Page 128 of Vengeance of the Gods

Khort did what he did best when he got nervous. He paced.

Arlet was still mad. Vega could feel it—they all could. “I refuse, fucking refuse, to let us get this far to lose you in the end.” Her best friend’s tenacity would always be Vega’s favorite thing about her… but when did that stubbornness turn to not being able to let go?

If this was the way to rid their world of Marlena, would they really choose to save Vega over every single other life in Tolevarre?

Bridger had proven he would choose Tolevarre over her—it couldn’t be that hard to get the others on board.

Bridger was too quiet, but Vega felt him on the other side of her open door as if he could see through into the room with her sleeping shadow of death.

“A deal is a deal. We can’t change it. I would trade my life for your happy endings a hundred more times if I had to.” Apparently willing to add more fuel to the fire of everyone’s anger, she took a deep breath. “I’m going to have to try and break the bond.” Vega had once believed there were certain things that couldn’t happen—but that wasn’t the case anymore. Nothing was impossible. “Our bond ties our lives together.”

It wasn’t what she was taking… It was who.

“It’s not just the powers I’m taking from Marlena. I’m taking the gods, their lives, their souls.” There was a short pause where everyone was afraid to breathe. “I can feel everyone’s.” It was clear she didn’t mean powers… Vega realized she could when she’d laid her hands on Jak while breaking up the fight. He’d seemed to know something wasn’t right either. “If I tried, I could probably snap whatev⁠—”

“No.” Bridger clipped, speaking what Vega knew would be a unanimous vote. “Absolutely fucking not.”

“For once, I agree with him,” Khort said, jerking his thumb towards Bridger.

Avi clacked, a chuffing sound only Arlet and Khort could understand. Even in his human form, Khort nodded, agreeing with whatever the dragon had said.

“She’s right. We don’t know what we’d lose if the bond was broken.” Arlet had already lost so much. Vega didn’t want her to lose any more.

Which was why the bond had to be broken.

“Let’s remember why we started this in the first place.” Vega raised her scarred brow. “To defeat Marlena and set our people free. No matter how that looks.”

Vega knew this wasn’t the last she’d hear of this—not even close.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole truth.” She wasn’t sorry about what she’d done, though. “I didn’t want anyone to waste time on trying to find a way out of this because there isn’t one.” She held her arm out, wrist facing towards the sky. “It’s too late anyway.”

Vega didn’t need to speak the words, all she had to do was think them and Death would hear. You answer to me. Not him. We belong to no one.

In her mind she watched the shadow shifter flare its wings and lower its head, slowly sinking into a bow. “My Goddess of Death.” Vega’s title was the first it had spoken with a clearer voice. There was still an unnatural strain, but it was fading, and Death’s tone sounded oddly feminine.

Death entered her bloodstream, and the dragon in her mind disappeared, becoming one with Vega. Her veins turned black, creeping up her inner arm like lightning of the underworld.

Vega’s cheeks heated from the swell of death inside her body. She shivered, sending it back down her wrist until it disappeared at her fingertips.

Bridger’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he fought to control the wrath growing inside him. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his tousled hair. “We’ll find another way.” His dark eyes bore into hers. “I’ll find another way.”

Arlet and Khort nodded their agreements, and Avi settled some, slowly lowering herself into a crouch.

“For now we move forward like nothing’s changed,” Vega said, knowing there was absolutely no other option.

“But this changes everything,” Arlet said, holding back the tears Vega knew were threatening to spill over again. She knew her best friend—which meant she knew she wouldn’t give up. “I won’t pretend it doesn’t so you feel better about the choice you made.”

“Oh, c’mon. Like you all wouldn’t have done the exact same thing if you were in her shoes.” Every one of them spun to face Octavia. “And that’s coming from someone who doesn’t even know you that well.”

How long had she been standing there?

Octavia could read their facial expressions almost instantly, like the group had been displaying the same question in subtitles over their heads. “My bonded animal is a fox. I find myself in a lot of places I shouldn’t be. It’s how I got that awful nickname,” she said with an eye roll. She leaned against the cave’s rock wall and crossed her leg over the other. “I’ve been keeping a low profile for over fifty years.”

Fifty years. Delori has a daughter who is over fifty years old. The people she loved had missed out on so much of the life they should have lived, all because of a sister who had to take her anger and hurt out on others… instead of learning to deal with it like the rest of the world.

“This conversation doesn’t concern you, nor does it require your input,” Arlet snapped.

Octavia bit her bottom lip and fought a smile. “I like you, Videri. You’ve got something scary about you.” She wagged her finger at Arlet before Tilie scurried out from the distant woods.