Page 28 of Gods of Prey
As soon as the angel disappears, the apartment falls silent except for the sound of rain against the windows. The pressure of our deadline settles over us like a shroud.
“Three weeks,” I whisper.
Revel turns to me, and I see my own panic reflected in his eyes. “Sienna, if you’re hiding something—anything—that could help us reach Sebastian, you need to tell me now.”
I want to confess everything. The friendship I’d built with Jovie, the way Sebastian had looked at peace for the first time in millennia, how the thought of dragging him back to his divine prison makes my chest ache. But I can’t. Because admittingthose feelings would mean admitting I’ve been compromised. That I might choose love over duty, just like my brother has.
“There’s nothing,” I say instead.
Revel stares at me for a long moment, and I can see him weighing my words, searching for the lie I know he can sense.
“Fine,” he says finally. “Then we do this the hard way.”
“What do you mean?”
He moves to the window, looking out at the building across the street where Sebastian and Jovie are probably settling in for the night, unaware that their world is about to collapse.
“I mean we stop playing games. First chance I get, I tell Sebastian exactly who I am and what will happen if he doesn’t return to Aurelys. No more gentle persuasion. No more protecting his feelings.”
“Revel, you can’t?—”
“I can and I will.” He turns back to me, and I see steel in his expression. “Because unlike you, I remember what happens when gods abandon their duties. The last time the balance failed, entire civilizations fell. Millions died.”
The reminder hits like a physical blow. I remember those dark years, the chaos that ensued when divine order collapsed at the hands of the late God of Chaos. But I also remember Sebastian’s face tonight at the gala—the way he’d smiled at Jovie, the peace in his eyes.
“There has to be another way,” I say desperately.
“If there is, you have days to find it.” Revel heads toward his bedroom, pausing at the doorway. “But Sienna? Stop lying to me. Whatever secret you’re keeping, it’s not worth the end of everything.”
He disappears into his room, leaving me alone with the weight of our deadline and the terrible knowledge that he’s right. I am keeping secrets. I am compromised. And in three weeks, if I can’t find another solution, I’ll have to choose between my dutyto the divine order and the happiness of the only family I have left.
I drift to the window, pressing my spectral palm against the cold glass. Across the street, a light is still on in Sebastian and Jovie’s apartment. I wonder if they’re lying in bed together, planning their future, oblivious to the sword hanging over their heads.
Three weeks.
I close my eyes and try to think of a way to save them all—Sebastian’s happiness, the divine balance, and maybe, if I’m lucky, what’s left of my own heart.
But as the rain continues to fall, and the deadline looms, I’m starting to fear that some choices can’t be avoided. That sometimes, love and duty are mutually exclusive.
And that in three weeks, I might have to break my brother’s heart to save the world.
9
Revel
Iwatch Sienna as the plane descends toward New York, her ghostly form fluctuating slightly with the turbulence. Unlike the other passengers, she needs no seat belt, no safety protocols. Mortal death has already claimed her once in this lifetime. What more could a plane crash do?
I wish we could fly ourselves. The aching urge to flex my wings nags the back of my mind constantly, like a fly buzzing overhead. I feel restless in this form. Useless. The inability to utilize the magic that's been ingrained into every second of my days is nearly paralyzing. I’ll never take flight for granted again. Nor will I second guess the convenience of shadowstepping. It’s all the more reason to expedite this process.
When I informed her that I bought last minute tickets to New York this morning, I was intentionally vague about my reasoning for the random adventure. Things with Sebastian have been moving slower than I anticipated they would since the gala. Sebastian and Jovie have made it increasingly hard to bump into them naturally. All I’ve gotten are a few random interactionsthat have done nothing to lower his suspicions of me or build her trust. I can tell Sienna is still hiding secrets of her own. I’m hitting nothing but brick walls and after my backward dream last night, I decided a little change of scenery is what we need.
She’s right about one thing: Using force with Sebastian won’t get us anywhere. Shoving his divinity down his throat while he’s in this state could shatter his mind. As much as I want to, we can’t just walk up to him and insist he come with us.
I won't tell her that, though.
I figured going back to the place it all happened would give me insights that they’re refusing to offer. At the very least, it might get her talking.
“You’re staring,” she states flatly without looking at me, her profile sharp against the window as Manhattan’s skyline comes into view.
