“No ideas. Got it.”
Throughout our journey, Archer’s demeanor changed. His shoulders tensed, his stride becoming more purposeful as he led us through the labyrinthine streets. His eyes remained fixed on the path ahead, carefully avoiding the looming silhouette of his father’s castle that dominated the top of the hill in the distance.
I couldn’t say I blamed him, though. Not as we neared Thorne’s street and Noctus House grew closer. I knew he wouldn’t be there, but that overwhelming feeling that I shouldn’t go in took over, making every step harder, every breath heavier.
Alastor’s binding marks burned with increasing intensity, the pain radiating up my limbs in waves of searing heat. I gritted my teeth, determined not to let the others know, but the agony was becoming unbearable.
I took off my cloak and hung it over my arm, dabbing my sweaty forehead. I stumbled slightly, my vision blurring as another wave of pain crashed over me.
Archer caught my elbow, steadying me with a concerned look. “You all right?”
I nodded tightly, not trusting myself to speak. The others were right behind us, Quill’s excited chatter drifting up to me on the cool spring breeze. I wouldn’t let them see me become weak. Wouldn’t let them know about the voices. The voices. Worse than the pain, were the garbled whispers dancing through my mind.
As we rounded the corner onto Thorne’s street, the burning intensified to an almost blinding degree. My legs threatened to give out beneath me. Desperate for relief, for a breath, I turned away from our destination.
The change was immediate and startling. The moment I’d faced away, the pain subsided to a dull throb. My eyes widenedas realization dawned. This wasn’t simply a branding or a punishment. It was a summons. The binding marks were pulling me toward the Vale, toward Alastor’s black market. The burning wasn’t meant to hurt me, it was guiding me. Beckoning me to come to him. Fucker.
The temptation to give in was overwhelming. To let the magic lead me to where it wanted me to go to end this torment. But the thought of submitting to Alastor’s will steeled my resolve. I squared my shoulders and turned back toward Noctus house, bracing myself for the onslaught of pain. It hit me like a physical blow, nearly driving me to my knees. But I would not fucking yield. Not to him. Not yet. Not until the skin was dripping from my bones and the only other option was death. And even then, I’d still be a stubborn bitch about it. I didn’t want to be his lackey. I didn’t want to be his little minion. I wanted nothing to do with any of them.
With each excruciating step, I pushed forward, letting the burning consume me rather than control me. We stood on the narrow walk in front of Thorne’s home and I kept my breathing steady, my face blank. But Thea knew me too well and Quill could feel my heartache. Before Archer could lift a hand to knock, my past was glued to my side, taking my hands in theirs and refusing to waver. This place hurt. Not only because of the fire burning in my veins, but because of the lies dripping down the walls of this home. It’d all started with a lie. With a ring slid onto my finger I had no right to wear, but at least that one we were both in together.
Except you weren’t.
He knew, and you didn’t know.
He knew his target.
You knew nothing. You were always his conquest.
Archer spun to look at me, taking in Thea and Quill at my side before asking, “Do we knock?”
Aeris stepped past all of us, clicking her tongue to her teeth as she shook her head, rubbing her wrinkled hands over the tarnished knocker. “Not with this old thing. It’ll likely crumble on impact.”
She pulled her hand away, revealing a bright, shiny, new knocker with the face of a… well, her. She’d put her own fucking face on the knocker of Thorne’s house. Reverius’s house. And honestly, it might’ve been funny, if not for the fact that this was now home to a horde of orphans and their collective caretakers. I slid between her and Archer, folding my arms over my chest as I stared at her.
“Let me ask you a really serious question. Is the gods’ power truly failing?”
The old woman folded her hands and her kind smile rattled me. “Oh, yes, dear. I didn’t realize the Keeper had told the mortals.”
I narrowed my eyes. “How thoughtless of him. But maybe let’s not use frivolous bits of power in places we don’t belong.”
I was probably the only one that clocked the twitch in her eye as she nodded. “What an excellent idea. I should reserve my power. I hadn’t realized you’d be so protective of a home that isn’t yours. I’m ever so sorry, Huntress.” The bite in her tone was obvious.
“Change it back.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The knocker. Change it back.”
“But it’s better now, Paesha,” Quill said, her tone of disgust cutting right through me.
You see, don’t you? They’re turning against you.
“She put her own face on someone else’s door. It doesn’t belong here.” I had no idea what Aeris’s power would do after she marked this building, and I wasn’t willing to find out if a war broke out between gods and mortals.
“That’s not her face.” Quill giggled. “That’s a pig.”
I spun back to the knocker, shocked to find the snout of a golden pig staring back at me.
