Chapter 6 Seth
Seth
Everything had gone to shit. My father knew we were here. Aethra had found her way back into our company. And now we faced the Duat.
I scanned the walls, searching in vain for a way out. Sheathed in rock walls, deep underground, escape was futile.
Percy walked in circles around me. “What?” He asked for the third time.
Seraphim’s gaze followed Percy around the cavern. “It’s true. The king believes himself to be the god we worship.”
“But . . .” Percy flailed his arms, but words failed him. “But!”
“Believes.” Phaedrus leaned against the wall. “Is the operative word. All the nobles here think they are blessed with divine blood. The king, though, proclaims himself living divinity.”
“Ah.” Eleos blinked rapidly. “In the baths, you said Duath Nun had many gods. I never imagined you meant the nobility themselves.”
“I didn’t think you’d believe me until you saw it for yourself.” Seraphim approached me, head tilted curiously. “But I didn’t know you were the exiled Prince Set.”
“Exiled?” Aethra raised an eyebrow.
“It was my punishment,” I explained. “For attacking a fellow ‘god.’”
“You said that with sarcasm.” Percy pointed at me. “So it’s just a farce? Because I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around a gaggle of gods flouncing around in our vicinity.”
Aethra glanced at Percy before studying my face. “You spoke to me of your first murder. Was it this god?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I gained my chthonic powers afterward. No one here thinks Prince Set has magic.”
Eleos hummed. “A useful advantage.”
“Really?” Percy frowned. “We’re stuck in a hole, last I checked.”
“Ideally . . .” Phaedrus shrugged. “We’ll soon find ourselves out of this hole.”
“We’re outnumbered.” Seraphim lowered her head. “And many of them are mages. We’ll need to be careful.” She paused. “Give me a moment to think.”
Pressing my back to the cold rock wall, I studied the bewildered expressions Percy and Aethra wore. Their awe would fade once they learned my home was no different from theirs.
Eleos put aside his anger and approached me with a question. “Do you know what, exactly, these trials entail?”
“They’re based on the original divines,” I explained. “The voices Oracles claim to hear. You should be familiar with them.”
“Psythos, Callesis, and Brizo?”
“And Haimyx. Psythos’ empathy is simple; it probably involves risking your life to help another.” I looked away, thinking. “Callesis’ trial is probably impossible to survive, invoking luck rather than art. Brizo, though? I’m not sure.”
Jangling steel drew my attention west. Aethra’s nose scrunched up as she fiddled with her shackles, trying to slip her wrists free from their bind.
“Don’t bother,” I said. “They’ll punish you for freeing yourself.”
She looked up, dark curls falling into her eyes. She blew them free. “I can loosen a lock and make it look like I’m still wearing them.” A pout curled her lip. “What are you doing to help, anyway?”
Gods, she was adorable. A smile played at my lips, and I forced it away.
The woman was furious with me. And as much as I hated to admit it, rightfully so.
“Our best bet is to escape when they move us,” I said, glancing up as Eleos took up pacing.
“The weasel’s right,” Eleos confirmed, rolling his shoulders. “None of us can carve through solid rock.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. That was the third time they’d called me Weasel. Was this how Aethra felt when I’d bestowed her nickname?
Eyes narrowing, Aethra glared at me. “You’re from Duath Nun. Do you have a plan to escape, your princeliness?”
“Weasel is leagues better than that.” I winced. “I’ve never participated before, so I’m not familiar with this dungeon’s layout, but—”
“Sh,” Eleos hissed, sage-green eyes flicking toward the door.
Footsteps echoed in the hall outside. One pair, walking softly. The door scraped open a moment later, allowing us a glimpse outside. One soul entered: a goddess made flesh, hair white as snow.
Cerys. Frowning at the Oracle, I watched the door close behind her. Why had she come alone?
Percy appeared at my side, smoothing his hair back and rubbing the dirt from his cheeks. Tilting my head, I studied him in disbelief.
Was he preening for her?
Seraphim planted herself between the Oracle and us. “What do you want?” She demanded.
Usually, the fiery redhead looked to be in complete control, but a red flush colored her cheeks, and the vein on her neck pulsed.
She was furious.
“To speak with you.” Cerys’ gaze turned to Aethra. “There is much you should know before you’re taken to the trials.”
“Oh, good,” Aethra said. “Are you going to give us a hint?”
Always ready with dry humor, even if she was terrified inside. She hardly realized how brave she was.
Turning my head away, I tried to stop admiring her. Moments ago, she’d torn out my heart—and she had no reason to give it back.
“In a sense,” Cerys confirmed. “You are outsiders, so you would not understand the purpose of the Duat. Once it tested champions. Now, it punishes sinners while offering them a chance for redemption.”
