Chapter 27 Seth
Seth
Most days, I didn’t dream. The few nights they darkened my sleep, I could always remember them as clearly as if they’d been real.
A grave loomed before me, forever out of reach. No matter how long I ran, I never reached it. Flowers grew from its base. Blue and bright, flecked with blood. Great shadows surged above, shaped like a serpent. Like the great cobra hood Father’s throne was carved to resemble.
I couldn’t reach the grave, couldn’t read the words etched on its stone. But I knew in my heart who it belonged to.
Separate from the blue flowers lay a bundle of white lilies, tied together by a necklace set with a small wood carving.
Sitting up, I blinked, adjusting my eyes to the darkness. Water trickled nearby, and Aethra slept soundly in my lap. The same necklace rested between her collarbones. Taking a breath, I rubbed my face.
The other Elpis maidens had died, yes, but that didn’t mean Aethra would, too. Those women had been sent into the Acheron alone. Aethra would have all of us to protect her.
I tried to swallow the lump of fear forming in my throat, but it wouldn’t abate. Nothing terrified me more than the thought of losing her.
Gently lifting Aethra, I set her down and wrapped a cloak around her shoulders. I dressed quietly, tracing the pile of curls blanketing her back.
One quick step outside—that was all I needed. Once I knew nothing horrible had happened in the night, I could return. Ideally, before she awoke.
I missed being a nameless assassin. Seth could have stayed with Aethra, held her in his arms for as long as he wanted.
Set couldn’t.
Part of me missed this feeling, though—helping protect the city my mother loved so much. The one place in Duath Nun where people needn’t live in fear.
Tying my cloak around my shoulders, I stared at Aethra longingly. Forcing myself away, I felt my way down the dark hall and tapped the brick, opening the hidden doorway. Light from a nearby torch burned my eyes when I stepped out into the main hall.
Whisper lay pressed against the wall. He roused from his nap and slapped his tail against the floor. Kneeling, I nudged him toward the tunnel.
“Go keep Aethra company,” I whispered.
Smelling her on me, he ducked into the shadows, and I closed the door behind him, sealing my princess safely inside.
“There you are.” Phaedrus’ voice startled me. I turned to see him standing a few paces down the hall. “You might want to come see this.”
Yanking my dagger from its sheath, I followed him. “What happened?”
“Our little heist had consequences,” Phaedrus answered, shimmying down a narrow passage.
An ancient ladder rested against the wall, leading up to a hidden hatch. Phaedrus ascended first and cranked the rusted hatch open before beckoning me to follow. We emerged in an overgrown yard bordering the river—the little sewer hatch blended into the soil the moment Phaedrus closed it behind us.
The sounds of commotion drifted from a nearby street—shouting, overlapping voices, clopping hooves. Following the noise, I found a dirt path leading back to civilization.
Pressing my dagger to my wrist, I ducked into the shadows of the nearest building and peered around the corner.
Soldiers swarmed the street ahead, Hades Knights and Ma’at guards alike. This was a residential district; homes of various sizes and colors clustered on both sides of a broad, broken-stone road.
The soldiers walked door to door, while others corralled the people—shoving some away while herding others into groups. A woman oversaw the chaos from her raised throne, carried by four servants.
Eris reclined in her seat, legs crossed, foot bouncing impatiently.
A hand gently touched my shoulder, and I whirled around. Seraphim crept up beside me, finger pressed to her mouth. “They’re demanding someone from each family step forward and submit to questioning.”
Phaedrus caught up to us, pressing his back to the wall. “Most of our people are down in the tunnels, no?’
“No. There’s still plenty scattered around,” Seraphim whispered back. Her gaze flicked to me.
Sliding my dagger across my wrist, I felt warm blood trickle down my arm.
A Hades Knight stepped into a doorway, and a moment later, dragged a young woman out.
He shepherded her toward a circle of Ma’at knights waiting near their commander, where she was shackled and pushed into a huddle of captives.
Eris called out in a booming voice. “There’s no need to fear. If you have nothing to hide, no harm will come to you. Any answers you can give us will help protect your family.”
Wrapping my bleeding arm in my sleeve, I concealed my magic—best to keep it hidden while I could. “Eris is my sister,” I whispered, “I’ll go talk to her.”
“Are you sure?” Seraphim frowned.
“If she doesn’t listen, you two can jump in to help me kill them.”
“Wait,” Phaedrus said sharply. “Is that wise? Free those people, and you condemn them to death.”
“They’re being condemned to death either way,” I said. “This is a performance to make people afraid. Nothing more.”
“Go.” Seraphim jerked her chin up. “If you need us, we’ll be there.” She smirked. “Your majesty.”
