Chapter 49
METILAI
Terena’s eyes remained closed even as the scrape of boots sounded outside of her cell.
The heaviness of the adamantine shackles went beyond the strange metal, its energy seeping deep into her bones.
The suppression of her powers felt as if her very blood was slowly draining from her body, and it took her a long time to lift her heavy lids to face Hermes as he stopped in front of the iron bars.
Confusion furrowed her brows as she stared out the stranger standing there.
Not Hermes, but she knew the man was a god. Now that she’d ascended, she could feel his otherness like an itch she couldn’t reach.
In silence, she watched him as he in turn gazed at her, sable brows furrowed and lips puckered as if watching a curiosity in one of the traveling circuses of Osta.
He took a step closer, wrapping long, elegant fingers around one of the bars as he peered down at her.
“You submitted to him for your sister,” the god said in a voice that rumbled through the quiet. Terena winced, moving to adjust against the damp wall at her back.
When she did not respond, the god tilted his head and frowned. “How far would you go to protect her, I wonder.”
Despite the cuffs draining her power Terena’s adrenaline kicked in and she surged forward, snarling at this stranger who dared question her loyalty to Sonah.
“Let me out and I’ll show you.”
The man nodded and dropped slowly to his haunches.
The light was fickle, moving unnaturally so that his face remained hidden in shadows.
The only thing she could see was the glitter of his dark eyes and the strange silver snaking across his pupils, like Hermes’s eyes.
She could barely see the square cut of his jaw as he lifted his chin.
“You can let yourself out,” the god said after an uncomfortable silence. “Those shackles were not meant for you. Or your sister.”
Terena snorted. Lifting her arms as high as she could she shook them at the god. “They seem to be holding onto me just fine.”
The man’s gaze shifted from the shackles to her face and he frowned. “Have you tried?”
Blinking stupidly, Terena had no response. Looking down at the cuffs she was about to speak when he rose.
“I should not be here,” he said softly as if to himself. “But I had to see her again. And then when he put you down here…”
Terena screwed her lips in confusion. What was he talking about?
“Your friends will come for you. But you can free yourself. You are more powerful than you know. Hermes is afraid of you. He’s afraid of… your sister. And he’s afraid of me.”
He rose, moving away from the bars. Terena shifting, trying to stand, but she was too weak.
“Who are you?”
The man glanced at her over his shoulder. Everything about him was hidden by shadows, as if they coated his very skin. She could see nothing of his features beyond the cold glitter of his dark eyes and the shine of his black hair.
“We will meet again, daughter of Ares.”
Terena lifted onto a knee when the man evaporated before her eyes.
Rydon snuck out of his tent to look for Daris.
Hermes thought to punish him, Daris, and Sonah by making them sleep outside the palace where the rest of his army was encamped.
Or perhaps he thought it better to keep them far from the dungeons where Terena was being held.
The shifter, Leander, was in the palace, far from Sonah, ensuring her continued compliance.
As Rydon moved, shouts sounded from the southern side of the camp. Slowing, Rydon frowned, turning his head as he strained to hear what was going on.
Seconds later, firelight arced above him, hitting tents and blazing to life. Rydon cursed, pivoting and racing for Sonah’s tent. The interior was dark, and he stumbled to a halt before he saw the shadowed lump of her body. She was asleep, curled up on her side with furs tucked around her.
Lunging forward, Rydon dropped to his knees, grabbing the furs and tossing them before grabbing hold of Sonah’s shift and yanking her toward him. Yelping, Sonah’s arms flailed out, one hand catching him on the side of his jaw.
“Sonah! Get up! We’re under attack!”
Sonah mumbled something incoherent, but Rydon ignored her as he hauled her up beside him. He searched frantically for her clothes.
“Where the fuck are your clothes? Get dressed! Hurry! Meet me in Daris’s tent. Sonah!” Rydon grabbed the girl by her shoulders as she rubbed at her eyes and yawned. How the fuck could she sleep so soundly after everything?
He gripped her chin, his face so close to hers he could see the whites of her startled, puffy eyes. “Listen! We’re under attack. Get to Daris. West of here, two tents over.”
“Wait, what?”
Rydon shouted a curse, dropping the tent flap as he turned back to her. “Get fucking dressed! And get to Daris! Two tents over. Go west!”
