Page 162 of Of Blood & Stone

The sword clattered away.

The thrumming heartbeat of her goddess ceased.

Eyes wild, Distrathrus steadied a sharp dagger to her throat. “You were supposed to resurrect me, Sylzenya, notkillme.”

Sylzenya gripped his arm, scratching and screaming for him to let her go, her windpipe slowly crushed by his grasp, black stars appearing at the corners of her vision.

“How could you do this to me?” he asked, tears spilling from his eyes, dropping onto her heated skin. “You… you were everything to me?—”

“You’re a fucking monster!” she shouted, the vision of Elnok’s lifeless eyes causing her vision to blur.

Distrathrus’ yellow eyes widened. He dropped the dagger, releasing her throat and cupping her face instead.

Wheezing, Sylzenya tried to break free from his grasp, but exhaustion pulled at her like a heavy anchor. Her hands frantically felt for the sword—ithadto be nearby.

“My Sylzenya,” he whispered. “I should’ve put my blood into your cut years ago so I had complete control of you… it was my plan, but I didn’t. Icouldn’t.”

Confusion pulled at her mind, her fingertips fumbling until she found the cold hilt of the sword.

“What are you talking about?” she choked, grabbing the blade.

He shook his head, smile wide and crooked. “You were devoted to me. You adored me, even when my blood’s potency in the wine grew weak.Out of thousands of Esteans, youneverleft my side. And now… I almost killed you.MySylzenya.”

She stilled.

Sylzenya recalled those moments where they’d laughed together and walked in the gardens during fresh spring days, discussing new vegetables to create and different ways to provide for Esteans. He’d committed atrocities, controlled her and everyone around her, and yet… She finally saw what he’d been hiding in plain sight this entire time—even from himself.

“You—” Sylzenya faltered, searching his eyes. “You grew to care for humans.”

His smile fell. “No. No, I didn’t. No, no,no?—”

“You once told me the priestesses, Kreenas, and acolytes were your family. You said I was the closest you’d ever had to a daughter.”

Elnok’s blood coated his face, mixing with his tears as his body shook.

“Distrathrus, you can let us live,” she begged, keeping him focused on anything but her desire to see him dead, “you can be better than your sister.”

Yellow eyes searched hers. His smile cracked. Tears streamed down his pale face.

“No…no.” He shook his head and yelled, “Can’t you see? I don’t care about humans; everything I did, it was for you. Forus.So when I took this world, we would create something new out of it. You and me. Just you and me, how it was always meant to be.”

She pulled her face out of his grasp, crawling backwards. He didn’t pursue her. Sylzenya surveyed the chaos surrounding them. Kreenas bleeding into the floor, gasping for air. Kharis held down while a vial of Distrathrus’ blood was poured into his cut. Elnok’s lifeless body lying in a pool of his own blood.

Distrathrus extended his arms, pleading for her to return to him.

If her heart could crack and spill, then it would’ve. This was Distrathrus’ fault, Aretta’s fault—and it was hers.

“I’m not your sister, Distrathrus,” she whispered. “I’m not Aretta.”

“But you’re agoddess,” he shouted, “I made you.”

Sylzenya called on her muscles to work as one again, but there was no response. Her power was still blocked.

“I’m not a goddess, Distrathrus. I’m not separate from my people or this world, no matter how much you want me to be,” Sylzenya said, gripping the sword with both hands. “I may have power, but at my core, I’m just a human.”

She spun, screaming at the weight burdening her arms as she lifted the sword high in the air, her shout a final prayer ushered into the sanctuary as she pierced his heart.

Black blood spilled and sputtered, its warmth coating her hands and face.

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