The male peers over the railing of their brig-sized ship.
The male’s likeness to Somnus is startling. Outside of a few minor differences, this male smiles—a feat I’m not sure the brooding god of dreams and the subconscious can even manage.
Mors. His brother.
“Violette?”
My brows knit together, voice darkening with wariness and anxiety. “What’s happened?”
Footsteps follow and a moment later, Persephone peers over the railing.“Oh, thank fuck.”
Unwilling to waste another moment, Ifoldonto their ship in my syrith form. And I can’t help but notice Persephone’s astonishing beauty featuring attributes completely different from my own—light hair and dark skin that radiates perfection.Whatever jealousy might have burned bright and hot is crushed in an icy fist of fear.
“What’s happened?”
Neither Mors nor Persephone show any reaction to my nudity before Iwilla robe over my body. The two of them exchange an apprehensive look before returning their gaze to mine—ratcheting my anxiety higher. The wind whips my hair and rocks their boat.
“This might sound weird, but... there are two Azraels now, yes?”
My unease winds tighter. “Yes..."
I already know what she’s going to say.
The mere anticipation makes my throat feel like it’s closing.
Had been willfully ignoring all the signs.
And the deepening frown of concern on her face is confirmation.
“I’m sorry to show up so abruptly like this. I just... Azrael told me—us—about you, and yoursoulbound.Despite us no longer beingsoulbound,his power is, to put it reductively, connected to mine as its complete antithesis. Like a see-saw, I can sense the opposite end of my power. How it has been split in two..."
The fleeting pause she takes as if searching for gentle words that I know are about to rip my heart out feels like a fucking eternity. “I can feel that one of them is no longer immortal. That his life force is waning.”Her voice wobbles on the last word as emotion glitters in her eyes. “I’m sorry to come to you like this; I just... I would want to know.”
I can’t breathe.
I can’t... breathe.
My hand grasps the rail of the boat as the waves threaten to toss us all overboard.
The crack of thunder causes Persephone to jolt and a frown to carve Mors’ face.
“Violette..."
I shake my head as my eyes, filled with a desperation like I’ve never known, lift to Persephone’s. The intensity of the wind increases to a howl over which I have to shout to be heard. “You’re the Goddess of life... You can fix him. Heal him... right? Surely..."
She hesitates, agony creasing her features. “If I could, I would... .”
Another crack of thunder, shortly followed by a streak of lightning.
The ship groans against the fury of the waves threatening to split it in twane—a mirror to the pain fissuring through me.
This can’t be happening.
We’ve only just united.
For the first time in my life, I’ve found happiness and already it's being torn away.
Mors hisses a curse and Persephone lets out a yelp as a tidal wave swells, tilting the ship until it’s nearly vertical as it’s drawn to the crest. The last thing I see before Ifoldaway is Mors clutching Persephone to his chest and lifting them into the air by his gargantuan wings.