“Ash,” Nektas said, his voice close.
The Primal didn’t move. He didn’t blink as he stared down at me. “Does your life hold no value to you at all?”
I jolted.
“Ash,” Nektas repeated as Reaver made a soft sound.
The eather lashed through his eyes. The mass of shadows collapsed around him as he slowly lifted his hands from me. He stood there for a moment, his features far too stark, and then he took a step back.
Knees weak and heart racing, I sagged against the wall. “I…I’m—”
“Don’t you fucking apologize,” Nyktos snarled. “Don’t you dare—”
A horn blew from somewhere outside, the blast echoing through the palace. Another sounded. I jerked away from the wall. “What is that?”
“A warning.” Nyktos was already turning away from me. “We’re under siege.”
Chapter 36
“The ripple of power was felt.” Bele was on her feet.
I peeled away from the wall as the rest of the gods rose. “Do you think it—do you think it’s Kolis?”
No one looked at me. Only Nektas. “He would not come himself,” he answered as Jadis lifted her head, yawning. “He would send others.”
“If he did come for you, you would get what you so desperately seek for yourself.” Nyktos looked over his shoulder. “Your death.”
My chest twisted as the iciness of his words fell upon me. They stung. There was no denying that.
“Saion—go find out what you can. I will meet you by the stables. Rhahar. Bele. Go with him. Speak no word of what you’ve learned in here. None,” Nyktos ordered. “Understood?”
The three gods obeyed, quickly leaving the room. None of them looked in my direction.
“I will take the younglings to safety.” Nektas motioned for Reaver to join him. “Just in case I was right about who has come to our shores. We will join you as soon as they’re safe.”
Nyktos nodded, his back to me as Nektas went to the door. Jadis’s head rested on her father’s shoulder, and she gave me a sleepy wave as she passed. The little wave… I didn’t know why, but it carved at my heart. The look her father sent me froze that knife in there.
I think I will call you one of my own.
I sucked in a shrill breath. I doubted Nektas felt that way now. Why would he? I came here, plotting to kill the Primal that he considered family.
Aios rose, sending a hasty look in my direction, “I’ll go check on Gemma. Make sure the sirens haven’t woken her and deal with that if they have.”
“Thank you,” Nyktos replied, taking one of the short swords from the wall. He secured it to his hip then grabbed a dagger next, sliding it into his boot. A long, sheathed sword went over his back, hilt downward.
“What are we going to do with her?”
My head jerked to Ector, who had asked the question. “I can help.”
Slowly, Nyktos faced me as Rhain’s brows flew up. There was nothing but endless coldness in his stare. I fought the urge to step away from him.
“I can.” I forced my voice steady. “I’m trained with an arrow and sword.”
He sneered. “Of course, you are.”
I flinched as the sharp, slicing motion cut even deeper into my heart, leaving its own kind of mark. The burn returned to my throat, crowding my eyes as a burst of something bitter and hard swelled inside me. I couldn’t take in air. The rawness clogged my throat. I couldn’t allow it. I shut it down. Shut it all down. Breathe in. In my mind, I slipped on that veil. It was harder than all the times before, and it felt flimsy and sheer, in a way it never had. Hold. I became nothing but the blank canvas, an empty vessel that couldn’t be hurt by words or actions outside of the ones I caused myself.
I exhaled. “Danger has come to the Shadowlands because of what I did. I will not stand back and do nothing when I can fight.” I lifted my chin, meeting Nyktos’ chilly stare. “I am no threat to any of your people.”
His head tilted. “You are no threat to me.”
I stiffened, but that was all. “I can help, but you do whatever you want. Lock me away or take me with you. Either way, you’re wasting time.”
Nyktos’ chin dipped as he stared me down. “While the idea of locking you away holds much appeal at the moment, there is no time to ensure that you’d be secure and wouldn’t escape. So, you’re coming with me.” In the span of a heartbeat, he was within a foot of me. I tensed, managing to hold my ground. “But if you do anything that jeopardizes any of my people, being locked away will be the least of the things you’ll face.”
I didn’t miss the looks of disbelief that Rhain and Ector exchanged, nor did I doubt Nyktos for one second. “I don’t want to harm any of them.”
“No.” His smile was a tight mockery. “Just me.”
The veil slipped. “I didn’t want to harm you either.”
“Save it,” he snapped, grabbing my hand. The jolt of energy was a warm buzz. His grip was firm but not painful as he led me from the room.
Nyktos tugged me past the thrones and off the dais. Ector and Rhain were right behind us. The darkened room was eerily quiet except for the clap of our boots. It was a struggle to keep up with his long-legged pace. All I focused on was keeping my mind from going back to the chamber and why he was now Nyktos to me. I couldn’t think about it as we neared the foyer. Nyktos walked so fast, I missed the slight rise in the floor, the barely-there step between the open chamber and the foyer. I tripped—
Nyktos’ hand tightened on mine, catching me and keeping me from tumbling face-first into the hard shadowstone.
“Thanks,” I mumbled.
“Don’t,” he bit out.
I pressed my lips together as the veil slipped even more. His anger was no surprise. I couldn’t and wouldn’t blame him. It was my inability to remain in that nothingness that caused my chest to twist.
Saion stormed through the open doors, drawing to a halt as he spotted us. “Something’s happening at the wall, along the bay.” His gaze flicked to our joined hands, but he showed no reaction. “I’m not sure what yet. Rhahar is readying Odin. Bele has gone ahead.”
“Do you know if there have been any injuries yet?” Nyktos asked, striding forward.
“One of the smaller ships capsized,” Saion advised, a step behind us. Ahead, Rhahar led the massive, midnight steed toward where several horses already waited. “Rescue efforts were halted when one of those ships turned over.”
“What in the world is in that bay that could capsize ships?” I asked.
“There shouldn’t be anything,” Nyktos shared, surprising me since I half expected no answer.
“The waters have been dead for years. Not many things can survive in them for long,” Rhain added. “Not only that, the waters are pitch-black—”
“Which makes rescues even more difficult,” Saion said. “If not impossible. Anyone, god or mortal, goes into those waters, they’re not likely to come back out.”
A chill swept over me as Nyktos took the reins from Rhahar. He turned to Ector. “I need you to grab me a hooded cloak and meet me at the gates to the bay.”
Ector sent a glance in my direction, brows pinched. He looked as if he wanted to say something but reconsidered. “Of course.” He turned, racing off toward one of the many side entrances hidden under the staircases.
“Have the other gates to the city been sealed?” Nyktos asked.