Chapter 23 #2
Reclining on her hands, she watched the chaos unfold with a bemused smile. Her simple linen clothes were those of a servant, but Alena wasn’t fooled.
There was a hum to her presence that didn’t belong to mortals.
Leukos spotted her, too. “What are you doing here?”
The woman winked. “You invited me.”
Before Alena could react, the fountain behind her erupted. Water surged violently over the basin, slithering down the stone path like a snake hunting prey—headed straight for her.
“Uh oh,” the servant chimed in a sing-song voice. “He’s not happy…”
Alena’s breath caught. The water shuddered, then rose—a massive, serpentine wave arching over the palace courtyard. Nobles shrieked and scattered as the shadow of the wave darkened the marble, climbing as high as the palace walls.
Terror rooted Alena to the spot, her mind reeling.
From the churning surge, a colossal figure began to take form.
Whirlpools spun into eyes, framed by thunderous brows.
Beneath them, a gaping mouth yawned open, currents roiling within.
Then the rest of him emerged—an immense, bearded visage sculpted from the sea itself, framed by spiralling hair and tendrils of foam.
From the depths of his watery bulk, a hand surfaced, clutching a trident that shimmered with divine wrath.
Alena’s throat went dry.
The Sea God.
And he was looking right at her.
The queen and her court dropped to their knees at once, whispering frantic prayers. Guards threw down their weapons with metallic clatters, pressing their foreheads to stone.
But Leukos didn’t move.
He stood rigid a few paces away, staring up at the god with wide, disbelieving eyes. He had believed the Twelve were long dead, their power scattered. Yet here the Sea God towered, as if summoned from an ancient age.
Leukos’ fingers curled into fists at his sides, as though forcing himself to accept the impossible sight.
On the staircase, Pelagios glanced sharply between the Sea God and Leukos. Beside him, Theo held Nik by the arm as he strained forward, his own eyes flicking toward Alena in alarm.
The Sea God’s voice thundered through the courtyard, shaking the earth itself. “You dare disrespect the will of the gods?”
Alena’s knees nearly buckled. His presence pressed on her chest like a tidal force, stealing the air from her lungs. Ancient magic thickened the air, and panic clawed up her throat. She had faced gods before—been Gifted by them—but never had one’s wrath been fixed solely on her.
Across the mayhem, Leukos hadn’t flinched. His gaze never left her—not the god, not the queen, not the danger.
Her.
And in his eyes, Alena saw the vow he’d once sworn:
I will fight for you until the end.
The memory steadied her legs. But how could they hope to stand against one of the strongest gods of the Twelve?
“Kaixo!” Phoebe’s panicked cry split the din.
Alena turned just as Kaixo bounded through the shattered gates, chestnut hair flying, a wide grin lighting up his face—the first she’d seen in ages.
“Leukos!” he shouted, joy ringing in his voice.
But then his eyes lifted. He saw the towering god—and froze. The smile vanished, terror hollowing his face.
“Kaixo!” Alena lunged, seizing him just as he stumbled forward, shielding him with her body.
The Sea God advanced, each step sending waves crashing in his wake. Mist hissed through the air, icy and salt-laced, clinging to her skin. His furious gaze bore down like a storm about to break.
Then—light erupted.
A blinding flare of ice-blue split the courtyard as Leukos stepped forward, his entire body cloaked in a pale, spectral glow.
Frost raced across stone, and shimmering icicles materialised midair—thousands of blades spinning into a protective ring around Alena and Kaixo.
They whirled faster and faster, a cyclone of silver and blue.
Kaixo’s eyes widened, his hand lifting towards the icy vortex.
“No,” Alena breathed, pulling him back. Her skin was chilled, her grip firm.
Leukos had wielded ice before—but never like this.
What had happened to his Gift?
A rumbling voice cut through the icy vortex, thick with scorn. “If you think the North Wind’s magic can challenge mine, boy, then you have learned nothing from your time in Megara.”
Leukos held his ground, his features set in grim resolve as he met the Sea God’s gaze. “I don’t seek a fight with you,” he said. “But I will protect them with my life.”
Alena’s heart hammered against her ribs. He meant it. He always had.
The god’s eyes narrowed—dark waves gathering into a storm. “You cannot protect her from my wrath.”
A jet of water lashed out, coiling around Leukos’ legs and yanking him off his feet. He hit the ground with a grunt, muscles straining against the crushing force. Then his magic flared, and a deafening crack echoed as the tendril froze solid.
“Leukos!” Kaixo cried.
Alena’s mind raced. She had nothing—no blade, no wind, no wolves that could stand against the Sea God. Her Gifts were meaningless here. But perhaps the Grey-Eyed Maiden might hear her.
“Maiden, please,” she whispered, shielding Kaixo once more. “Protect us.”
The towering figure of water turned his gaze on her. His eyes narrowed in scrutiny.
Then—
Leukos’ icicle barrier faltered. The cyclone shattered, shards raining down with a brittle crash, scattering across the stone.
For one breathless moment, time seemed to still. Even the Sea God paused, his fury eclipsed by something else—recognition. His gaze shifted past her, and something unspoken flickered across his immense features.
Alena held her breath.
The entire courtyard seemed to do the same.
Then, a musical giggle broke the silence like sunlight cracking through storm clouds.
“Well, aren’t you just a sweetheart?”
Alena spun. The woman from the fountain—the servant—now crouched before Kaixo, cupping his face with both hands as though the Sea God himself weren’t looming over them.
Kaixo beamed up at her, utterly calm.
“You’ll be a handsome lad one day, mark my words,” she cooed, brushing a curl from his forehead. “Your mother would be so proud of you.”
Kaixo’s smile faltered, and his gaze dropped. Alena squeezed his hand tight, grief swelling sharp and fierce in her chest. San’s death, still fresh and raw, throbbed between them like an open wound.
For a brief moment, she almost forgot the god towering above—until a low, grumbling sigh drew her eyes back.
The waves within his form settled. “I should have known you were behind this.”
“Hello, Uncle,” the woman said brightly, giving him a playful wave. She glanced around the shattered courtyard with detached amusement. “I see your temper is just as formidable as ever.”