“Highness. I don’t have a crown yet,” I corrected before darting out of cover.
The Hades Knights noticed me quickly—I wasn’t exactly being subtle. Crowned by Ma’at’s circlet with a cape dyed in her colors flowing behind me, my identity was quite clear.
Father’s ebony-clad warriors reacted with hostility, weapons drawn. But the soldiers wearing armor that matched mine hesitated.
Good. Maybe some would welcome a return to how things once were.
“Eris,” I called cheerfully. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you in Ma’at’s city before.”
Raising a hand, Eris silently ordered the Hades Knights to back off. “Haven’t you heard, Set? Father decided it was time to fill the vacant throne.”
I paused, glancing over the group of captives. Able-bodied men, mostly. They were imprisoning the city’s most physically capable, hoping to reduce the number of potential rebels.
“Father has no right,” I called back. “This is Ma’at’s city.”
Eris leaned forward. “Ma’at is dead. Only Haimyx remains.”
A man hobbled past Eris’ knights, balancing with a cane. Silver hair, silver eyes . . . I recognized him and the bandages he was wrapped in. Gold armor and white robes—the same colors as Cerys’ house.
“Lord Icelus.” I whistled. “Good! I was hoping you’d survived.”
Icelus mouth twisted with rage. But he also flinched.
“You’ve not changed,” Eris said with a sweet smile. “Still attacking your fellow gods, I see.”
“Blame Icelus. He’s the one who nearly killed the final maiden of Elpis.”
That caught everyone’s attention—even the commoners. Icelus snarled. “Lies. As expected of the traitor.”
“How are you healing?” I grinned at him. “Quickly, I hope. Because I’m going to deal back everything you did to her.”
He moved to speak, but I turned to the knights before he could.
“I’ll give you one warning. Let these people go, and get out of my sight.”
“Set,” Eris called with a taunting smile. “You weren’t to return unless you re-swore your oaths. And I don’t get the impression you intend to. You have no authority anymore.”
“One warning,” I repeated.
Eris leaned back, content to see what unfolded, but Icelus glared up at her. “He has magic, and we don’t understand the depths of it.”
“True.” Eris leaned on her fist. “I’m loyal to our Father. As such, I have no choice but to bring you to him. He can handle you from there.”
“Pretend I’m a child all you want, Eris,” I said. “It won’t stop what I’ve started. And it won’t save your men.” I glared at the most senior of the Ma’at knights, marked by a golden crest on his cape. “Mother would have killed you where you stand, for what you’re doing to her people.”
He reacted the way I hoped—shame darkened the eyes behind the helm.
Eris finally dropped the playful expression. She regarded me severely and sat back up.
“Father wanted you to take Mother’s place. There’s no reason you cannot inherit her throne.” Eris smiled. “Let’s handle this the way Ma’at would have wanted. Calmly. With words, not blood.”
Mother had been more than happy to shed blood when it was warranted. Swallowing those words, I stepped closer. “What are you proposing?”
Eris twisted her neck, looking up at the white spire peeking above the sea of buildings. “In five days, the ball celebrating my ascension will be held. Come. We can lay old grudges to rest, there.”
“Am I to come alone?’
“No. All I ask is that you arrive with good intentions and lowered blades.”
Eris was setting an obvious trap. If her blood commanded magic like Cerys claimed, she would charm everyone in the room and turn them against me.
But Eris’ magic didn’t work against me. With luck, I was still immune to her wiles.
“Fine,” I agreed. “I’ll attend. But if I see you harming my people before then . . .”
“We’ll call a reprieve.” Eris raised her chin. “You stay your blade. I stay mine.”
“Deal.”
A smile curled her lips. “I look forward to seeing you at your best, Set.” She craned her neck, snarling. “Release them. Return to your posts.”
The Ma’at knight I’d addressed pulled the shackles off a young man and moved onto the next captive, barking orders for his men to do the same.
I met Icelus’ gaze one final time and smiled wickedly at him. Fear colored his eyes, and he hurriedly turned to follow Eris as her servants carried her down the street.
Turning away, I met back with the Cynthus siblings.
“That went well,” Phaedrus drawled sarcastically. “Let’s not linger, though.”
Seraphim tilted her head and smiled. “Aethra will never believe you solved a problem without drawing your blade.
I flexed my wrist—blood stained my sleeve, unused. “Neither will Eleos,” I murmured.
Seraphim nudged my arm. “This way. We should wait before we return.”
I followed her, gaze lingering on the veteran Ma’at knight.
For the first time, I saw what Eleos did: a spark of hope amidst the darkness.
Lll