyes still distant as he combed through their time in the sunken kingdom.
She swallowed. “I ran from Syrena.”
“Why?”
She glanced between the three of them as they all stared at her, wide-eyed.
“It’s a very long story, but to put it short, I asked the Veil of Visions why Cyrus was in the tower that day.
And it showed me everything. What really happened and why we were killed.
From what I’ve gathered, Naerysa wanted to kill Kaelypso and take her power. ”
Her eyes slowly drifted back down to the mark. “And I think I know how they planned to do it. Me coming back wounded offered her the chance.” She bowed her head as if ashamed. “I think she managed to compel me into agreeing to the soul bond.”
Draevyn rushed up to her, pulling her into his chest. “This isn’t your fault.”
She leaned into him. “Well, it isn’t yours either. We were all played a fool by her. I just can’t even believe this is our reality.”
“Right now, we need to focus on the issue of not having a way to extract the curse,” Jak finally said, and everyone’s shoulders slumped in defeat.
“I suppose you don’t happen to have another god’s blood handy?” Jenli asked.
The room collectively groaned.
“Are you serious?” Jak snapped.
“What?”
“What kind of question even is that, Jenli?!”
“Well, you never know what people keep in their pockets, Jak!”
Esmyra let out a bitter laugh and slowly sank to the floor. She folded her knees up to her chest, resting her chin against them as her arms wrapped around her shins. “We’re fucked,” she muttered, blowing a strand of hair from her face. “Absolutely fucked.”
Helplessness gnawed at Draevyn as he watched her turn in on herself.
But then, Esmyra’s face lit up like a spark catching flame, her posture straightening as she shot a wide-eyed look at Draevyn.
He blinked, his head cocking to the side. “What?”
Everyone else turned to her, confused as they watched a subtle warmth bloom across her features for the first time since they rescued her.
“Not directly,” she said slowly, pushing herself to her feet. “But… we may have a workaround.”
“For what?” Jak asked.
“The blood of a god,” Esmyra answered, her eyes still locked on Draevyn.
Draevyn’s eyes flared. “Because my power—”
“Came directly from Irah,” she finished for him, nodding.
Jak stared between the two of them. “Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying his blood?”
“It isn’t purely godblood,” Esmyra admitted.
“But it might be close enough,” Jenli cut in. “It’s risky, but it’s all we have. If what you’re saying is true.”
Draevyn felt Esmyra’s eyes on him. That flicker of sudden hope in them had stolen the air from his lungs.
He glanced down at his hands, flexing them slowly.
His power came directly from Irah himself.
The power of the God of Rage and War ran through his veins since he was an infant, and it was the cursed gift he never asked for or wanted.
He’d spent his life resenting it, this divine brand that set him apart from the rest of the world.
It had cost him more than it had ever given.
Until her.
Because without it, Draevyn and Esmyra never would’ve crossed paths. Without it, he never would’ve known the way she laughed, or the way her gaze cut through him like moonlight on open water. Without it, he never would’ve fallen in love.
And now it might be the only thing that could save her.
“You don’t have to,” Esmyra rushed out. “We can look for another way.”
Draevyn couldn’t even believe she was suggesting that.
“No.” He stepped closer. “You know there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And this is no exception.”
Draevyn would’ve taken her place in an instant if fate allowed it, but if he couldn’t do that, then he’d do the next best thing.
He would bleed for her.