Page 78 of A Haven of Brimstone and Darkness

“Nubo and Zalika,” Theos guesses.

Kalix points to him and nods. “You’re not as dull as everyone says you are, Brother.”

Theos bares his teeth but otherwise doesn’t respond to Kalix’s taunt.

“What kind of warning did you send?” Ruen asks. “And does this warning have fangs?”

Kalix takes his pointed finger and places it over his lips. “Now, why would I reveal all of my secrets?” he asks. “Where would be the fun in that?”

I release my arms and raise my hands to my face, dragging them over my tired features. “They’re going to kill us,” I mutter.

“No,” Ruen says sharply and I drop my hands to meet his eyes. “If they wanted us dead, we would be.”

“We almost died today,” I point out. “You and Maeryn?—”

“Maeryn and I—yes,” he interrupts. “But not you. You aren’t fair game. Why else would Tryphone hold off on killing you even knowing who you are? He has suspicions.” Makeda had all but insinuated that fact, so I remain quiet as he continues. “But healso hasn’t pushed the issue of your blood ceremony since we’ve gotten here, has he?”

My lips part and I lean back. “No … he hasn’t.” I’d almost forgotten about that. The ceremony the God Council had performed in Riviere had resulted in no definitive evidence of my God parent, a fact I now know was because of Caedmon and likely Danai and Makeda’s influences.

“Gods are nothing if not thorough. If Tryphone wants to be sure of who you are, then he’ll still perform the ceremony,” Ruen finishes.

“We’re almost to their third rite though,” I say with a shake of my head. “Tryphone has been absent for a lot of our time here. I didn’t see him at the Hunt or in the assembly halls. He hasn’t sent word or had anything delivered to me reminding me that he and the God Council will call upon me to determine who my God parent is.” Even thoughwealready know.

“The last time we saw him was the Cleansing…” Theos' words trail off as he runs a hand through the top of his hair. “I think, Gods, I still can’t remember most of that night.”

“It’s part of the power that was stolen,” I surmise.

Ruen offers his agreement with a jerk of his chin before refocusing on Kalix. “Your warning wouldn’t have anything to do with Kiera’s blood ceremony, would it?”

“Perhaps I’ve forgotten about it,” Kalix suggests, not quite answering the question.

“Kalix.” Ruen’s body grows taut as he glowers down at the man on his bed.

Kalix removes his hands from behind his head and throws them into the air as he sits up. “You don’t need to concern yourself with my warning, Brother,” he replies. “What you need to do is heal faster and then we need to figure out what to do about their Feast.”

“Feast?” I frown. “What feast?”

“The third ceremony,” Theos answers quietly. “Makeda and Danai informed us that it would happen tomorrow eve.”

“Tomorrow?” I shake my head. “Isn’t that supposed to happen just before the Spring Equinox? It hasn’t been two weeks…” As my words drift off, I think back, counting the days. How many had we lost between the ceremonies? Had the Hunt been longer than a day? No doubt the Void could warp time to suit the user’s purposes. I shudder at the memory of that place, dragging my hands up my arms as a chill crawls up my spine.

“Yes,” Kalix confirms. “The Feast will be held tomorrow and all will be expected to attend.”

My insides clench and my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach at his words. A day. We have a day. “A day isn’t nearly long enough to come up with a plan,” I murmur.

The Gods—Tryphone, specifically—has been playing this game of his for far longer. He’s thought of every detail, used those he found necessary, and disposed of them as he could. Reaching up, I drag the pad of my thumb back and forth across my lower lip, thinking.

“What…” I hesitate as the words catch in my throat, but now that the thought has given itself a voice, there is no stopping it. I sense their eyes on me even though I can’t focus on them, can only stare at the bed’s footboard and the swirls carved into the wooden frame. “What if I were to approach Tryphone and tell him the truth?”

When there’s no immediate eruption of curses and angry noises, I look up and find all three Darkhaven brothers staring back at me, waiting.

“Tryphone can’t know what we know,” I say, lowering my arms back to my side as my voice rises in strength. “Not unless Danai, Makeda, or Caedmon has betrayed us.”

“And if they have betrayed us, then we’d be dead,” Theos agrees with a nod.

“What would approaching him do?” Ruen asks, his face pinched tight, his hand clamped into the pillow until his knuckles are bone white.

“Makeda told me something,” I admit, turning away from them again as I return my eyes to the bed’s footboard. “She said that Ariadne was one of the only ones who could face Tryphone and challenge him. All others that argued against him over the centuries disappeared, but not her.”

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