Chapter 20
Ara
Nyx’s smile was a warning.I knew whatever she had coming was going to be far worse than a pegasus trying to kill me. I glanced over at Obsidian, wishing he could give me a clue as to what to expect. Or maybe information about how to survive.
“In there.” The goddess pointed to a cave, that same disturbing smile on her lips.
Reluctantly, I walked toward the small opening. Another cave. Another dark space. I was never going to allow myself to enter anything like this if I survived this war. I’d live in an open home with billowing curtains as my walls and the sound of the sea in my ears. A reminder of the wide expanse of freedom the water promised anyone brave enough to traverse her depths.
I watched Nyx, keeping my expression impassive. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of knowing how tightly wound my insides were.
The cave opening was lower than any I’d ventured in before, and it was shallow. I could see the entire thing by standing in the entrance. I looked around, noting that it was a completely typical cave. Dirt and rocks covered the floor, light entered through the mouth, walls were covered in moss. It didn’t seem to have any tunnels or crevices I could explore. I turned in a slow circle, certain I was missing something important.
When I returned to facing the cave entrance, I intended to ask Nyx for clarification, but she wasn’t there. Naxos wasn’t even there.
My heart leaped as I stepped out of the space to find myself standing in Athos.
How was this possible? The cave must have been a portal. But it didn’t look like the portal on Konos and I hadn’t even felt the magic. Maybe it was Nyx herself who sent me. I didn’t know the full scope of her power, but I knew it was great.
I was on the outskirts of the city, near the temple to Athena. It would take me some time to walk to the palace, but I wasn’t sure that was the best use of my time. There was no way Nyx had sent me here for a visit with my family. I hadn’t even been gone that long yet. If they saw me, they’d think I was finished and that I’d survived her tasks. I didn’t want to get their hopes up only to leave again.
If a visit wasn’t the reason for my return home, it had to be something else. What task would I need to complete in Athos?
I started walking toward the temple, looking around as I did in case there were any clues. I expected to see acolytes and priests walking around the grounds, tending to the garden. Or catch glimpses of them inside the marble building, completing their duties to the goddess. Instead, it was empty.
The lack of other people was making my fingers tingle in anticipation. Something wasn’t quite right. Though, nothing had been right for a long time. Had they evacuated the city in the time I’d been away?
I knew I wasn’t supposed to enter the temple, but I couldn’t help but take a few steps in to confirm that I was truly alone. Flames danced and flickered on vats of oil, burning faithfully despite the lack of attendants.
“Hello?” I called.
My echo was the only response.
A lump in my throat made swallowing harder. Even in times of battle, the priests usually stayed in the temples. They were sacred spaces, meant to be off limits in war. Where would they have gone?
I exited the space, then began walking toward town. If the temple wasn’t the destination for this task, maybe it was in the city. Or at the palace. Or maybe I was supposed to go to where Nyx’s new temple was being constructed. Did she want me to do something about making her more loved by the people?
What if I never figured it out? Would Nyx help me figure it out or was she going to let me wander forever unaided?
The city was as empty as the temple and everything looked more run-down than it had last time I’d walked through. Was this because I’d last seen it in the dark?
Paint was peeling on every surface. The blue roofs were chipped and had blotches of color that didn’t match. The roads seemed even more uneven and were littered with loose stones that I had to avoid. A group of stray cats peered from the darkness of an alleyway, their eyes glowing as they observed me.
It was so still. So quiet. So empty. Like death had already come for Athos.
Goosebumps rose on my arms, and I rubbed them to send away the sudden chill. I wasn’t sure if I should keep walking out in the open or if I should avoid being seen. I’d never felt this unsettled here.
When I reached the Black Opal, I was startled to see that the courtyard was exposed, the wall that used to block the entry was completely gone. The building itself was destroyed. The roof had caved in. The once pristine black top of the building had made it iconic among a sea of blue. Now, it was crumbled remnants. The entire structure sagging under its weight.
The people must have found out that Selena was fae. It was the only thing I could come up with to explain such complete destruction. It would have taken a massive group to do something like this.
Unless it was a monster or some other kind of attack. My pulse raced and I started to run. I no longer cared what my task was, I had to get to the palace and find my sisters. Things were very wrong in Athos.
There were no guards waiting for me. Nobody stood outside the palace gates. The gates themselves were parted, a gap between them indicating that they weren’t even closed, let alone locked. Anyone could access the palace.
My lungs were still burning from sprinting here, but I ignored the discomfort as I pushed the gates open and raced toward the front steps of the palace. The front door was missing, leaving a wide opening anyone could walk through. How had so much happened while I’d been away? What if I was on that island longer than I realized? What if the battle ended, and the fae won and everyone I loved was already dead?