“Which way is west?”
Rydon closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut. The shouts outside the tent were growing louder. Closer. Someone rushed past, and Rydon spared a glance over his shoulder before he waved his arm at Sonah.
“Turn right outside your tent,” he bit out through clenched teeth. Without another word, he strode out of the tent. Rydon was jarred by a running soldier, grabbing the man’s breastplate instinctively and hurling him out of his path.
He took off running, weaving through the tents as he made his way back to the palace. If he could use this attack to rescue Terena, they could leave with Sonah and the others while Hermes dealt with whatever the fuck this was.
Skidding to a stop, he gawked at the sight before him. An enormous wolf tore through the camp, cutting down Hermes’s men. More wolves appeared, running and grabbing up any soldier in their paths.
Just as Rydon made to turn away, he spotted a giant of a man fling a soldier toward him. Ducking at the last moment, Rydon shot back up as the man sailed over him, and a smile broke out on his face as the giant turned and Rydon saw who it was.
“Melanos!”
The god pivoted, his eyes darting around, and Rydon called out again.
Stifling the curse that came to his lips, Rydon raced between tents, dodging past men fighting off the terrifying wolves.
Water surged over a group of soldiers to his right, swallowing them up and sweeping them away as the water moved unnaturally toward more of Hermes’s men.
Rydon stared for a second before turning to run.
“Melanos!”
The god spotted him as Rydon stopped running and clapped him on the shoulder, almost knocking Rydon down.
“Where the fuck have you been?” he yelled up at the god as another of Hermes’s men rushed toward them. As if swatting away a gnat, Melanos scowled at the soldier and batted him away with one meaty arm. Turning back to Rydon, the god grinned down at him.
“Eudaemon!”
“What happened to you? I thought you were with Hermes.” Rydon spread his arms, baffled but still very glad to see him.
“I am never with Hermes,” he replied. He turned, grabbing hold of two soldiers who rushed at them, cracking their heads together.
They dropped at their feet, and Melanos pulled Rydon away.
“After we took the city, I went back for Bethana. When I returned, I heard of Hermes’s actions. Fucking snake.”
“I’m glad you’re with us,” Rydon said clapping the god on his broad shoulder.
Melanos looked back at him with a frown. “Only because our interests align at the moment. I am here for Terena and Sonah only.”
“Then our interests indeed align,” Rydon said, motioning with his head as he led the way through the fighting. Melanos followed him warily. “Who’s with you? I saw wolves destroying Hermes’s army. Where’s Bethana?”
Melanos winked at him and pointed. Rydon narrowed his eyes and frowned. A mass of water moved in a cyclone, engulfing a soldier while his screams filled the air.
“Where? I see nothing but water… where the fuck did water come from?”
“You are looking at my bride. She is the water. Bethana is a naiad. A water nymph. And one of the wolves is Leander. The rest are my Relics. Remember Sonah’s plan to get you and the commander inside the palace before we took the city?”
“Aye,” Rydon said. She’d wanted Melanos to use his Relics to distract Hermes and his men while Daris and Rydon snuck away. Instead, she’d come running back to them after meeting with Hermes to tell them Daris wasn’t going. That didn’t go over too well with the commander.
“My Relics are causing havoc out here. And with Bethana and Leander’s help, hopefully the distraction will buy you and Sonah time to get Terena out of the palace.”
Turning back to the god, Rydon held out his hand. “Terena’s down in the dungeons. I can get in, but I need you to help distract the guards inside while I get her out. I’ve already told Sonah to go to Daris’s tent. Once we get Terena released, we’ll go get Sonah and get the fuck out of here.”
They reached the entrance to the dungeons and made their way down. He worried Melanos might be too big to fit inside the narrow corridor but the god kept up just fine.
As they reached the cells, Rydon ducked back behind cover. It was too quiet. There should be guards down here.
Rydon turned to look back at Melanos. Frowning, the god moved past him. Moving to catch up, Rydon stopped short at the sight before them.
Half a dozen guards lay dead at Ren’s feet. Melanos chuckled and reached out to embrace her.
When she pulled away, Ren turned to Rydon with a grin.
“What fucking took you so long?”
“Can you walk?” Rydon asked.
Terena lifted her head, still feeling the affects of the adamantine, the metal ore used to weaken the gods.
