Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ALENA
Uncle?
Alena shot a bewildered look at Leukos, who had slipped free of the Sea God’s grip while the god’s attention was elsewhere. His eyes were locked on the servant, his jaw tight.
Clearly, the woman was anything but mortal. Her presence radiated an ethereal quality that reminded Alena of the Grey-Eyed Maiden or the Huntress—a strange energy thrumming in the air.
The woman sauntered back to the Maiden’s fountain, her steps feather-light. She leaned over the basin, admiring her reflection with smug approval.
Her hair was dark, swept into a loose bun, but for a heartbeat Alena swore she saw golden-blonde strands shimmering in the water.
“What are you doing here?” the Sea God growled. “I don’t care if your sister sent you. This might be her city, but their parents made a vow before us all. I demand it be fulfilled.”
The Maiden’s sister? That could mean any number of lesser goddesses. But among the Twelve, it could only be the Huntress… or the Cyprian.
“Oh, Uncle…” The goddess sighed, settling on the fountain’s edge with a dramatic flourish. “Always so hard on the poor mortals. Can’t you see we’re in the presence of something far greater and more precious than a wedding vow?”
Her lips curled into a knowing smile. For a breath, the Sea God hesitated. Then his gaze snapped to the queen, still standing on the steps with an officer’s arm braced protectively around her waist.
“Soulmates?” he thundered. “Impossible! What have you done?”
The goddess trailed her fingers through the water, sending ripples dancing across the surface. “Technically, Father is to blame,” she said airily, as if discussing a minor inconvenience. “He’s the one who created them.”
Alena barely breathed. She knew little of soulmates—only that the Achaeans revered the bond as sacred, a thread spun by the Fates themselves, deeper than blood and more binding than marriage.
All around her, the crowd turned their focus towards the queen and the officer at her side.
Soulmates. It explained the way their postures eased, how their hands found each other without hesitation.
They stood as if some invisible tether had just snapped taut between them, eyes wide and lips parted in silent recognition.
But if Queen Charis and the officer were soulmates… What did that mean for Leukos—and his alliance?
She had no time to ponder. The Sea God’s voice roared like crashing waves. “Soulmates, ha!” His laughter was a deep, scornful bellow. “The Fates mock us. I see it now—and clearly, they are not the only couple.” His gaze speared Leukos. “Boy!”
Leukos met his stare with such contempt Alena feared the god might smite him on the spot.
“I do not like seeing Megara in the hands of the enemy,” the god snarled. “You have more power than you know. I expect you to do something about it. And when the time comes, I will stand with you.”
With a final, menacing glare, his towering form began to dissolve. His essence surged upwards, gathering into a massive wave that loomed high above the courtyard, casting everything into shadow. A salty chill swept over them, sharp as winter, and gasps broke from the crowd.
Alena pulled Kaixo close, shielding him. The wave crested, crashing down with a roar—
But the impact never came.
When she opened her eyes, the water was gone, flung across the cobblestones like scattered rain. Leukos stood between them and the Sea God’s fury, his back braced, one arm raised. A crescent wall of ice arched behind him, water dripping down its sides.
Relief swelled in Alena’s chest as she rose. He looked back at her, and for a heartbeat, warmth softened his dark eyes. She smiled, heart racing, daring to believe he’d been waiting for her, too. That maybe—
But then his expression shifted. His brow furrowed, his jaw tightening, as though he meant to speak—to bridge the gap between them. Yet, pulled back by some unseen restraint, he turned away, his features hardening once more.
The sudden withdrawal struck her like a blow. Her hand dropped to her side, the warmth between them replaced by a cold ache. She swallowed against the sting of rejection and forced herself to stay composed, unwilling to let the depth of her disappointment show.
“Ugh, such a sore loser,” the goddess muttered, waving a hand at the flooded courtyard as if it were an insult to her taste.
Alena had been so focused on Leukos she’d almost forgotten the woman entirely. But now, after everything that had unfolded, she was almost certain: she stood in the presence of the Cyprian—the goddess of love, first born of the sea foam near Cyprus.
Movement caught her eye. Apollo and the other two wolves wove through the debris, padding towards her and Kaixo. The boy stood wide-eyed beside her, mesmerised by the arcing wall of ice, already slick with melt under the sun.
Leukos still kept his distance, his face unreadable. The goddess cast him a sidelong glance, her eyes glimmering with appreciation.
Alena resisted the urge to click her tongue. “And who are you?”
