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Aya, as the Queen’s Third, had certainly seen her fair share of blood. The Queen’s Eyes, they called her. Gianna’s spymaster.
It was as if his darkness had called to hers, and she hadn’t been able to resist responding. And for that, she hated him.
“Do you ever read anything good?” Tova complained. “By ‘good,’ you’re referring to those horrible romance novels you can’t get enough of?” “You say horrible, I say passionate.”
Every member of the Dyminara took a bonded. No one had wanted the gray runt of the litter when it came time for Aya’s class to choose. But she’d seen what the others hadn’t: what Tyr lacked in size, he made up for in spirit.
Should darkness return, the gods hath not forsaken us. For a second of her kind will rise, born anew to right the greatest wrong.
The last thing she saw was Will drop to his knees, his hand clutching his chest as he bellowed her name.
“If you need more than thirty minutes, William, then you have no idea how to pleasure a woman.” Will grinned. “If you haven’t lasted thirty minutes, Majesty, then you have no idea how to experience true pleasure.”
“She’s mine,” Will snarled softly, violence flashing in his gray eyes.
On either side of the old wooden pews were stained-glass windows, each depicting one of the Nine Divine. There was Nikatos, god of war, wielding his legendary sword. Next to him was Mora, goddess of fate, her healing glow surrounding her like a veil of light. Then Hepha, goddess of flame, wreathed in fire. Next to her, Velos, god of wind, with his arms out, a fierce gust swirling around him. Then Cero, god of earth, a flower stemming from their palm. And on the other side of the temple stood Aquine, god of water, a single tear of rain on his face. He was followed by Pathos, god of sensation,
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Will shifted his attention to Aidon, his face neutral as he took a sip of wine. “I prefer Aya in black.”
Tomorrow will be better.
“You and I both know nothing stands in the way of Gianna taking what she decides is hers.”
“I think you incapable of nothing, Aya love.”
“Rare you’re not using that blade against me,” he muttered. “Truly a first.”
“I see you,” he said roughly, giving her shoulders a light squeeze. “I have always seen you. And nothing I see in you is dark, Aya.”
I will destroy everything I’ve ever loved, just as I always have.
“Then I’ll go over it with you. To the seven hells themselves, if we must. No matter how far the fall.”
“Now that I understand you’re Visya, Aidon, you’ll hear me quite clearly when I say that I have no hesitation in exercising my affinity on you. And that if you refer to her as a weapon again, I won’t even bother with it when I cut out your godsdamn tongue. Understood?”
“Everything I’ve done has been to protect you. To keep you from this. And I’ve failed. Every time I’ve failed. I couldn’t keep you away from Gianna. I couldn’t keep you from those masochists in the desert. And I can’t—I can’t breathe when I think of how many times I’ve almost lost you. Of how many times I’ve utterly failed you.”
“If these are our last moments, then know I will climb out of the hells and take on the gods if it means finding you again in the Beyond.”
“Tell them the Second War is here, and it’s time they chose a side. They either stand against the Decachiré, or they stand against the gods.”
“And so the Second Saint rises.”
“By my blood and before the gods, I pledge my life to protect you. To fight beside you.” The corner of his lips tipped into a soft smile as he added, “No matter how far the fall.”