“Um.” Percy’s brow wrinkled. “How likely is that chance?”
“Slim,” she said. “And should you fail, your mortal body will be torn to shreds. Your soul will be lost.”
Phaedrus drew closer, slinking through the shadows. His cape swathed him in darkness, hiding whatever he hid beneath it. Keeping a close eye on him, I leaned off the wall and shifted closer to Aethra.
“Cerys,” I said. “You lied to Aeacus. Why?”
“Would you prefer I tell him he’d nearly captured Prince Set and Elpis?” Cerys asked. “In here, the two of you are far from his reach, and he is wasting his time searching for a woman he will not find.”
“You gave him the wrong description?”
“No. I told him Elpis was ‘unmistakable in mien.’” Cerys raised her chin, side-eyeing Aethra. “Just because he didn’t think so, doesn’t make my words untrue.”
Telling half-truths to avoid revealing her secrets. How many times had Cerys done as much to me, in our youth?
“Glad to see you haven’t changed.” I studied her face, trying to decide if I could trust her. “But thanks to you, we’re facing certain death. Whose side are you on?”
“Did I not say, in the tower, that you would not understand yet?” She stepped closer, hushing her voice. “I would free you, if I could, Set. But you must do it yourself.”
“Why?” Aethra demanded.
Cerys gazed at her sadly. “The divines whisper to me the threads of the future. I am doing everything I can to avert disaster. Helping you escape would paint me a traitor. From here, I can better protect you.”
“You know what I am,” Aethra said. “Then you must know why we’re here. Politics doesn’t matter right now. The Empty is spreading! We don’t have time to—”
“I cannot.” Cerys’ eyes darkened. “They must continue to think of me as an ally.”
Frustrated, Aethra’s head whipped toward me. I didn’t need to be a psyche to read her thoughts. ‘If you had told me the truth, maybe I’d have any idea what she was talking about.’
Or some such.
Talking about my past stung like a fresh wound. I’d wanted to pretend I truly hailed from the Merchant Isles and had no connection to this place. My lies had never been meant to deceive anyone but myself.
Percy was right. I was emotionally constipated.
“If you’re an ally,” Seraphim said in a low tone, “I need something answered. In private.”
“We have little time. Make it quick.” Touching Seraphim’s arm, Cerys walked her to the other side of the cavern.
Percy shimmied closer to me. “Do they know each other?”
“I guess so,” I said. “Seraphim did spend two decades here.”
Aethra marched in front of me and stood on her tiptoes, trying to meet my gaze. “Do you trust her?”
“I think so.” I glanced at my cousin, but my gaze kept drifting back to the princess balancing on her toes. “Cerys was always different from the others.”
Returning to her usual, diminutive height, Aethra set her jaw. “I’m going to talk sense into her.”
Eleos raised an eyebrow. “Do you think that’ll work?”
“Remember what you said? That if I could sweet-talk Duathi royalty, you would forgo worship of the gods?” Aethra tossed her curls over her shoulder. “You three should prepare to kneel.”
Whirling around, she marched toward Cerys.
“Well,” Eleos said quietly.
Biting the inside of my lip, I stared at the wall. Gods, I’d really love for her to tell me to kneel somewhere that wasn’t here.
Sudden dread tightened my throat. I’d planned our course thoroughly: Phaedrus would stick to the shores, and we’d cleave through the cities. Taking the more direct route, we’d arrive at the Acheron first.
And I knew what they didn’t: Elpis maidens were powerless to close the Empty. But the Acheron did hide the means to destroy the abyss, and we could do it ourselves, before Aethra put herself in needless danger.
I hadn’t considered the possibility of seeing her again.
Gods, what if she never forgave me, and I was forced to be in her presence day after day, unable to even speak to her the way we once had?
I could think of only one worse torture—watching her die.
Percy tilted his head and met my eyes. “Seas. Look at your face! You’re an idiot.”
“What about my face?” I asked.
“I know a love-sick puppy when I see one,” Percy clicked his tongue.
Snorting, Eleos watched as Aethra’s enthusiastic speech dimmed. Her hands fell to her side, and her shoulders slumped with every subtle shake of Cerys’ head.
Seraphim took Aethra’s arm, pulling her back as Cerys waltzed to the door. The Oracle’s gaze swept over us. “You’ll need to work together if you’re to survive. But if anyone can.” She looked at me. “It would be you, Set.”
Tapping the door with her knuckles, Cerys stepped aside. A line of guards marched into our chamber, spreading out in pairs to escort us. Eleos didn’t resist when one grabbed him. He shot me a pointed glare. Grimacing, I allowed one of the men to grab me.