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Later, when Nyktos is otherwise engaged with Shades—something Veses set up—she decides to confront Sera. Ector denies her entry into Sera’s chambers, drawing his sword, and she throws the god into the room. Rhain then arrives and says he’ll get Nyktos, but Veses just slides him out into the hall along with Ector’s unconscious form and closes herself in the room with Sera.
She reveals that she knows Sera’s full first name and asks how she became Nyktos’s Consort. She also relays that she believes Nyktos lied to Sera, just like Sera is lying to her. She calls Sera fat and freckled and remarks that Sera is a Consort in title only. Sera taunts her and says Nyktos called her the “worst sort,” pissing the Primal off. Sera makes it worse by then calling her pathetic. Veses takes it out on young Reaver by kicking him across the room.
In retaliation, Sera plunges her dagger into Veses’ eye, and Veses hits Sera with eather. As they argue and battle, Veses confesses that she sent her guards and her favorite draken to the Shadowlands, confirming she was the one behind the earlier attack. She also wonders aloud if Nyktos realizes the others likely know Taric and the other vengeful gods were in the Shadowlands before they disappeared.
Veses reveals to Sera that she felt her and knew there was more to everything—a reason Nyktos was willing to do anything for Sera. She insinuates that being able to sense her either means Sera has so much of Nyktos’s blood in her that Veses is latching on to that, or Sera’s a Primal in her Culling.
She then taunts Sera that she knows the difference between Nyktos’s blood and something else because she’s had Nyktos’s blood—she’s had all of him. Sera punches her, and they fight some more until Bele arrives.
Veses sees Bele and realizes she’s Ascended, relaying that there’s a bounty on her head. As Bele keeps her busy, Sera heals Reaver. When he wakes, he calls her liessa, and Veses explodes with shock and anger, saying she was right and asking what Nyktos did.
Bele attacks with renewed fervor, and Veses fights back. Sera throws a dagger at her, and Veses tells Sera she’s going to kill her because she’s an abomination.
Bele renews her attack with an eather bow and arrow and gets Veses on the cheek. Shadows fill the room as Nyktos arrives, and Bele tells him that Veses knows about Sera. He blasts Veses with eather and orders Orphine and Ehthawn to take her away and put her in a cell.
Nyktos’s attack essentially puts Veses into stasis, meaning she’ll be out for at least a few days.
While she’s out of commission, it’s revealed that she hasn’t been able to sense a god or godling in their Culling since Kolis took Eythos’s embers. She only knew that Taric and the others were looking for a source of energy in the mortal realm and ended up in the Shadowlands. She felt something within Sera and realized they were embers. Putting two and two together, she figured she’d deal with Sera to keep Nyktos from getting in trouble with Kolis.
Admittedly, Veses cares for Nyktos in her own twisted way, but that doesn’t make me like her any better.
Veses ends up escaping when Nyktos falls into stasis and the wards on the dungeon are weakened. She chews off her arms and gets out. Once she’s healed, she heads to Dalos, only to find Sera there.
She makes it very clear how she feels about her being there, and ends up punished by Kolis, using Kyn as his weapon.
Later, she blasts into Sera’s chambers where she’s in the cage and convinces Callum to let her talk to Sera. Once they’re alone, the Primal goddess tells Sera she knows she’s lying, and insists she won’t let Kolis throw her aside for Sotoria again. She’d rather see him dead.
She tries to convince Sera that she doesn’t mind Kyn’s particular brand of punishment, but I’m not sure even she believes that. Still, Sera says she’s sorry for what happened to her, but it doesn’t change that she can’t wait to see her burn.
I’m sure Veses wishes she’d try.
ATTES
Primal of War and Accord
Court: Vathi
Click here to see a full-size image of Attes’s crown by Creatively Agnes.
Hair: Light, blondish brown that frames his face.
Eyes: Silver.
Facial features: High cheekbones. Chiseled jaw.
Distinguishing features: Scar that runs from his hairline, across the bridge of his nose, and down his left cheek. Dimples. Silver cuff around his biceps.
Preternatural features/abilities: Can manifest clothing out of thin air. Turns into a silver hawk.
Body type: Tall and broad.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Uses eather for provocation, feeding emotions to incite violence or peace. Has many perverse pleasures. Wears shadowstone armor and carries a curved sword on his hip. Driven by three things: peace, war, and sex. Turned on by boldness in women. Knows how to kill a Revenant. People pray to him on the eve of battle to grant their armies cunning skill and cleverness. Can shift into his nota form—a silver hawk.
Personality: Strategic. Cunning. Clever. He prefers to do things himself instead of delegating.
Other: Crown = a helm made of reddish black stone.
Background: Co-rules Vathi with his brother, Kyn. Kolis killed his children in retribution for losing Sotoria. Has feelings for Lailah.
