Page 42 of A Haven of Brimstone and Darkness

“Kiera?” Ruen's hand is still clamped within mine and he feels it when my fingers contract around his. "Are you okay?"

I shake my head in answer. In the realm of the Gods, we are beholden to the monsters that wish to consume our flesh and blood. No, I am not okay. I am fucking terrified. Ruen's fingers squeeze mine back.

Something is wrong with this vision. Glasses upon glasses of bubbling crimson and gold rise as Tryphone smiles and stretches his arms out. My heart pounds so loud I can hear it over the cries of the horde. It fills my ears with its incessant beating. The wood. My eyes lock onto the carefully arranged sticks that form a pike in the center. They look familiar somehow. A distant memory surfaces in my mind. The calcified wood reminds me of something similar, like the same material that had been hidden inside a cart that had passed out of Riviere Academy all those weeks ago when Ruen and I had been sneaking out for me to meet up with Regis—not that Ruen had been aware of my intentions at the time.

Is it special to the Gods somehow?

"Welcome, my children." Tryphone's voice booms over our heads, so loud and commanding that it causes everyone to settle down almost immediately. The excited cheers and chatter cease as all become enrapt by the God King.

A small movement out of the corner of my eye draws my attention for a single instant. It's the flick of a snake's tail as it slithers around another statue closer to the Gods. I look up at Kalix, brow puckered as the desire to ask him what he's doing locks in my throat. I can't here. We're far too close to the Gods for me to reveal anything of what we know.

Kalix merely lifts his lips and then places a finger to the center of them in a silent indication for me to keep quiet. Turning back to face the pedestal the Gods have placed themselves on, I let the curiosity go. Whatever it is, I trust him. It's a strange thing—trusting someone—but I realize that deciding to do so has freed me from a lot of restrictions I used to have. And it is a choice that I've made, one that I don't think I could take back if I wanted.

Chapter 21

Kiera

“You have been brought here to perform the first rite of the Equinox celebration." Tryphone's words filter through my mind as I stare at the pile of wood at his back. The pale, nearly ivory-looking structure of supposed ‘wood’ looks more like a collection of bodies devoid of life—arms and legs shriveled into husks and stacked atop one another. Ruen's hand disappears from mine and I still can't seem to drag my attention back from the sight as a shiver crawls up my spine.

A cool glass is pressed into my palm. I glance down, relieved to find that it's not the same red liquid as what Azai had. Ruen's gaze is clouded and uncomfortable as he nudges me to face forward once more, but not before I see that he and the others all have glasses of their own. When my eyes settle back on the God King, he has his own goblet of gold lifted to the sky.

"Tonight, we burn sacred wood of the Gods and when the ashes rain down upon you, you shall be permitted to use them to cleanse your bodies of all transgressions." His mouth curves into the slant of a cruel smile.

I focus on Tryphone's face, but there's very little in the way of features that resembleher—Ariadne. My mother. The God Queen, on the other hand ... her features reflect Ariadne's soobviously, I don't know how I never saw it before. The delicate curve of her nose, the shape of her eyes, the pout of her mouth. All of it reminds me of the woman in the cells below. The only difference is that where Danai is all golden flame and warmth, Ariadne is silver steel and cold ice.

"When the ashes choose you," Tryphone continues, "you must lift them to your skin. Kiss your flesh with the tribute of the fire." His eyes turn over the crowd.

When Tryphone’s gaze finally stills over me, I return his stare. Heat burns up my spine and my fingers clench on the glass in my fist. My muscles contract, preparing for some unseen attack. The Darkhavens shift closer, offering both their protection and the warmth of their bodies. I reach for the heat, letting it invade my bones even as frost quickly swipes it away. Breath evaporates from my lungs, dispersing like a fleeing army. Empty of air.

My lips become dry, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. I swallow, tasting sand and ash on my tongue and wanting to vomit. Rooted to the stone beneath my bare feet, I break Tryphone’s gaze and stare at the glass of wine in my hand.Dangerous!My mind screams, the sound of the word higher pitched than my own mental voice. My fingers tremble around the stem.

I shouldn’t drink this.

Almost as soon as that thought emerges and I plan to toss it over my shoulder, a familiar face appears. All violent teeth and sharp smile, Zalika grins as she barrels forward, her own glass in hand—though she’s dressed like the Gods this evening and not like the rest of us. Surprised, Theos stumbles to the side to avoid being slammed into and my fingers loosen on the glass.

Happy first rite …Zalika’s voice is a whisper on the wind despite her very real presence. It’s so brief that I almost expect to hear her words in my head versus aloud.

Then some unknown source emboldens my body, my limbs moving against my own desires as my hand lifts, fingers regripping the stem of the glass once more until the rim is pressed to my lips. Fuck!

My eyes skid away from Zalika and back to Tryphone’s smug expression as one of his dark brows arches as if to tell me to give up the fight. Sparkling liquid rushes over my tongue, sliding its way towards the back of my throat.No. No! I can’t …it’s too late.

The wine disappears down my throat and the effect is almost immediate. The tension in my bones eases. My mind fogs over, a rolling wave of euphoria entering me. I glance to the side to see that the others are doing the same. Ruen’s eyes are wide as his mouth opens and he pours the wine over his tongue. I know why, though I can’t seem to gather enough wits to remember the reason it’s so dangerous. Someone is controlling him—controllingus. Theos coughs as he chugs his own glass down and Kalix … Kalix is glaring at the dais as the veins of his arms bulge and pulsate in time to the glittering of rage in his gaze.

Whatever we’ve done—it’s bad.

I swallow mouthfuls and the bubbling, tart liquid seems to flood my bones, reigniting my ability to breathe. I drink for so long that I empty my cup and am forced to lower it before the God King's speech has even ended.

His full, masculine mouth remains curved upward. Satisfaction gleams in his burning eyes. The effect of the liquid, some type of alcohol, seems to slither deeper, pouring from my bones into my bloodstream. I lick my lips, tasting fruit and something more, something ... addictive.

"May the first rite begin!" Tryphone finally yells, earning a responding cheer. Hands shoot up into the sky, glasses clinking. Drink being downed over and over again.

Good.I sway where I stand, an unseen force beckoning me forward and back.The wine is so wonderful. The bubblestickling my throat even though my glass is long empty. It's truly ... Divine.

A torch is dropped upon the mass of petrified wood and it goes up in a large swooshing sound as the flame eats across the dried-out husks. The Gods seem to disappear now that they've performed their duty and without Tryphone's eyes on me, I find it easier to relax. Maybe this isn't so bad. It's just a party, right? I reach for another drink from a passing Terra dressed much like Iysa had been. Moving statues pass through the garden, disappearing into quickly forming shadows, bringing trays full of the strange bubbly liquid that feels like sunshine under my skin. My vision goes blurry as I suck back another goblet of bubbly wine.

"Kiera?" Hard hands grip my shoulders and turn me to face a bare chest.

Theos' chest. I smile and drop my now empty goblet to the ground, distantly hearing it clink. "The wine is delicious," I say, pressing myself into him. "Did you have some?" Wait. He did, right? I saw him drink ... he should have more. Far more. So should I.

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