Alena blinked, confusion crossing her features, before her gaze dropped to the back of her hand. There, her Omega Markblazed to life, spilling a cascade of golden light that illuminated her skin like a beacon.
Across the circle, movement drew Leukos’ attention to Kaixo, and his heart skipped. The same golden glow shimmered between the boy’s hands, casting a soft halo around the wooden statue of Ama. It radiated with an ethereal brilliance, as though the figure had become a conduit for something ancient and powerful.
Leukos met Alena’s gaze, her face etched with shock, and they both realised the truth in the same instant.
The Non-Humans’ deity, Ama, was linked to the Mother Goddess.
Or perhaps, they were one and the same.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
ALENA
Once the golden light faded, the circle erupted in raucous celebration, shattering the stunned silence. The Westerners cheered, clapping and shouting, while Nik and Theo whooped.
Alena’s fingers curled around Leukos’ hand. By the Moon, he was breathtaking in the dappled sunlight. The crown of antlers and oak leaves on his midnight hair caught the sun’s golden hue, making him look more regal than ever. But it was his expression that gave her pause—like he’d wandered the world lost and had finally found his way home.
He touched her cheek again, a quiet moment stolen amid the chaos, and the fierce love shining in his dark eyes made her knees weak.
Then Kaixo rushed in, nearly knocking them over, clutching Ama’s statue—a simple wooden carving once more.
“She glowed!” he shouted, breathless. “Ama glowed for you! Mama said she would protect you. That her Mark was on your hand.”
Alena blinked, startled. She lifted her hand, where the Omega Mark still shimmered.
So the Mother Goddess… was Ama?
“Let me see it,” Leukos said, taking the figure from Kaixo. He reached for Alena’s hand and raised it beside the statuette.
“When I made this last year, San was insistent on one thing,” he murmured. “She said the figure had to have two curved horns rising from either side of her head. Repeated it over and over, like it was sacred.”
He turned the statue upside down, aligning the elegant curve of the horns with the golden Omega symbol etched into Alena’s skin.
The two shapes mirrored each other with the same downward arch and spirals at the end.
“Curved horns,” Leukos said, more to himself than to anyone else.
Alena tried to make sense of the undeniable resemblance. Had Phoebe known who the Mother Goddess truly was? Had the Grey-Eyed Maiden?
No wonder her magic had endured. She hadn’t been forgotten—only veiled. A mythical deity kept alive by the Non-Humans who had worshipped her all along.
And the Rasennans were none the wiser.
Before she could speak, the clearing shifted. Villagers arrived from the distance, their arms full of garlands, ready to lead the couple back to the village where a feast awaited. Music spun through the air, the bright notes of lyres and flutes blending with the jingling of tambourines.
They swept Alena away, draping wildflowers across her shoulders and pressing kisses to her cheeks. But through it all, Leukos remained at her side like a silent tether, his hand brushing hers.
A great fire crackled at the edge of the village clearing, and people gathered round long wooden tables piled with platters of spit-roasted pigs glazed with wild honey, grilled trout wrapped in grape leaves, wheels of soft cheese, berries bursting with juice, and herb-stuffed flatbreads still warm from the oven. Clay jugs of mead and summer wine made their rounds, accompanied by loud toasts to the gods—each one louder than the last.
When the sun began to set, the music swelled. Wild, airy melodies filled the air, and one by one, villagers kicked off their shoes and danced barefoot in the grass, arms linked, voices raised in song.
Alena, Leywani, and Kaixo were quickly pulled into the fray, their hands tugged by Westerners who sang local songs and whirled them around with abandon. Someone handed Alena a cup of sweet golden wine, and she gulped it down, letting the warmth unfurl in her chest. Soon she was breathless with laughter, hair tumbling free, garlands around her shoulders bouncing with every twirl.
Across the clearing, her gaze caught on Leukos. He stood just outside the circle, arms folded, a soft, private smile on his lips. The firelight flickered in his dark eyes, and while he didn’t join them, he never looked away from her.
No one dared drag him into the dance, though Damona gave it a valiant try, laughing as she tugged on his arm. Nik swept her up with a roguish grin, spinning her into a dizzy reel until they nearly toppled into a barrel of wine.
Eventually, the rhythm slowed, and Damona whisked Kaixo off to bed. Alena slipped from the circle, joining Leukos until Volcos pulled them back to the feast, guiding them around the tables to greet each guest. Villagers and warriors alike offered warm words and clasped hands, and Alena accepted every blessing with heartfelt thanks.
