Page 36 of Harbinger

Cassius curled his fingers into fists. “To release Chaos from the Abyss?”

“Yes. As you know, the Sword of Wind was one of the divine weapons used to seal away the first Primordial God, just as the Eternity Key and the Bloodcursed Devilwood Summoning Staff were too.”

Loki’s ears twitched. Eden stiffened where she perched at the kitchen bar. She’d arrived a short while ago, having convinced a worried Brianna that this was where she needed to be.

“I’ve been giving that some thought.” Kes pursed her lips. “The Sword of Wind is bonded to Morgan’s soul core. With Morgan still alive, Elios cannot wield it. Could this be why he wishes him dead?”

“Oh.” Tisiphone blinked. “Of course. His weapon is like ours.” She snapped her fingers. Her brass-studded scourge appeared in her hand. “They reside within us when the bond is active.”

“That…would make sense,” Atropos said slowly.

Cassius jumped to his feet. “Wait. Does that mean Elios now possesses a piece of Morgan’s soul?!”

Heaven’s Light shivered around him, his powers surging with his emotions. The room trembled. Glass chimed and dishes rattled in the cupboards.

“Cassius,” Theo mumbled, his voice raw with reflected pain.

Cassius shuddered and closed his eyes. The brilliance dancing across his flesh subsided. The tremors shaking the apartment stopped.

“No, Awakener,” Tisiphone said. “That is not how it works. In fact, were it not for Tenebra’s Rot weakening Ivmir, he could likely summon the Sword of Wind, right here, right now.”

Shock jolted Morgan at the Fury’s words.

Orena made a face at his stunned look. “You’d forgotten?”

“He was never the brightest of our siblings,” Kes muttered.

Morgan narrowed his eyes.

“When I fought Elios in London, he said he had the Moirai under his control,” Victor said guardedly. “Did he mean your—” he paused and grimaced, “I mean,oursisters?”

“Yes.” Grief tightened Atropos’s face. “Elios still holds Clotho and Lachesis prisoner.” A small, sad smile curved her mouth at his belated correction. “I realize you and Ivmir lost most of your childhood memories to Hypnos’s spell, but know that you were truly cherished by all your sisters.”

“Cherished is pushing it a bit, Attie,” Kes murmured.“I mean, I could tolerate the smarmy bastards in small doses.”

Victor glowered at the Black Fate.

“What did you mean when you said you cannot see anymore?” Cassius said. “Is that why you turned up when you did?” His tone turned harsh. “You are a Goddess of Fate. Why did you not stop this before it all started?!”

Morgan’s heart twisted. He could sense the fresh anger bubbling through Cassius’s veins. An anger directed squarely at the Moira who sat opposite them.

Orena lifted her chin defiantly. “We may be Goddesses but we are not infallible, Icarus.We did the best we could, under the circumstances.”

“Is that the truth?!” Cassius spat out. Seraphic light brightened his pupils. “Did you really do the best you could?! If so, why—?!”

“Calm yourself, Awakener,” the Reaper God warned.

Shadows swarmed Kes as she stormed across the floor. She grabbed Cassius by the neckline of his shirt and yanked him to his feet.

“What do you know of our efforts?!” she hissed in his face. “What do you know of all we suffered in the Hells while you and your lover cavorted together in the Nether?What do you know of the terrible deeds Elios visited upon us even as he charmed the ancient Gods of Heaven, tricked Coraos into joining his side, and plotted to overturn the very order of this universe and all of Creation?!”

“Sister,” Atropos whispered in a voice full of sorrow.

“I won’t have it, Attie.” Tears glimmered in Kes’s golden eyes. She glared at Cassius, her knuckles white where she clutched his shirt. “I won’t have them look down on you and condemn you when they do not know the agony you went through. That weallwent through.”She closed her eyes and shuddered.“When they do not know what welostto get here!”

Orena gently touched Kes’s shoulder. “It’s okay, sister.”

Kes slowly released Cassius.

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