Page 82 of Vengeance of the Gods

“What if I could have stopped her?” Arlet’s question was almost inaudible but loud enough for the two of them to hear. “What if I’m the reason she snapped?”

Arlet’s sobs caused physical torment inside Vega, her body hurting alongside her best friend’s. She’d been holding on to this pain all alone the entire time. “None of us could have predicted what would happen. We were basically kids. Marlena making the choices she made isn’t our fault.” But Vega would hold herself accountable for all eternity for not saying something to her parents, for not at the very least trying to save the sister she’d once loved.

The sister her best friend had once loved…

“I don’t know what this new power inside me does yet,” Vega admitted. She knew what she’d done to acquire it, what she’d sacrificed, but she still knew nothing about all it could do. “But I promise I’ll use it to save everyone from her. I promise when this is all done, Marlena won’t hurt us or anyone else ever again.”

None of them moved. No one even made an attempt. They sat there for hours in complete silence after Arlet’s sobs had stopped.

They were back. They were whole. And they would get their vengeance.

After they got Arlet some food and wrapped her in a blanket on a cot by the fire, Vega and Khort sat on the other side at a rickety wooden table with a mug of ale each.

“How many died?” Vega asked, needing to know who all they’d lost when Marlena found Castra.

“152 made it out,” Khort answered solemnly.

Nearly 500 people called Castra home. Vega felt like she might be sick.

“Emil?” Her father’s best friend and seat holder of Imber before it crumbled. He’d been their first real ally.

Khort shook his head, remorse washing over his face. “He helped get the kids out.”

“Fuck.” Vega closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer into the aether for the soul of a man who’d loved her like a daughter. She opened her eyes, and a lump swelled in her throat as the next name came to her mind. “Quinley?”

Khort nodded. “She’s alive. She’s with a small group in Amora right now.”

They had allies in Amora… that was a huge deal. There had never been anyone willing to stand against Marlena there—especially while Ivelle was alive.

“Marlena wiped Solum out. Took the food supply from everyone. We’re barely eating enough, we’re vastly outnumbered, and everyone is exhausted.” Khort rubbed his thumb against the mug in his hand, catching a falling drop of condensation. “I’ve spent most of my time over the last month getting people out of the outlying towns where riots and starvation have affected people the worst.”

Vega sat her empty drink down and rubbed her temples. It was only a matter of time before Marlena found them here… if she didn’t already know and wasn’t planning her attack. “We have to get out of these caves.”

Khort reached across the table and grabbed her free hand. “We’ll figure it out.” The touch made Vega sink into him, resting her forehead on the back of his palm.

Vega inhaled his mossy scent, and she knew she was home. It didn’t matter if they were hiding in caves, outnumbered—none of it mattered if she was with them… all of them. “You know Bridger is a part of this, right? We don’t do this without him.”

Vega hated to admit it, especially after the way he’d transformed in front of her eyes when Marlena was around.

What’s he so scared of?

She felt Khort stiffen beneath her, but he rolled his hand over, cupping her forehead and lifting it up, forcing Vega to look at him. “I know… and I’m sorry for everything. For the fights before you left, the stupid fucking jealousy. I…” He laughed a little, but it didn’t sound like the one Vega wished she could hear right now. “I love you, and I want you to be happy. Whatever that looks like for you. But I don’t fucking trust him.”

Vega’s lips pulled up on one side. “Me either.” Khort’s hand slid down to her cheek, cupping her face. She nuzzled into it and smiled.

“Glad we can agree on that.”

She pulled away, taking a look around the open cave. Vega noted the makeshift cots people were doubled up on. This section of the cave smelled of the smoke wafting off the small fire keeping people warm while they slept. “You know I’m going to have to talk to Meyer.”

Khort sat his mug down. “You don’t have to.”

“Meyer followed me to the Minerva Archives when I snuck away after the battle in Schoenus. He offered me help in getting back to Earth when no one else would.” For Bridger. “He’s going to come after Bridger. Just like you and Arlet would for me. There’s nothing standing in his way. This isn’t Marlena’s fortress with 1,000 guards.” Vega looked around the room again. “It’s a cave with, what, 200 people who are starving?”

The fight wasn’t over. As tired and as worn-out as they were now, it was nothing compared to what it’d be a week, a month, a year from now.

If they made that long…

Khort’s eyes were heavy with grief as he swept them over the cave and its inhabitants.