Page 29 of Courting War
“Because it’s what my mother wants.”
“You would let someone die to spite your mother?”
“Yes,” Theo said, and from Cecile’s horrified reaction, she added, “Gods are rarely prone to forgiveness.”
Red blossomed on Cecile’s face, painting it with deep frustration, and in a voice so low, Theo almost didn’t hear it, “Then maybe you deserve this punishment.”
The words were a knife wound; if any other human had said it, Theo would’ve retaliated harshly. But the bond between them forced her to practice patience. Theo understood her servant’s frustrations, so she let the harsh words slide off her skin.
“This relationship . . .” Theo said harshly but softened her tone and took Cecile’s arm. “The Godmark is reciprocal. You serve me, but I also serve you. I cannot do what you ask of me, but I will do all in my power to help and protect you, and if there comes a moment when you must choose between helping me or saving yourself . . .” Theo lingered on the last word and rubbed the girl’s tattoo with her thumb. “Choose yours—”
Theo was distracted as Bella appeared from shadow andjumped onto her lap, purring and snuggling in. Theo’s familiars were banned from being with her for the tournament—another wicked gift from her mother, so Bella had to be here for Cecile. “I see she is still with you.”
“Yes, ever since the boat.” Cecile swallowed, trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.
“Keep her close in your challenges, she will help—”
The sound of cracking lava cut off the word and the wall split in two and flowed orange with volcanic light. Andromache stepped out, forming a dress of lava around her, clinging to her curves.
She was the third triplet and by far the most grandiose. She shared the same face structure as her twins but altered her features so much with light that she looked merely related instead of identical. Her skin was arctic-fox white, as were her eyelashes, eyebrows, and hair. She looked like a La Dame Blanche witch.
Andromache shook out of her hair, embers falling from the snowdrop strands. “Cecile, darling, we must strategize for tomorrow and discuss your first riddle.”
“Wait, not so fast,” Theo cut in, “we need to talk.” The glare she threw at her sister could melt an artic fox.
“I don’t see what about.” Andromache’s lips curved up at the sides.
“You helped mother curse me.”
“Oh, that, yes, I did.” Unapologetic and cold.
“Why?”
“I will curse anyone and do anything to get him back. You know that.”
“Cursing me will not bring Devereaux back.”
“Perhaps not, but sometimes it feels good to be a villain.” Andromache smiled. “You would know, I learned from you.” She turned her back on her sister, stepping in front of her to only talk to Cecile. “Now, I came for a reason. Your riddle, please.”
Cecile was startled by the goddess’s presence and the sisters’ exchange so much, so it seemed like she didn’t know where toplace her hands. “Yes, of course,” she finally responded with not nearly as much confidence as she’d shown towards Theo.
“What is it?” Andromache asked. She wouldn’t already know it because it was forbidden for a god to design the games for their own country. Each champion had a different god create their games, and that god developed all the clues leading to the challenges.
Besides playing games against the champions in the Sacrifice, the gods also played against each other. They took pride in their champion being the best and outwitting, outsmarting, and outlasting the rest. Gods placed bets and bargains on how well their champions did. They also tried to trick other champions into deadly mistakes and bargains which would hinder their games.
It was the game within the games.
Cecile sucked in a breath and read from the new tattoo inked into her arm. “Welcome, Cecile, three knots connected to your life be bound. A Vow, a Conductor, and a Crown. To survive and find divinity’s blessing, seek the truth so gravely pressing.”
Andromache’s eyes twitched ever oh so slightly at the words. Her telltale sign she was rattled.
Interesting.
Theo stroked through the riddle in her head.A Vow, a Conductor, and a Crown.It pointed to three people. But who?
“For your first challenge,” Cecile continued reading. “Find the mirror that coils and proclaims the scales of justice. Formed from any color of the rainbow, it rattles with deadly delight. But don’t be mistaken, for Poison bites, and Death will soon follow.”
Andromache raised her brows, knowing the answer, but she couldn’t directly say it, for it was against the rules for a god to solve the riddles. However, they could point their champion in the correct direction.
