Chapter 25 Eleos
Eleos
Adrenaline flooded through me, concealing the pain radiating in my fractured arm. Pressing the gauntlet to my chest, I hurried up the stairs when a horrible noise stopped me dead in my tracks.
Silence. Unnatural stillness muted the raging fire and ring of steel. Everything returned at once, like a final gust of wind before slamming the door shut.
Ringing pain flared in my ears as the wall to my right crumbled. The stairs shook as a support pillar collapsed. Grabbing the railing, I rushed up the last few steps and beheld disaster.
The Empty began a mere pace from the archway I exited. Pure nothing consumed the center of the chamber, a familiar sight—but not one I’d seen since we’d arrived in Duath Nun. Red light flared at the edges of its expanse.
Seth leaned against the wall to my left, part of his cloak torn away—disintegrated. The panic writ on his face told me he’d narrowly escaped a quick, painless death.
Rushing to his side, I checked him for injury. His eyes flared, and he tackled me, throwing us both to the floor.
The Empty burst. Wind rushed over us, strong as a gale in a hurricane. It slammed us against the wall. Peeling my eyes open, I peered through my helm at the abyss as it twisted and writhed, consuming itself before vanishing back into the single point of darkness from which it had begun.
Flowers erupted in its wake, growing from the stone floor, rising up the walls like creeping ivy. Petals scattered across us and fell atop Aethra as she collapsed to the ground.
Seth flew to his feet, but he was too late. Commander Aeacus reached Aethra first. Hauling her up by her hair, he pressed his blade to her throat.
Lowering his spear, Seth slowly paced toward him. “You can’t kill her, Aeacus.”
“I cannot harm you,” Aeacus corrected. “But are you willing to risk her?”
Seth faltered. “Why does Father want me alive?”
Breathing in, I reached for Aeacus’ thoughts.
Terrible conflict stirred in the confines of his closed-off mind. He saw in Seth both the boy he’d trained, the young man he’d tortured, and the traitor he despised.
His orders came from Haimyx, and to the god of life and death, he was utterly loyal. Within that devotion, I found something interesting.
Haimyx had loved Ma’at. No matter what his son did, no matter how they fought, the king would not lose the last piece of his wife that remained.
“The king wants to reconcile?” I guessed. “He wants his heir to return home.”
“He would never—” Seth spat.
“He does,” Aeacus said. “Tell me.” He curled his fingers into Aethra’s hair. “Do you love her?”
Flinching, Seth refused to answer.
“Return home. Beg forgiveness. Your father would happily give her to you.”
Conviction underlined the words. Aeacus believed what he said. My gaze flicked to Seth, searching for his reaction.
“I don’t believe you,” Seth growled.
“Do you think we labor in cruelty for leisure?” Aeacus’ voice rose. “We are the guardians of the Acheron. To allow anyone inside risks the world falling into ruin.”
“You never cared about the risk,” Seth hissed. “Father only cares for his power, his immortality. And the rest of the ‘gods’ are no different.” He raised his spear. “How dare you try to justify your actions?”
“The Maidens keep the Empty at bay,” Aeacus shouted. “Had you stolen Cassandra away, you would have condemned the world to death. All of us!”
“I don’t care,” Seth snarled.
Everything in the commander’s words was true. Gravity and regret pooled inside him.
I looked up. “Did Ma’at go into the Empty willingly?”
Surprised by the question, Aeacus paused before answering. “Yes. Of course she did. Our queen would have done anything to save her people.”
The horror Elpis maidens faced—the people believed it was a necessary sacrifice. My eyes fell to Aethra.
Would this quest cost her life, too? All this time, I’d spoken to her of foolish hope, when her fate might be to pay the ultimate price.
Her eyelids fluttered as she regained consciousness. Feeling his captive stir, Aeacus grabbed her wrist and twisted it. A horrible crack followed.
“This is all you are capable of, Set,” Aeacus breathed. “Bringing death to those you love.”
Shrieking, Aethra grabbed at her arm, and the blade dug deeper into her neck. Blood dripped from the wound, trailing down her neck before dripping onto the floor. Aeacus’ lion rose from its pool, teeth barred as it crept toward us.
“Surrender,” Aeacus commanded. “And neither of you will need to suffer.”
My whirling mind calmed. If Seth still stood beside me, I could no longer see him. Aeacus centered my vision, a blur of black and red.
He was vulnerable. He’d erred by letting his guard drop. By allowing me into his mind.
Extending my hand, I saw him as no more than a tool. Subhuman. Deserving of pain and death.
Invisible strings laced through him, connecting him to me.
“Step away from her,” I said calmly.
Aeacus’ eyes glazed over, and his jaw fell slack. Releasing Aethra, he gently lowered her to the floor and stepped back.
“And call off your guard dog,” I said.
The lion bowed its head and lowered itself to the ground.
Seth leaped over the lion and grabbed Aethra, pulling her into his arms. He cradled her injured hand and wrapped his scarred wings around her shoulders, shielding her in their embrace.
Pulling off my helm, I let it tumble to the ground. Stalking toward the commander, I gave him another order. “Now kneel, before your prince.”
Aeacus flung his sword away and dropped to his knees, bowing his head in respect.
Stunned, Seth studied Aeacus before looking up at me. “El?” He asked.
“I have control of him,” I promised. “Would you like to kill him? Or should I?”
Gently resting Aethra against the statue, Seth drew his blade. “I’ve wanted to do this for ten years.”
The scarlet blade dragged across the floor as Seth stalked toward Aeacus. Slowly, he raised his blade above the commander’s head. His emotions flowed to me, clear as day.
This was the man who’d revealed his love’s magic. The man who’d beaten him relentlessly for nine long months.
Seth was going to revel in his bloodshed.
“Wait!” Aethra cried.
Seth paused, glancing back at her.
“We can use him. Think, Seth. The commander of the Hades Knights, under our control.”
Considering the suggestion, Seth looked to me. “Can you hold him for that long?”
“No,” I gasped. Already, the spell was taking its toll. “But we could extract information from him. Use him to give orders, then kill him.”
Lowering his blade, Seth sighed. “You’re right.
Aeacus doesn’t bend under physical pain like most people, but—” He knelt beside the commander.
“He’s a loyal little lapdog. Forcing him to betray his king and obey me would be a suitable punishment.
And when he’s served his purpose? I’ll deal back to him everything he did to me. ”
Rising, Seth returned to Aethra. Emotions coiled in my chest. Seth’s last words had shaken with fresh pain. How could he simply walk away?
There was a chance Aeacus would slip out of our control. That he’d escape.
I wasn’t going to let him flee without suffering first. Flicking my wrist, I gave him a new order.
Aeacus grabbed his wrist and twisted it—just as he’d done to Aethra. I heard his bone snap before the arm fell limply at his side.
A satisfied sneer tugged at my lips. “Get Aethra out of here,” I ordered. “We need to go.”
Nodding, Seth gently picked Aethra up. “Don’t worry, princess. I’m much better at flying, now.”
Grabbing Seth’s arm, Aethra peered around him to stare at me. She wanted to speak, but couldn’t. Not even through our minds could she cast me a single thought.
She needn’t. Her emotions flowed freely to me.
Horror. Aethra had finally glimpsed the heretic who had led countless men to their death.