“Lagina?” I yelled as I ran down the empty hall. “Cora? Sophia?” I went from room to room. Nobody in the breakfast room or the throne room. Nobody in the study or the library. Even their bedrooms were vacant.
Tears streamed down my face, and I burst through the back doors into the garden beyond. Ryvin was standing there, as if he’d been waiting for me this whole time. I cried out in relief, then ran to him, but he stepped back, avoiding my attempt to wrap my arms around him.
“What is it?” I asked. “What’s going on? Why are you moving away from me?”
“We don’t have time,” he said. “The sea is angry. Ceto is going to take the city.”
My brow furrowed. That didn’t make any sense. “Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know. But if you don’t stop it, all of Athos will be destroyed. You must come with me now.” He extended his hand, and I hesitated. There was something wrong with all of this.
“Is that why everyone left?” I asked.
“Yes, they’re getting to higher ground,” he confirmed.
Some of the tension eased. It was going to be alright. The people had fled, which could also explain the destruction at the Opal. They’d probably pillaged it for anything valuable. I was going to have to leave that out when I saw Nyx again. It didn’t help her view of humans to know how destructive they could be. But it wasn’t like the gods were any better.
“But how can I stop the sea?” I asked.
“Your magic. We’ll both channel whatever we can and we’ll send the rising tide away from the city,” he said.
“Your mother, she took my magic,” I said. “At least she said she was going to. I can’t help.”
“We have to calm the sea or everyone’s going to die,” Ryvin said.
“You can do it. You can use my magic,” I said.
“I need you with me, you can help me. Tell me what to do.” His jaw was set, his expression serious. “I think if you’re closer to me, I can channel more of your magic. I’m not sure I’m strong enough on my own.”
I nodded. “Alright. Together.”
“Why is Ceto sending the water?” I asked as we made our way out of the palace grounds, the two of us jogging to move faster.
“She thought the city turned on you when they sent you to Nyx,” Ryvin said.
“But I went on my own.” I glanced at him and noticed the pained expression on his face. “I need to tell her. She can spare the city.”
“It’s too late,” he said. “She knew they fled to the site of Nyx’s new temple and she’s sending everything there. She’s going to kill everyone.”
My heart thundered in my chest and I picked up my pace. “We have to stop her.”
Suddenly, Ryvin grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop. “I have to tell you something.”
My breathing was coming in rapid breaths. His expression alone was enough to break my heart, and I braced myself. “What is it?”
“It’s your sisters,” he said.
My chest felt tight. “Tell me.”
“Ceto took them. They’re on an island that shouldn’t exist near Nyx’s temple. If we prevent the water from reaching Athos, your sisters will die.”
“No.” I shook my head. “No, that’s impossible. How could she do that?”
“I’m sorry. You’ll have to choose. We might be able to save them, but it’s not a guarantee. The monsters could get to us before we reach them. But if we try to save them, everyone who lives in Athos will die.” He squeezed my hand. “The choice is yours.”
I felt like I was dying already. How could anyone expect me to make a choice like this? Everything I’d done was to help my sisters; to keep them alive. It was how I ended up in Konos. It was probably the reason this stupid war was even happening. I couldn’t let them die.
But if I attempted to save them and failed, I’d lose everything. All the humans who called Athos home were counting on my family to keep them safe and my father had done nothing but harm them. He’d sent their children to their deaths, he’d kept a goddess locked away. He was the reason we were in this situation in the first place.
“Do you think we could save them?” I had to ask, even if I was already trying to find a way to say goodbye.
“We might. But we have to decide soon. We can’t do both. There’s no way we could do it ourselves. Splitting up would mean we both lose.” He rubbed his thumb across my hand soothingly. “Whatever you choose, I’ll support you.”
Lagina wanted to be a great queen. She wanted to serve her people. Sophia had been angry when I sacrificed myself in her place. Even Cora seemed to be coming around to helping Athos rather than only thinking of herself.
They’d never forgive me if I saved them and then returned them to a ghost town. While I knew there were other humans living in Drakous, they were few. Athos was the greatest hope for humans to survive.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
I knew what I had to do, but dooming my sisters was impossible. It was all impossible. Tears blurred my vision. “How am I supposed to do this?”
“You do what you think is best and no matter what, I’m here by your side,” Ryvin replied.
I knew what he’d choose. I knew if there was a chance to save me and damn the rest of the world, he’d choose me.
But I wasn’t him. I couldn’t do it.
Please forgive me.
I knew they’d understand. I knew they’d encourage me to save our city, but it broke everything inside me to turn to Ryvin and tell him my choice. “We save Athos.” The words barely came out. My throat was so dry, my tongue too large. My heart a million slivers that I’d never rebuild. I knew I’d never recover from this, but it was what I had to do.
He nodded, then silently, the two of us raced toward Nyx’s temple.