Page 166 of Vengeance of the Gods

“Gods, I’m sorry,” she sputtered, glancing over her shoulder. “If you’re here for Bridger, he’s still sleeping.”

The young boy with copper hair shook his head. “No, ma’am.”

Well, that made her feel old. She held in her comment, reminding herself that it was how the people in Bridger’s army were taught to show respect to the leaders above them.

“I came for you. Octavia Fera has arrived and asked to talk to you, Khort, and Arlet.”

Octavia had sent word late last night that a few of the kids had fallen ill and she’d chosen to let them rest at a safe house until the sun came up.

Vega took the stairs to Bridger’s office two at a time, skipping the elevator altogether.

She thrust the door open, colliding with Khort, who circled his niece like a hawk, checking her for any visible injuries. “Are you alright? How are the kids?” He barely noticed Vega had run into him. “Have you heard anything about Delori?”

Tilie curled up by the fire burning in the corner of the room, paying no mind to the conversation unfolding.

“I’m fine. The kids are fine. They came down with a flu of some sort. Rest will do them good,” she said, nodding. “Marlena locked Aeris down. No one can get in or out. I haven’t heard anything from a single shifter.”

Arlet leaned against Bridger’s desk. “Then how do you know about Aeris?”

Vega noticed the way she dragged her eyes up Octavia’s dark clothing.

“The shifters are gone, not the Solum-born with bonded animals,” she told them, motioning to Tilie snoozing by the fire. “I still have contact with Tolevarre’s animals, and they get messages out pretty quickly.”

Vega hadn’t spent much time around anyone with the ability to bond with an animal. It didn’t allow them to communicate with all animals, but they didn’t need to when their bonded could do it for them.

“Khort, stop. I’m good.” She held her hand out and stopped the manic circling. Octavia glanced at Arlet, her eyes pleading for help.

“Seriously, you need to chill.” Arlet reached out and grabbed his wrist, forcing him away from Octavia, who sighed a breath of relief.

“What happened in Ardor?” Octavia asked, worry creasing her forehead.

“Marlena killed General Ignis… Bridger’s best friend,” Arlet told her, a moment of silence following.

“The animals whispered of Marlena’s meltdown when she returned to Aeris… What did you take this time?” Octavia asked quietly.

Her best friends’ attention snapped to her. She’d left that part out when filling the two in about what happened leading up to Meyer’s death.

“Vega,” Arlet said with a shaky breath. “Who?”

“Sorry.” Octavia winced.

Vega bit the inside of her lip, drawing out the inevitable. There was no sense in hiding it… “Venus.” The goddess of Amora and of love and beauty.

Arlet went pale.

Khort dropped to the couch behind him.

The room stayed quiet for what felt like an eternity until Arlet broke the silence. “Her original ability is gone?”

“One of them, yes.” Vega nodded. She still had her wind…

It was why Marlena retaliated in the way she had—that and because Vega hadn’t given her fire back.

Vega hadn’t known if she’d even be able to do it when she told Marlena she’d give it back. It was clear the second she touched her the fire wasn’t going anywhere—and not because Vega didn’t try… but because Vulcan didn’t want to.

Death hadn’t been happy at the thought of dragging his soul up from the bottom of the pit either.

“Gods damn it.” Khort sighed, slumping back against the plush couch and running a hand through his untied shoulder-length hair.