“Aye, I’m fine,” she said, but the pallor of her cheeks put the lie to her words.
“How’d you break out?”
“Long story.”
“We have horses outside,” Rydon said. “I’ll get Daris and Sonah and meet you—”
“I’m not going anywhere without Sonah,” Terena said firmly, her words garbled. She hocked and spat out blood, lifting weary eyes to look between her friends. Rydon watched her in stoic silence but Melanos’s face was nothing but violence.
“We’re all going together,” he responded.
They exited the dungeons and walked toward the horses tethered a few feet away. As Rydon pulled Nyx’s reins free, rustling sounded behind them. A shout at their backs made Terena lurch forward, her hands grabbing onto her saddlebags.
“They’re here!”
Terena’s heart stuttered. Rydon shouted, blocking her from view as Hermes and his men rushed forth. The sound of metal hitting metal rang out as Hermes’s men engaged Melanos.
Terena’s hands whipped out and her short swords materialized.
“No!” Rydon shouted, pushing her back toward Nyx. “You’ll only endanger her further if you go to her now! He’ll only imprison you again and again until you submit!”
Terena looked beyond him at the soldiers fighting against Melanos. Her blood surged, begging her to turn and fight.
“I’ll get Sonah,” Rydon called out as he moved toward the fighting, unsheathing his sword. “I swear it!”
Terena watched until Rydon entered the fray.
Turning, she sprang onto Nyx’s back and took off. Terena looked back over her shoulder. Hermes’s men surrounded Rydon and Melanos.
She cursed and turned forward, bending low over Nyx as she whispered, “Fly, girl, fly!”
They tore through a copse of trees beyond the rear palace gate.
The ground sloped down and she veered right. Grass and low shrubs flattened beneath Nyx’s hooves and they finally reached the flat lands between the city and the sea.
Nyx needed no more urging as she raced across the plains. Terena whooped as the wind tore through her hair, laughing even as tears streamed from her eyes and into her hair.
Her victory was short-lived as thunder sounded behind her. Terena glanced over her shoulder and swore as soldiers bore down on her.
She muttered encouragement to Nyx, her heart racing in time with Nyx’s hooves. Her head swam, and nausea roiled in her empty belly, clawing its way up her throat so she choked back bile.
Shouts sounded behind her, and her pulse ratcheted up. Terena kept glancing back and panicked as the men seemed to gain on her. She could tell from the change in the air they were close to the sea now.
More shouting rang out behind her, and Terena urged Nyx ever faster, her heart plummeting at how close the soldiers were. She thought someone bellowed her name, and for a moment she swore it sounded like Daris.
But that couldn’t be. He was with Sonah.
Wasn’t he?
Bending low over Nyx’s neck, she panted. The thunder of hooves drew closer.
Heart hammering against her ribs, Terena blinked, staring ahead. Realization dawned slowly as the horizon drew closer and closer. Nyx kept up her breakneck speed. Too late, Terena pulled on the reins to stop her.
“Terena!”
Her name on the wind was the last thing she heard before Nyx flew off the edge of Heylisia.
“Terena!”
The scream tore from Daris as he watched her disappear over the cliff. He yanked on his mount’s reins and the stallion reared up.
As the mighty hooves stomped back onto the ground, Daris leaped from his horse and ran, dropping to his knees at the cliff’s edge.
For long seconds, the only sounds in the misty dawn were the thudding of his heart and the hooves of the horses at his back.
He didn’t want to believe what he’d just seen.
How could this happen? He’d been coming to get her.
To tell her he’d do what she wanted. To show her how much he loved her by agreeing to her request.
To break their bond.
Daris put a hand to his chest, certain his heart was breaking. The pain was unbearable and yet he deserved it because he’d failed her.
As he watched the horizon, his chest on fire and his soul screaming inside him, he blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
He lurched forward to look at the beach far below and reared back when a large, black shape erupted into the sky before him.
The cries of the men behind him filled the silence, but all Daris could do was stare at the sight in disbelief.
Nyx flew through the swirling mist, sleek, black wings spread wide as she banked left with Terena bent low over her back.
Daris fell back, raising his hand to shield his eyes against the sunrise. Nyx’s form swerved, a shadow before the morning sun, and flapped her massive wings, soaring away.
“Ren,” Daris whispered and swallowed.