Chapter Sixty #3
“It’s alright,” Aster said, but her eyes screamed with a lie. She was afraid—terrified.
“No.” Evelyn shook her head. “No.”
“How dare you ask that of her?” Kade roared. “Of either of them!”
The Sun Goddess’s eyes flared. “I do dare! As powerful as you both are, time is not on your side. The Blood Curse grows with each passing—“
“And who is to blame for that?” Evelyn shouted. “Aster is kind, she is gentle. She has always believed in goodness and the idea of you, and now you ask her to become nothing.”
“Your friend’s fate has been written—her death a part of the plan.”
“You . . .” Evelyn swallowed back bile. “You knew she’d die, and you did nothing. The other young woman, murdered. Riven’s plans. And yet still, you did nothing.”
The goddess tsked. “Fate is sometimes a misfortune. What is written, is written. Aster’s fate was decided long ago, and more importantly, she accepted her path and walked it happily.
You now must do the same. Use her soul to mend yours and draw back your magic, or remain here, Evelyn Carson. What will you decide?”
Evelyn remained passive, drawing a false frown to her lips. She pinched her brow, and to others, appeared perhaps distraught but she was thinking. For the Sun Goddess doubted one strength Evelyn had not lost these weeks—belief.
One emotion rushed through Evelyn as strong as any power—rebellion.
From this day forth, Evelyn answered to no one’s plans but her own.
She resisted the goddess’s notion of fate with every fiber of her being, but she played the obedient mortal as she set her shoulders back.
Evelyn rose on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Kade’s cheek.
“Trust me,” she breathed into his ear.
The crowd parted as she walked to join Aster on the dais. The Sun Goddess smiled like a cat who’d caught its prey, and Evelyn bowed, playing the mortal who conceded to her whims. She didn’t use words, the capacity to lie impossible as she thrummed with her plan.
The Sun Goddess stepped off the dais, joining the God of Night’s side as the crowd grew, fixated on the scene about to unfold.
Evelyn dragged Aster into a tight hug.
“Everything’s going to be alright,” she whispered.
She released her friend and stepped closer to the sphere of power, the hole in her chest warmed.
The walls of the palace shook as she called upon her power to return.
Her magic answered the call, soaring through the air and crashing into her chest. Evelyn’s soul and magic collided, and she sucked in a breath and—
Evelyn shot off the ground, suspended, as her back bowed. Silver engulfed her. Down her arms and legs, lifting her obsidian hair. Light flared around in luminescent flames, dancing in tandem with her. Never had Evelyn felt so centered, so right.
Mine, her heart beat as silver threads weaved across her soul.
Evelyn was not remade, she was reborn.
As Evelyn descended back to the ground on steady feet, she crackled and burned with pure power.
Fiery orange flames no longer ignited at her fingertips, but silver ones, a power that was a truer reflection.
Not some goddess-given gift, not power mentioned in a prophecy or magic adored by her people. It was her.
Evelyn was silver and strength.
And life.
For safe measure, and because she could thanks to the infectious rebellion flushing through her veins, Evelyn outstretched her hand and reached for the sun in the sky outside the main window. After all, the Sun Goddess had said she needed something a little extra.
So, Evelyn plucked the light of the sun and stole it.
It fueled the power of life already flowing in her veins, a power she intended to use as she saw fit.
Starting with Aster.
Evelyn addressed the Sun Goddess, piercing her with an unabashed stare. “Fuck fate.”
She snapped her fingers.
Aster stumbled back, layers vibrating, as Evelyn drew upon her power. She was so familiar with the threads of souls and life and light now, weaving something anew was as easy as breathing.
Aster patted her chest, her face, tears welling in russet eyes. Her friend was whole again. “I’m . . . You brought me back to life.”
“No!” the Sun Goddess raged, charging towards Evelyn and grasping her by the shirt. “What have you done?”
“What is written, is written.” Evelyn thrust her silver flame ahead of her, throwing the Sun Goddess back onto her ass.
The hall erupted into gasps and shouts of protest. The Otherworld skies darkened.
“Seize them!” the Sun Goddess roared.
The God of Night took one step forward, eyes focused on Evelyn, and then cried out in agony. He crumpled to the floor, clutching his stomach as his entrails splattered to the marble floor—Kade’s promise to gut him fulfilled.
Her mate stalked through the frightened crowd, hand alight with his power. Their bond vibrated between them, not fully intact yet, but tied by a thread once again. He joined her side, and they were more powerful than ever.
“Can you feel Belle’s spell?” he shouted over the chaos.
“No,” Evelyn shook her head. “It’s like something’s blocking me from the living realm.”
Kade nodded. “Me too .”
“Are we stuck?” Aster asked.
The Sun Goddess rose, and fire leaked from her powers. “You will not leave the Otherworld, Evelyn Carson. How dare you steal from me? How dare you have the power of a goddess?”
Ahead, the God of Night’s body twitched, entrails drawing back into his stomach as he writhed back alive.
“Fucking flames,” Evelyn breathed. “They can’t be killed.”
“We need to get out of here,” Kade shouted.
Panic flushed through Evelyn. “I can’t feel Belle’s spell.”
“You don’t need a spell to guide you home. Your power is infinite now. Use it,“ the Moon God shouted over his shoulder, positioning himself ahead of them. “Work together, and I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”
Kade grasped Evelyn’s hand, and with an unbending look of devotion and strength, they weaved their powers together.
Evelyn reached her hand out to Aster. “Hold on!”
Silver and blue shot upward. The ceiling cracked open. The palace shook. Columns fell and shattered. The Sun Goddess’s cries chorused with the Moon God’s last efforts as he fought her.
Evelyn and Kade sent their powers through the Otherworld and ripped open the tethers between realms, carrying all their souls into the Living Lands once again.