Page 124 of Courting War
Cecile knelt, too, brushing an errant curl out of Theo’s face. “You will.”
“Cecile, I'm so sorry for everything. Kellyn, Gallagher, nearly killing you in the fire. Everything.”
Emmett leaned back on his heels and let the two have a moment.
Cecile sucked in a breath. “Well, isn’t that what family is supposed to do? Almost accidentally kill each other in fires?”
“How long have you known?”
“That I’m a demigod and your great-niece?” Cecile chortled. “Less than a day. Although I’ve always known I was different.” Not simply different. She was a demigod and would become fully immortal at age twenty-five. Cecile had a year left until she was death resistant and divinely powerful. One year until she became a god herself. “It was the riddle to my final challenge. Havyn has a messed up sense of humor.”
“She truly does.”
Theo should have known the moment she met the girl on the steamship eleven years ago, that she had extra strings of life. Itmeant she was either a long-lived mortal like a vampire or witch, or she was a demigod. Then she should have known when she discovered Cecile’s powers and inhuman strength, but shetrulyshould have known when Medusa didn’t affect Cecile.
But the spell Theo cast all those years ago obscured her vision and kept the truth at bay, because Theo didn’t just hide Night’s origins from the world, she also hid her descendants.
“Did you know Andromache chose me to be her champion because she lost a bet with Havyn?” Cecile asked.
“What?” Horror tensed Theo’s stomach.
“Yeah . . .” Cecile shrugged.
“That’s not all,” Emmett cut in. “Havyn was responsible for both Kellyn and me entering the Sacrifice. Havyn also bribed Gallagher to switch out Kellyn’s Decision Day speech.”
“Oh, fuck, the speech.” It finally made sense—Kellyn’s anger at Theo about the speech. A god was responsible for it, just not the one he blamed. “Havyn planned the whole thing, didn’t she?” It was more a hypothetical question rather than being directed at anyone.
“Yep,” Emmett said. “Death’s a bitch.”
Havyn wanted the truth about Cecile’s parentage to come out. She wanted Kellyn in the Sacrifice. She wanted Theo to fall in love with him. It was her all along, pulling the puppet strings.
But why?
What motivation did Havyn have?
Theo needed to find out because the answer might hold the key to saving Kellyn’s life.
“Theo, I wanted you to know that no matter what happens, and no matter that I'm still upset about Gallagher, I love you.” Cecile clutched Theo’s hand, red lava reflecting in her irises and emotions stirring in her heart. “I forgive you and want you to know I don’t think you’re selfish. I never have. I was just furious and trying to hurt you.”
“I know.” Theo swallowed. “Cecile, I should release you from our bond.” Theo motioned to the raven tattoos on their wrists.
“I don’t want to be released,” she said adamantly. “I’m proud to be your Godmarked and even more proud to be your niece.”
Chapter Forty-Two
THEODRA
Horrified Goddess of War
VOLCANIC BALLROOM, CITY OF THE GODS
“Let’s begin.” Nefeli clapped her hands and commanded the attention of the entire audience.
Theo and Kellyn were at the center of the volcanic ballroom, facing each other, gagged, and chained with their hands behind their backs. They couldn’t speak, but they could communicate with their eyes. His were molten and filled with so much love and promises that it hurt, and her eyes were nearly obsidian colored—so dark purple they were nearly black.
The gods were on their thrones, and the audience was filled with crowned champions and privileged human guests, but Theo had no eyes for them; her entire focus was on the man she loved.
“Wait.” Andromache stepped forward again and walked up to Theo, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I move to abolish the torture portion of the boy’s punishment. If he must die, fine, but don’t torture him.”