The goddess gave her a knowing smile. “I think you already know, Omega. And it’s time we had a little chat.”
With effortless grace, she adjusted the folds of her gown before letting her gaze sweep over Alena from head to toe. Her lips pursed with faint disapproval. “Is that what the made you wear?”
Alena blinked, taken aback by the question. She glanced down at her chain mail, worn furs, and dirty riding leathers, a flush rising to her cheeks.
“Chain mail is cumbersome,” the goddess remarked. “We can’t have the Omega running around red-faced and exhausted before the battle even begins. And honestly, it’s so inelegant.”
Kaixo giggled beside her, but Alena’s frown deepened. Only the Cyprian could be so vain. Chain mail was meant for protection, not aesthetics. Still, the goddess had a point—it was rather cumbersome.
“Here, let me help.” The Cyprian opened her palm, a shimmer of light swirling with the soft hues of dawn. With a playful wink at Kaixo, she blew the ethereal mist towards Alena.
The magic swept over her in a warm wave. The chain mail’s weight lifted from her shoulders, dissolving as if it had never been there. A tingling sensation curled around her skin, and when the enchanted cloud dispersed, Alena glanced down and froze.
A breastplate of overlapping mother-of-pearl scales covered her front and back, surprisingly light and flexible, yet fitting her like a second skin.
The scales ended at a golden girdle that cinched her waist, protecting her stomach and hips, while a cascade of dawn-coloured skirts flowed behind, parting in the front to reveal golden greaves and leather sandals.
Kaixo stared, wide-eyed.
Alena touched the armour, speechless. The cool smoothness of the scales shifted beneath her fingertips, humming faintly with power.
She’d never worn anything so beautiful, so exquisitely crafted.
The mother-of-pearl gleamed with iridescent hues, catching the light in a captivating display as she moved.
“It will protect you from any weapon, be it blade or arrow, but beware of Gifted ones.” The goddess rose to her feet, her expression sharpening. “Shine your light, Omega. The Achaean Twelve are with you. We may not agree on much, but none of us like seeing Achaea in Rasennan hands.”
She lifted Alena’s chin, forcing her to meet her gaze. In the Cyprian’s eyes, Alena saw a beauty so radiant, so flawless, it bordered on agony. Beneath that dazzling surface stirred something older and merciless. The weight of it pierced her, leaving shivers in its wake.
“Once upon a time, I could have made you the most beautiful maiden in all the kingdoms of the Great Sea.” The goddess’ voice shook with power, thrumming through Alena’s bones.
“Kings and warriors would have killed friends and kin just to glimpse your face, and all would have fallen at your feet with a single look.” Then her lips curved into a teasing smile, and her gaze slid to Leukos, watching from afar, arms crossed.
“But I know there is only one man your heart truly longs for.”
Heat flared in Alena’s cheeks. Her feelings for Leukos were something she hadn’t dared name, and yet the Cyprian had plucked the truth from her in an instant.
The goddess released her chin with a delicate flick, then bent to Kaixo and whispered in his ear. His eyes lit with mischief, and he took off towards Leukos, laughing.
“Let me offer you some advice instead, Omega.” Alena, still reeling from the Cyprian’s insight, barely caught the wicked smile on her lips. “You are the only one who can help him with his Gift.”
Alena’s focus snapped to Leukos. “What’s wrong with his—?”
The question died on her lips.
Leukos had gone rigid, tension carved into every line of his body. His eyes were locked on Kaixo as the boy bounded towards him, oblivious to the shift in the air. Nik’s expression turned ashen.
Panic slammed into Alena. Something was terribly wrong.
“Kaixo, stop!”
But the boy, laughing, didn’t hear. Just as he neared, Nik intercepted him, scooping him into a tight embrace and ruffling his hair with a forced grin.
Only then did Leukos exhale, the rigid edges softening as he gave Kaixo a faint nod, maintaining his distance.
Alena frowned. Leukos never kept Kaixo at arm’s length—never.
When they travelled together, he had taken the boy under his wing, shielding him without hesitation.
He’d done the same today against the Sea God.
Whatever was wrong with his Gift, it was worse than she’d imagined if he felt the need to keep away.
She turned to ask the goddess—only to find her gone.
Typical.
Pivoting towards the palace steps, she halted. All eyes were on her. The court and guards stood motionless, wide-eyed, their stunned silence breaking into a wave of whispers.
“That’s the Omega!”
“She’s real!”
“She was Gifted without a sacrifice.”
“The gods favour her!”