Page 85 of Shaped By Darkness

“She didn’t have a choice. Once she got free from Draven, she was weak. He did terrible things to her and drained so much of her magic that she still can’t heal the forest, and it’s not from a lack of trying. Draven broke something in her. If she didn’t have to leave to survive, she wouldn’t have.” She shivers and drops her gaze to the floor. “She’s never told anyone what happened, but I know it was bad. Do you know what you have to do to hurt a goddess?”

She looks around the room, meeting each of our gazes as if one of us might have the answer.

We don’t.

Her gaze finally circles back to Ryker, and I see her soften. Somehow, I know she isn’t going to give us details, and honestly, I’m not sure that I want them.

Damn, my brain hurts.

“She loves you, Ryker, even if it doesn’t feel like it. If she could, I know she would be back here with you. But she did give you that gift. She wasn’t supposed to do that, but Nyx allowed it because of everything that happened.”

Serena looks up at Ryker, and I don’t need to see her eyes to know they’re full of questions. How could they not be?

“What gift?” she asks, but he only shrugs in response.

Theo, of course, has the answer. “You know, your ability to shadow travel.”

Ryker pulls in a sharp breath, his jaw clenching and unclenching. “That voice in my head. Was that her?” His voice is low and shakes slightly, which makes Serena hold him tighter.

“Um, I can’t be sure, but I’d assume so.” The smile on Theo’s face is sad, and as much as I hate to admit it, I feel for Ryker.

Not enough to not hate him, but still.

“Looks like you couldn’t have taught me that trick even if you wanted to, huh?” Serena says, forcing a chuckle that isn’t fooling anyone.

“Oh, no,youcould learn it!” Theo hops off the table and is in front of Serena in less than a second, looking at her like a kid who’s about to shift for the first time. “Nyx’s gifts are strong, and while Mother was able to give Ryker that, it’s not the same as if she bestowed it on him herself.”

“Nyx is the goddess who gives mortals the ability to use the shadows? The one whom the Salona would have worshiped before they were destroyed?” Sol sounds almost excited as he puts the pieces together, but even as Theo nods, I can’t help but think about everything that still doesn’t fit.

How the hell did Draven manage to hurt a goddess? Why did he need her to begin with? Why wouldn’t she be allowed back for Ryker?

How did everything get so complicated? To think, before I came here, my biggest issue was worrying about Serena being around Ryker. Turns out there was a lot more I should have been worried about, and I never would have guessed half of it.

I almost wish I could go back to that.

“Yes, Nyx is the goddess Salona worshiped, and Anolas worships Theia.”

That name I’ve heard of. “Theia is the one who blessed us with our tree.” I don’t know why I said it. The tree hardly feels relevant right now, but the words were out before I could put much thought into them.

“Yes!” Theo shouts, looking at me with a huge smile as if I just figured out something amazing and wasn’t simply stating a fact I learned from my mother as a child. “Every kingdom was granted a gift from the god or goddess they worshiped.” Her smile falls, and she sticks out her bottom lip in a slight pout. “Sadly, only the light kingdom’s gift remains. The rest were killed.” She turnsto look at Serena again, and something like awe passes over her features. “Or their powers called upon.”

What in the world does that mean?

“What?” Storm asks, seemingly just as lost as I am.

“The trees have powers?” Pike asks, his face screwing up like that’s the weirdest thing he’s ever heard. I know for a fact that’s not true.

"Yes, of course! That's how they live for so long and manage to stay alive in the castle. That's why they are so well guarded. How did you not know that?"

"There is no history on the trees, no books or knowledge passed down from one generation to the next. We worship the gods because those are the powers we have, and we know respect is required to keep our gifts, but I didn't know it had to do with the tree." I admit, watching Theo's eyes go wide.

"Nyx is not prayed to," Theo snaps, catching me off guard, but I can't argue with what she said.

Nobody worships Nyx. My grandfather forbade it after Salona fell, and now, well, everyone either hates or fears the dark element and its goddess.

I tell Theo as much, and that only seems to anger her more.

"Nyx is more than just the goddess of night and darkness. She's the primordial goddess. She's one of the first and most powerful gods ever!" Theo waves her arms around and huffs as if this is all stuff we should know.

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