Page 80 of The Arcane God

“Yes. I don’t know how much Steig has told you about the Underworld and its king, but we’re coming back to overthrow him, and we’ll need your help—all three Covens’ help—to do it.”

Ena felt butterflies in her stomach as she spoke her intentions aloud. She hadn’t discussed this with Ty and Turner yet, but she knew it would be necessary for their success. If she, Ty, and the baby ever hoped to have a place to be accepted, then they needed to help the Covens and the Underworld to lay down their enmity, and if nothing else, coexist more peacefully.

“Steig did not mince words about the king,” Greya said. “I know that he needs to go; that’s part of why Steig has been feeding me information—so we can mitigate the damage he is causing. But I’ve been stuck about what to do beyond that. What do you have in mind?” Greya asked, and Ena didn’t miss the way she didn’t question this. Almost as if she’d been mentally preparing herself for it for months, and Ena felt herself swell with pride.

“Talk to the other Coven matriarchs, see if you can convince them to support the transition to a new ruler,” Ena explained. “If they don’t want to fight, then at least ask them to pledge their good faith and alliance, should the king be overthrown, and their cooperation in ushering in a new era of peace for witches and daemons.”

Greya nodded, seeming happy to have a plan. “Aquilo will be one thing, but do you think Occidens can be convinced? They hate our guts after the way you and Ty fled. We barely made it out last time,” Greya said. Ena had yet to hear the full story about her and Heran’s time in Occidens, but she didn’t doubt that it was bad, and she felt guilty that it had been her actions that had led to it.

“I know,” Ena said. “But deep down…Syrelle is reasonable. Plus, she already knows about the binding ritual. She might actually be easier to convince than Northe.”

Greya sighed. “Maybe, but Ena, there are things you don’t know,” she explained, sounding melancholy. “The king has been sending out daemons regularly. There have been more attacks on witches, on mortals. Open violence. Word has gotten out about our magic working on one another again, though most people don’t know why. Even our own Coven has been split—some wanting to engage the daemons openly, and others refusing to be involved. I’ve been slowly convincing people that a different path needs to be taken, but it will be a tough sell for many. Working with daemons—helping them—goes against everything we have been taught.”

Ena’s heart ached to hear that—the chaos and the pain that had been happening back home, and without her there to help her Coven and her sister.

“Do you think it’s not the right time?” Ena asked seriously, valuing her sister’s guidance as matriarch.

Greya paused, considering that, before shaking her head adamantly. “No, if anything, this is a period of intense change. The witches can feel that, and if we are ever going to do this—to push for a new way—then it needs to be now.”

Ena’s heart swelled with pride again to hear that Greya was on her side. The two of them had always been a team, and their falling out when she had gone to the Underworld had been so painful for Ena. She was infinitely grateful to have her back.

“I have faith in you, Greya,” Ena said with an honest confidence. “As my sister, and my matriarch.”

Greya smiled warmly back at her. “Thanks, sis,” she said.

“One more thing, before I let you go. You said you were still in contact with Steig?”

“Yes, why?”

“I need you to get a message to him. Tell him we’re returning in a little over a month’s time, and to meet us. We’ll need him for this too.”

Greya nodded. “Got it. Oh, and Ena,” she added, her image getting blurry as Ena’s blood started to coagulate and stop flowing. “Blessings for a safe birth, don’t forget to—” she started to say, but was cut off as the flow of blood abruptly ceased.

“Damn it,” Ena said, grabbing her knife to cut herself again. She wanted to say goodbye to her sister, at least.

“Ena!” Ty called her from above on the ridge just as a loud clap of thunder sounded and snow began to fall around her. “Ena! A storm is rolling in. We have to move!”

“Fuck,” she cursed, as wet globs of snow started pelting her hood. Putting her knife back in its sheath, she moved to scramble back up the path and rejoin Ty and the others.

“Did you contact her?” Ty asked as she ascended the final few steps of the path.

“Yes, she’s on board,” Ena said huffily. “But I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

“We have to go,” Xena said, speaking loudly to be heard over the increasing sound of the wind. “There’s no telling how bad this storm will get, and our travel tents won’t do much to protect us. We need to start heading back—now.”

Suddenly, Ena felt a sharp twinge in her lower stomach—like something stretching, tearing. She leaned over, holding her rounded stomach as she exclaimed in pain.

“Ena?” Ty asked frantically. “Are you alright?”

Ena felt something burst inside her, and a gush of warm liquid spilled down between her legs.

“I think—I think my water just broke.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ena

Ena stared down at the wet spot growing on her pants as her heart pounded inside her chest, ringing through her ears.