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“I am uncertain. But Omegas have the power of their Goddess in their blood and in their wombs. Some of them may have the ability to kindle the seed or spark of a god like Edan. But if he manages to coerce my little spy into accepting him, he will destroy her to get what he wants most.”

“He wants her.”

“No, he wants his freedom. To leave his prison island and cover the world with fire. She would be only one of many to perish in it if he succeeds.”

I walked on for the rest of that day and two more, the sun wheeling above with punishing heat, the nights falling and giving me respite. The kraken became restless as we approached the sea, and I grew weaker, even with the strength from the pendant. I had hoped he would heal and be able to bear his own weight, but it seemed that we had bonded more thoroughly than I’d realized.

His strength and mine were connected, and as I weakened, so did he. His attempt to save me might have been his downfall. If I could reach the sea, I knew that source of power would save us both, but it was at least another day’s walk, in the sun.

A storm darkened the horizon now and gave me some peace from the relentless warmth, so I sank to my knees and closed my eyes, knowing I had to find more power somehow.

When I focused on it, I could see the threads binding us together—I refused to think of them as tentacles, though in their spirit form they had very obvious suckers along their undersides where they clung to me. The tentacles wound around his own core of light, thousands of them holding his being in place, though they appeared to be losing power as I watched. He was holding back some of his energy, keeping it in reserve.

No, he was protecting something. Hints of fire moved from the ones that bound us together, and I knew he was taking in the poison I’d suffered, but the place where his tentacles clustered thickest shone with a pure light.

There was something there. It had no real form, but when I focused on it, the energy twisted into a small yellow flower, and a green leaf. The scent of mint and rain mingled with the luscious sweetness that was my little enemy’s essence, and brushed over me. I shuddered with pleasure. It was their bond.

He was keeping her safe, though it would kill him. And possibly me.

I’d existed since… well, since the stars had formed. The thought that I might pass out of existence was terrifying. But for some reason, the knowledge that it would mean my little enemy would also die when the kraken and I did gave me all the strength I needed to rise and walk on, leaving patches of ice mingled with my glacier-blue blood on the rock and low grasses.

I spent every last scrap of my power to reach the sea. But at some point, with solid earth still below my bleeding feet, my vision went dark and I fell. The screams of terns and auks were the last thing I heard before my ears closed as well.

RADA

Ishocked myself by sleeping the first night in the longhouse, though the dreams I had roused me before dawn. Over and over, the noseless bastards lowered me into the maw, the pit of lava consuming me, though I couldn’t die. I woke to find that I’d cried until the cloak I’d folded into a pillow was soaked around my head.

When I slipped out as quietly as possible, I found another person already on the beach, staring out at the waves. His sword lay on the sand beside him. The water lapped at the blade, quietly ruining it, though it had already been dull and chipped.

The boy’s face was a mask of anger and despair, an expression I’d worn for most of my own childhood. Well, until Vilkurn had rescued me. He’d crept into the room where I’d been caged by a feral Alpha, set me free, and given me pointers as I killed the Alpha who’d trapped me. He’d replaced despair with savage hope.

The memory gave me an idea. “Hey, Tally.”

The boy jumped up, whirling to face me, then remembered where his sword was. But when he reached for it, a larger wave swept in and knocked him down.

I knew better than to offer a hand. When he rose again, sputtering and with dark hair draped around his face, I had his sword in my hand. “It’s not your fault. No one taught you how to use this. Or take care of it.” I gave it a couple of swings and twirls, the kind pompous princes used to show off. I was annoyed at how off balance it was, but nodded like I was admiring it before I flipped it and handed it back, hilt first.

I could tell he didn’t understand why I hadn’t attacked him with it. He stood mute for a moment, then sat back down, a little higher on the beach. “Why would they? They’re just gonna feed me to the maw. I heard them saying we ain’t got enough food for another useless Beta guard, or enough women to guard, anyhow.”

“Not enough food?” The jungle we’d wandered through had seemed green enough on this side of the island. Serak had sent the dried fruit as well. “Most islands have plenty of wild fruit trees.”

“Most islands must not have ash clouds that drift over and choke the life out of everything, including the soil.” He sneered. “Not all of us have an Alpha sending a month’s worth of rations for a smile.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I wasn’t sure why Serak had sent the dried fruit.

We listened to the sea together, until he spoke again. “There’s plants, but not enough of the eating kind. And no need for a guard who’s small and weak.”

“Do you want to be a guard? Do you want to use this sword to keep the others in this cage?”

His answer was quieter than a whisper. “No. I want…”

I glanced around. There was no listening fire, and no other guards awake. Even at the barracks, no one stirred. The torch that had burned beside the door had gone out in the night.

I waited patiently while he mustered his courage. This young man might be a Beta, but something told me he was a protector, through and through. “You have a dream, don’t you? A good one.” He nodded once. “Tell me what it is, Tally. I had bad dreams all night. Maybe if you tell me yours, I can forget them. Help me out here.”

He couldn’t resist. “I mostly have nightmares, like you did. But I have one good dream. One where I get my little sisters and brothers out of this place. We live far away, in a house all together with windows and light. We sing all the time, all of us. Nobody hurts anyone else.”

My heart constricted as Alexios’s face swam in front of my eyes. I’d always felt protected around him. Supported and loved.